Do Less. Be More.

I received this message on Friday night. This was after weeks of doing a lot more than usual with my sister's wedding, moving, starting my book, etc... and starting to feel a little fried around the edges.

Wow did it really resonate! Do Less. Be More. What great guidance for summertime!

I really checked in with myself, and I discovered that even my meditation time had become something on my to-do list instead of a time of just being present. I've been in a race against my to-do list, even though I should know better.

The to-do list is just like the kitchen sink. You get it clean, and then you have to eat and use dishes again. It never really reaches a perfect state of clean unless you never use it. Same with my email inbox. It's always refilling, so the emptiness is only temporary unless you are not communicating with anyone.

Where am I going with this?

Do less be more is a gentle clue-by-four from the Universe to shift into a different relationship with the to-do list.

It's always going to be there. How can I BE with the to-do list in a way that doesn't elicit an adrenaline rush? Can I make peace with it, shift things around so there is less to-do each day? What are my priorities?

Being calm, centered and pain free are my priorities, and in the most recent Reiki Master class we talked about how to start the day with Being instead of Doing. I think I need to take my own advice.

Here's what I told my students.

The single most important thing a person can do is to take some quiet "me" time every morning.

This means not starting the day with checking your email, watching the news or yelling at your kids to hurry up.

It means setting aside a few minutes just for you to relax before you start your morning routine or finding a way to incorporate it into your current routine such as listening to soothing music on your commute to work.

Whether you play with your pet, just sit with your favorite beverage savoring the flavors, meditate, do yoga, go for a walk, look out over your garden, play music you enjoy, or reflect in a journal, making the time every morning to just be is a very simple way to maintain sanity and keep stress at bay.

First of all, these special moments just for yourself allow you to be fully present in your day so you can truly own and appreciate it.

By making "me" time first thing, you claim your day, rather than it being claimed by the rat race or your obligations to everyone else day after day.

In addition, this quiet time sets the tone for your day.

If you start out peaceful and focused, chances are the rest of your day will follow suit. Whereas, if you start the day in a rush, frantic and running late, chances are the rest of the day is going to be fairly stressful too.

There is another benefit of spending time BEING every morning before you start doing all the things that need to be done in your day.

The quiet time gives you the opportunity to let creative ideas gestate, solutions to be discovered, and inspiration to happen because your mind is open and receptive instead of preoccupied like when you are busy the rest of the day.

This weekend, I spent a lot of time just being with myself, my cat and my sweetie. I felt myself slow down, stretch out and relax. Pain alleviated. It was great. I need to do this more often!

This morning, I made time to be before I started the Monday routine. I was surprisingly productive and focused, I think because of all the time practicing being present over the weekend. It's harder to be distracted by Facebook, Twitter, text messages, phone calls, the news etc... when you are being fully present with the task at hand.

Do less. Be more. Let's relax together this week!