What's Going on Inside You?

How’s you soul?

Seems this time of year is great for wearing folks out.

Long lines, crowds, to-do lists and (fill-in-the-blank) can leave me drained and running on empty if not careful.

In the past when I have allowed myself to feel tired and exhausted I have easily felt overwhelmed. When I feel overwhelmed, I feel like a dog that has been caged. I’m angry, irritated, and intense.

When I find myself angry, frustrated, critical, tense, and impatient I am usually living in the problem and not the solution. I lose focus on what’s important and what matters, nourishing myself. I need to slow down and breathe. I noticed that it doesn’t take too much to get my energy focused on what’s wrong with everything.

And when I am there—focused outwardly—I am lousy at noticing what is happening inwardly. But when I am willing to truly examine what’s happening inwardly, I am often afraid. If I can slow down enough and look at what is diverting my energy; what I am trying to control; where I am impatient: I can usually narrow my core concern to fear.

Like last evening standing in line at the grocery store, I began to feel slightly impatient and I immediately asked myself, “What are you afraid of?” and I realized that I was afraid that I would miss a telephone call from my wife. Simple, and seemingly just beneath my consciousness, but powerful nevertheless.

And sometimes I think the subtlety of fear beneath the surface of our lives can hinder the flow of joy in our hearts.

We have to slow down long enough to name it.

Don’t you always feel better once you notice what’s going on inside, speak your truth, name you reality, and purge what is on your soul?

I do.

It is healthy and healing.

What's going on inside you today?