Daily Nourishment for The Ninth Day of Christmas: We Are Unfinished
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 50 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 10-15 minutes
“Just as our lives are shaped by those necessary endings — by what we choose to let go — they are shaped by what we choose to begin, however precarious the precipice of the new.” - Maria Popova
Pause.
Take six deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale.
Prompt.
Read this quote by John O’Donohue a few times:
“To live a truly creative life, we always need to cast a critical look at where we presently are, attempting always to discern where we have become stagnant and where new beginning might be ripening. There can be no growth if we do not remain open and vulnerable to what is new and different. I have never seen anyone take a risk for growth that was not rewarded a thousand times over.”
Practice.
Here’s another quote from O’Donohue: “Part of the art of living wisely is to learn to recognize and attend to such profound openings in one’s life.”
Make a list of things that feel closed or stagnant.
Make a list of things that feel open, like they are growing or becoming something new.
Take notes or journal about the lists you made with any thoughts that come to mind or in response to the questions below.
—If something feels stagnant, is there an equal and opposite energy somewhere else, in a different area of life?
—If you wish things were different—if you want more energy around your creative work or another area of life—is there anything you can do to create that energy, to open things up a bit? Can you take some small steps toward more of what you want?
—Can you give more attention to the current openings more regularly? Perhaps there are opportunities to give more time and energy to areas that are already opening up. What comes to mind?
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
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