Look on the bright side ...

But don't ignore the shadows.

I begin each of my classes with an invitation to look inward, to notice what is present - in mind, body and spirit. I invite us to notice what is easy to welcome, and what we might want to ignore or push away.

I begin most days this way as well. I sit with my coffee, my journal and my thoughts, and I notice what's present. I notice when I feel good - when I'm excited, energetic, and looking forward to the day ahead. I also notice when I'm feeling less eager to greet the day - when fear or doubt are present, or when my body is tired or in pain. And to be honest, it's almost always a combination of emotions and sensations that are easy to welcome and those that I'd prefer not to acknowledge.

And I am often tempted to focus on the positive and pretend the other things aren't there - if I shine a brighter light on the things that feel good, maybe I won't have to look at or acknowledge the things that don't. That works for a little while, but if I really want to walk my talk, it doesn't end up ringing true.

It makes sense that we want everything to be fine - pain, discomfort, anxiety, doubt and fear aren't enjoyable. But that doesn't make them any less valid.

There's a danger to only looking for the silver lining. "Fake it 'til you make it" might work every now and then, but it's not an effective or sustainable strategy for dealing with stress, anxiety, injury or chronic pain, or problems in our relationships. And it can make things worse in the long run by perpetuating patterns that are causing damage.

When we choose to acknowledge the things we wish weren't present, we grow our capacity to respond and adapt to them, and to the inevitable challenges and difficulties in life. 

If you can notice that you're angry (or sad, worried, etc.), acknowledge it and choose to become curious instead of pushing it away, you can learn more about what else is present along with the anger. Frustration? Disappointment? Control? Grief?

And what's behind those? Expectations? Love? Care?

There's always a new layer to peel back.

But when we're telling ourselves there's a "right" and "wrong" way to be, we can't see or respond to the difficult things effectively.

Challenges deserve our attention. And so does joy. One doesn't erase the other.

Life is never going to be not challenging. We're never going to arrive at that watershed moment of "I've got it all figured out and things are going to be smooth sailing from here on" (If you do have it all figured out and you have zero challenges in life, I'd love to hear from you)

So, each morning, as I sit and think and sip, I also acknowledge what's showing up that I might want to push away - and I try to welcome it as a part of my experience of being alive. What door is this challenge inviting me to walk through? What do I need to bring to this day to meet what is present? Are parts of this day calling for more tenderness and grace? Or more energy and agility? (Or more likely, a blend of all of these and more...)

• How do you want to welcome your emotions, thoughts and sensations today?

• What is asking for your attention?

• What else?

• How do you want to respond?

It will feel impossible to welcome some things with open arms - you might choose to start by simply nodding or raising a hand in acknowledgement. What might that look and feel like?

If this is resonating with you, but you don't know where to begin, I'd love to support you with a 30-minute conversation - no cost, no obligation - just some time together to figure out your next step.