Snappy and reactive? Try this remedy with me.
Meditation can help us be less volatile and reactive. I’ve found it to be a useful tool for keeping my inner drama queen in check.
But lately she’s back. This shouldn’t be a surprise to me. I haven’t meditated regularly in months. I’ve been busy and distracted, and it simply hasn’t been a priority. You know how it is.
But I’ve recently realized that my hiatus is taking a toll. I’ve been uncharacteristically shorttempered. Something ticks me off, and I don’t pause to take a breath. I don’t step back. Instead, I fire off abrupt and overly animated reactions. Then comes the regret. A great fruit of meditation is a steady mind and more space between stimulus and response: Something irritating happens … you recognize that you’re set off … you observe a reaction arising … you decide how to handle it. It’s called mindfulness. It’s a skill. Like all skills, it gets better with practice. And when we’re out of practice, it shows. Trust me.
The voice in my head even taunts, “You’re acting like a nutcase,” as I shout, flail my arms and occasionally slam something because I can’t control my emotions. It’s embarrassing to admit — especially for a meditation teacher.
For a while, I consoled myself with excuses: I’ve been pregnant or postpartum for two years; I’m tired; I have a newborn. But if I’m being honest, I know I haven’t been doing the work.
So, it’s time to jump back in. I’m committing to 21 days of daily meditation. I invite you to join me. In fact, I’ll send you a guided recording every day if you sign up on my website, marcisharif.com. We’ll start Monday.
I’m not doing this with the expectation of saintly patience overnight, and it’s not about needing to change. My intention is simply to create more of that precious space. Being able to take mindful pauses feels good, and it’s rewarding. I’m considering this an act of self-care, which, when undertaken with others, can be much more nourishing and effective. I’ll let you know how it goes, and I hope you find out for yourself, too.