Low Wave

A work colleague said to me the other day, 'You lead a stress-free life, don't you?' as if in contrast to her 'stress-full' life.

'Yes,' I said, smiling. But regrettably I left it at that. Later, when thinking about it, I wanted to add, 'Because I choose to.'

I admit I don't get stressed that often. I don't entertain anger that much either. But these are choices I consciously make, and occasionally an unconscious reaction will slide through and I will catch myself getting angry at something or another.

And also on occasion I find myself feeling low, so low that I don't want to do anything or see anyone.

But all this is fine and completely normal.

I don't know of anybody who is upbeat all of the time. I know a lot of people who are into personal development and self-help, practise meditation, do yoga and have a high degree of self-awareness - but yet they still find themselves occasionally feeling like crap.

It's called being human and owning that which we call the mind.

We have forces coming at us from every angle, both positive and negative, from the media and from people we come into contact with on a daily basis. Not to mention our constant stream of thoughts. I'm one who believes that the planets have an impact on how we feel too - whether science has proof or not.

I've used the following analogy with a number of people who have said they feel low, I've even used it with people who are feeling great: 'Ride the wave with the knowledge that every wave reaches the shore.'

If you're feeling good, then great. Revel in it! But know that what goes up must come down. If you're feeling low, then accept it. The same rule applies; what goes down must come up.

Acceptance is a huge factor here.

Accepting a low vibe doesn't strengthen it, it merely allows it to be there, to do its thing. You only strengthen it when you add a story to it. And this story usually starts with, 'I feel like crap because . . .' Sometimes we blame others for how we feel, even though on every single occasion the feeling is within us.

The same can be said of a good, upbeat vibe.

A feeling is a feeling. A frequency (whether low or high) of energy that flows through our being. How you translate that energy is up to you.

A few people have said to me in the passed few weeks, 'You're one of the happiest people I know.' Now, although that's a very nice thing to hear, I don't think about happiness that often. I prefer to dwell in joy and contentment. There's a difference. I personally see joy as deeper than happiness. Joy isn't affected, or discouraged, as easily as happiness is.

Joy presents itself to me as a warm, fuzzy feeling deep within.

And this warm, fuzzy feeling tells me it is fed by the simplest of things; the sound of a bird, a tree blowing in the wind, seeing someone smile, the feel of my next breath - and by nourishing joy, this warm, fuzzy feeling, I end up expressing gratitude, and on the surface I look to be happy because I can't help but smile.

And with this deep joy comes the feeling (of a high frequency) that everything is OK, and is going to be OK. And that everything that happens is happening the way it's supposed to happen, if it wasn't, then it wouldn't be happening.

I write this as therapy because I've been riding a low wave today.

That said, I'm nearly at the shore.

. . . thinking out loud . . .