Sometimes I think stability gets a bad rap as being boring or an enemy of progress. But it is really hard to more forward and test the limits without stability in your life. You must be able to stand firmly on two feet before you can walk, and you must be able to walk without falling before running is going to get you anywhere.
When I started my vestibular therapy last year one of there very first skills I had to work on was standing still with my eyes closed. Sounds easy right? But I could only do it for like ten seconds before I fell. When I was able to do it for thirty seconds six weeks later I was absolutely thrilled! I was amazed by how much a tiny little tumor and being a little off balance affected my life, and how much things improved once I regained some of my physical stability. It comes and goes with the weather and sinus issues, but at least I have a better idea how to deal with it now.
Needing stability extends beyond just being able to stand up straight. I’m pretty sure this spring we all got knocked down a rung or two on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I know that I was already in a depressive episode and struggling with other changes to our routine when the schools were closed in March, but I expected myself to be up there, self-actualizing, while the foundation of my life was crumbling away. And I had so much more stability than many other families. Instead of taking note that what I really needed was more rest and to create some new healthy routines that provided security for myself and my kids, I kept spinning my wheels, going nowhere fast trying to be “better.”
So I stripped everything back to bare basics. My core values are kindness and joy, so I made sure that my family and myself lived in a kind and joyful environment as much as I could. I worked to create a sense of security in these uncertain times. Even though I got knocked down, I worked to climb my way back up that pyramid of needs and to keep pushing forward.
So if you lost your balance six months ago when the world went crazy, I hope you are finding your footing and building a more stable future for yourself. As always, here are a weeks worth of quotes to inspire this week’s meditations.
Joy On Pink Wings 