Connection. We are designed for it. We function better when we feel connected to something or someone. All the systems in our body are connected. If one system has a break-down, the other systems feel it or are unable to function until the system is repaired. Our mind, body and soul are connected. We, as humans are connected to earth. Connection is all around us.
So why is it we so often struggle to feel and find connection? Why do we feel disconnected to people who love and support us?
Disconnect for a minute. Intentionally. Spend some time there, alone. And then reboot your attempts. It's similar to needing to unplug an electronic device and rebooting it's connection. Sometimes an intentional disconnect can refocus the attempt to connect. A little break from the struggle could be enough to allow a redirecting of energy or even a recharging of energy to allow a successful attempt.
I hold firm in my belief that the most important connection of all is the connect we have to our self. We need to understand ourselves. To know who we are at our centre - to see and be our authentic self. When we know this and live this, we will feel connected to everything else a lot easier. What does that mean? To be connected to our self? It's an understanding and allowing of our character to be what it is. To understand who we are and not be afraid to be that person. To allow the ideal that our friends/family/society wants from us to fall aside and let the beautiful sparkle inside us move us forward. To push fear of not being accepted away and step out of our "conforming to societal expectations" shell. Be you. She's be-you-tiful.
This self-discovery is a continual journey. And connecting to our self requires exploration of our mind, our body and our soul. The trifecta of self. It can be easy to understand one and not the other. To know what our body needs to feel and function at it's peak level of performance might be easier than knowing what stimulates and facilitates growth in our mind and mindset. And our soul... well she is the feeling part of us that sometimes scares us the most! We will spend more time exploring these 3 areas in upcoming posts as they all require some unpacking.
I heard it this way recently... we all start out a seed. Everything we need to flourish is inside that seed. It doesn't matter what we try to be, we can only be what we were meant to be. An orange seed can't grow up to be a lime. It can try. It can pretend. But in the end, an orange seed can only be an orange. Allow who you are and what you were meant to be, be. And let it be the best darn thing possible by feeding it and watering it and giving it all the yummy nourishment it needs so that it will BLOOM.
When we learn to embrace the seed, know who we are inside, and be that -- we will understand what we need to be connected to in the world around us. We will know if we are someone that needs to be alone to recharge, or we need to be around people. We will understand what we need from family/friends in order to feel connected to them. We will gravitate towards the kinds of connections that feed us and nourish ourselves allowing the our best self to blossom. We will know what activities make us feel connected both to ourselves and those around us. For example, I know I need a lot of time in nature. I know I need to exercise and feed my body healthy food. When I don't for any longer period of time, I feel "off". Disconnected. From myself. And this tends to leak out of me in the form or bad moods or blahs. I find myself more irritable with my kids, grumpier in general and negativity festers. This isn't me. And I recognize it pretty quickly now. Because I've spent the time learning to understand myself and know what is needed to be a better "me". The connection to self was a game-changer for me. I know what I need to change to feel more "me" and connected again. It's kind of like an IT person that studies and learns how electronics work. So when they don't work properly, they can be unplugged, given the proper attention, and rebooted for a successful connection.
With a better understanding and connection to myself, I now understand what I need from those around me to make me flourish. I suddenly have myself surrounded with the right people. The ones that bring out my best self because I've learned and gravitate toward people that have what my authentic self needs. And I have what they need so that the relationship is mutually beneficial. That is how we feel connected to other humans. We mutually enhance the connected feelings in each other.
I will leave it here. Leaving you, it is my hope, with a craving to find your authentic connection to the world. Connect. You were designed for it.
Comments