"Mayhem or Meditation Monday"

Ever sea the movie Sideways? We watch the characters acting out in situations we can relate to... our lives spinning out of our control or feeling overwhelmingly crazy.

Today, in the cold pre-op room I laid on the gurney in my medical gown open to the back for the anesthesiologist and the nurse to administer my IV. While waiting, I had flashes of the nurse last week poking me three times before she got the blood she needed for my labs, leaving me with acouple bruises on my arm and hand.

As I tried to replace those thoughts with happy ones, like me swimming in the ocean with wild dolphins, the elderly nurse appeared in my curtained off room. She was the same one from my surgery last year, and even though I reminded her of my small veins, she painfully tried a few times before the needle was in place. In tears, I told her I wanted to leave, yet in reality, where could I go to escape the imminent procedure. I would have to come back and do the awful prep all over again.

So, how could I change my attitude? Well, the hydration of fluids from the IV was a great starter, and afterwards, I began to say to myself a few things I was attempting to be thankful for, like the nurses who were actually trying to do their best and the kind doctor who came in to talk with me before I got rolled in to the even colder operating room.

I wonder, what if changing our perspective, our "stance" can help us in dealing with those worries, challenges, and feelings that often come up when we least expect or can’t even control.

From my upcoming book, “We are the Ocean, an upside-down approach to life.

Here’s 5 waves to dive into:

1. Breathe… a bit more slowly. Even in stressful situations, begin an attitude of gratitude by writing or saying atleast 2-3 things you're grateful for in your life, today, and in this moment.

2. Go out in Nature first thing in the morning, on a break in the middle of the day, during the sunset, or under the night skies. Feet (sans shoes) in the dirt, grass, or water is an extra bonus. Tiny nerve receptors on our feet take in the energies from our Earth’s electromagnetic field, and as indigenous cultures like to say, mana (life-force.)

3. Move and groove to music. Not any ol' music, your favorite. Neurotransmitters become ignited, communicating to all of your neurons that things are good, can improve, or even possible.

4. Try going upside-down, literally. Headstands in yoga or while your in the pool, lake, or ocean helps healing with 4 different organs, as well as balances your left and right brain hemispheres.

5. Take a break. 5 minutes of happy thoughts, yet if you’re at a lost, then find a few images that makes you feel uplifted, placing them within your view… an office table, bathroom mirror, bedroom door, or even your car’s dashboard. These tiny actions become tangible "joy bubbles," creating an atmosphere around you that can improve your spirit, soothe your mind, comfort your heart, and overall, activate hope.

The cool thing about bubbles is they can be shared. And, this is also how hope floats!

Here’s an image I have at my working desk that makes me smile, a “joy bubble.”

Baby lamb smiles…

Baby lamb smiles…

Dolphingirl Dolphingirl