It has been 4 years since I actually blogged!!! I knew it was a long time but that seems ancient!

For some reason I felt it would be nice to check in…
I continue to be so blessed in my life. I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with so many compassionate and caring people over the years in my individual counselling and the many workshops and talks I’ve done. These are people so committed to their work, and those they serve, that often they forget to care for themselves. When I share about how our work impacts us as helpers and carers, many come up to tell me about how my story of being impacted by compassion fatigue mirrors what they are feeling. Through listening, affirming, sharing I can only hope that I might have touch some people in a way that maybe makes their work just a little more manageable, a little less daunting…
Bless you for what you do.

One of my favourite things I speak about is the use of mindfulness as a self-awareness and self-care technique. As a mindfulness teacher and practitioner I have the privilege to sit in silence with so many people just experiencing this one precious life we have one moment at a time. It still surprises me sometimes, when sitting in a circle or group of people, the overwhelming sense I feel when I realize how intertwined we all truly are. That we are so connected and so interdependent and that my existence is dependent on you and yours on mine…and I know that although we may feel lonely at times…we are never…ever…truly alone. I recall the quote from Ram Dass ‘We are all just walking each other home’. And this is what I know to be true when I get to be with all the wonderful people that I get to spend time with. I am walking them home and they are walking me home. So blessed…

And while I love these connections that I make and am also energized by them – I also have recognized this deep need to go inward…and get quiet. I am a huge extrovert and I find as I get older, I am also craving quiet and calm and opportunity to just be still. I think its maybe part of the life-stage of being in my 50’s and recognizing what is really important in my life. I think about how I want to be spending my days and connecting to each and every moment that is gifted to me. It is very hard in this do…do…do…world where there are so many expectations placed on us by self and others.

Last year my beloved and I started to spend some time up north in the Georgian Bay area and we witnessed each other settle in to a different pace when we were able to get away and finally be still. I think that being so close to nature forces us to be present! We had time to connect and just unwind from our roles as care-givers. On one of our visits we found a place that feels like a sanctuary, a place to take refuge, to be still, to check deeply in, and to relax in a way that allows us to feel incredible delight. So this summer we have made a commitment to ourselves and one another to visit this place often, to give ourselves permission to check out of the buzy-ness in order to check deeply in…breath by breath…I am so looking forward to this opportunity…

I would invite you…even if you cannot physically get away to an environment that fills you up just by its magical energy and being…to find a place in your space where you can connect and take refuge, even if it is in your car with the windows open and the sun and breeze on your face…where you can just settle in, take some deep breaths, connect to your body and and know that someone, somewhere has got your back…

May we all be well…
May we all be happy…
May we all ride the waves of our lives…
May we all live in peace no matter what we are given …

Blessings to you all…

Valerie

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