Changes in Perspective

Recently, I asked some of my readers how they get deep rest.

Here are the most common answers:

Hiking, walking, or simply being in nature.
Going on annual retreats (silent retreats are really great!). I loved hearing from one person who is able to go three times a year.
Doing nothing on Sunday afternoons.
Having a calming bedtime routine that promotes sound sleep and deep rest.
Practicing meditation, which calms the mind so we can access a state of deep rest regularly.

What are the thoughts and feelings that show up for you when you read these suggestions?

For me, I feel a bit of longing to make more time to go on long hikes, gratitude for being in nature often, and excitement about facilitating restful retreats for others and going on silent retreats once my kids are on their own… 🙂

Which brings me to another question:

What small changes can you implement to your daily routines to make space for deep rest?

Resting not only restores our physical and mental health, but it’s also a necessary part of our emotional and spiritual well-being.

Often, it’s not so much a change in our circumstances that we need in order to transform an area of our lives (eg. saying that you’ll need the kids to be on their own, before you can go on a silent retreat).

What we need is a change in perspective – and a change in our mindset.

Recently, I asked some of my readers how they get deep rest.

Here are the most common answers:

Hiking, walking, or simply being in nature.
Going on annual retreats (silent retreats are really great!). I loved hearing from one person who is able to go three times a year.
Doing nothing on Sunday afternoons.
Having a calming bedtime routine that promotes sound sleep and deep rest.
Practicing meditation, which calms the mind so we can access a state of deep rest regularly.

What are the thoughts and feelings that show up for you when you read these suggestions?

For me, I feel a bit of longing to make more time to go on long hikes, gratitude for being in nature often, and excitement about facilitating restful retreats for others and going on silent retreats once my kids are on their own… 🙂

Which brings me to another question:

What small changes can you implement to your daily routines to make space for deep rest?

Resting not only restores our physical and mental health, but it’s also a necessary part of our emotional and spiritual well-being.

Often, it’s not so much a change in our circumstances that we need in order to transform an area of our lives (eg. saying that you’ll need the kids to be on their own, before you can go on a silent retreat).

What we need is a change in perspective – and a change in our mindset.

We arrived in Croatia on a Sunday, spent an evening with my family, and drove to the coast on Monday morning.

On the way to our destination (a small wind-surfing village on the far end of the Peljesac peninsula), we passed through the ancient town of Ston, known for a wall that was built in 1333 as a part of the Republic of Dubrovnik’s defense system.

We walked through the narrow streets and sat down at one of the small restaurants owned by locals. The tourist season hasn’t really started yet and the streets were beautifully empty and calm.

The lovingly tended potted flowers and trimmed vines climbing the ancient trellises and courtyards told the story of the locals preparing for the summer and welcoming visitors.

The old walls and many dilapidated houses off of the main street told a different chapter of the same story: of a season being too short to provide for the year-round life and extra expenses of fixing the historic stone buildings. In many cases, these are passed down the family line, with very few people left who know the craft of working with stone.

The women sit alone in front of their houses, greeting strangers with gentle smiles. And men gather around a table on the main street loudly talking about local deals gone bad, hinting about what might be driving the offspring to leave and search for ways to change old patterns.

Stepping into this world for a few hours – a world that’s thousands of miles away from Franklin, TN, and symbolically really far away from the way of life, thinking patterns, and world views – reminded me how incredibly beneficial it is to experience this shift in perspective.

Immediately, I could see how our environment shapes our reality and creates either inner bliss or struggle.

This shift in perspective opens up the space for us to clearly see the challenges that maybe aren’t as overwhelming as they feel, or things and events we perceive are necessary for happiness.

From this shift in perspective, we can shift our mindset and create a new, calmer, and more fulfilling experience (and reality).

And although I highly recommend a trip to Croatia (lol), anything from the list at the top of this email will do the same 🙂

BTW, I have an e-book that explains the External and Internal Shifts in the transformational process. You can download it here!

If you’d like to experience my Croatian trip through exclusive videos, consider becoming a Patron (for as little as $5/ month)! My intention with the content I share on Patreon is to help you experience a deep sense of calmness 🙂

As always, let me know how this lands for you, and if you can use my coaching support!

with gratitude,

Tatiana ‘Tajci’ Cameron