Some of you kindly read my recent blog post, “Resurfacing: Digging Out of the Dark Night.” I continue to dig, as life continues to shift in surprising ways that demand recalibrating, but I have brought more calm and quiet into my life and practices through more often prioritizing my Quiet Self.

Earlier this month, after a conversation with someone really down on the world, I followed said conversation with a snowy walk with the dogs. I kept thinking about the following.

No matter what hardships we experience, no matter how gloomy certain outlooks may seem… let us not be bitter. Feeling sad sometimes happens. Other tough emotions also make appearances. Bitterness and resentment assume lack of control, hold us prisoner and create dis-ease within our bodies. Developing and practicing helpful, healthy tools and responses to fermenting negative emotions will deter bitterness and resentment.

When we’re confused and need to sort difficult and mixed emotions, we often really need to move more deeply inward to our Quiet Self. While talking with select people can be helpful, we will often only realize our most authentic feelings, answers and needs when we’re not distracted—by others’ opinions and judgments, media sources, and, well, noise and whatever else distracts us.

My hope for all of us is that we consider ways we can increase self-love and honor our Quiet Self—an authentic state of resting and being in a meditative, open space.

And in truly honoring our Quiet Self, we not only insist on time to be in this state, but we also integrate our feelings, answers and needs found in the Quiet Self into aligned actions and forward steps.

© Erika M. Schreck, 2015. All Rights Reserved.