Life is full of stress. The Buddha pointed this out over two thousand years ago when he taught the Four Noble Truths.

We all deal with things that cause stress: work, traffic, not sleeping well, arguments with those we love, financial worries, and even larger issues like the climate crisis, war, oppression.

We can’t avoid stress, but we can choose how we deal with it. The more we can stay balanced inside and not lose perspective, the less affected we are by stress, and the more energy we have to contribute.

One of the best ways I know to stay balanced and recharge is through activities that bring us joy.

This spring happened to be a particularly stressful time for me, so I leaned on some tried and true pastimes. Here are a few things on that list for me: 

• Meditating 
• Playing with our cat
• Talking with old friends
• Walking in nature 
• Drinking a cup of tea mindfully 
• Doing Qi Gong and stretching

I’m not always as successful as I’d like to be in recharging, but remembering that there are concrete things I can do never fails to help. Some people even like to keep a written list of their most reliable ways to recharge! In the grip of a stressful period, they can just choose something off the list. 

How do you find joy and recharge? Feel free to reply and let me know—I’d love to add a few new tools to my list!

Kindly,

Oren

P.S. If one of the ways you recharge is with meditation, join me for a day of practice next Saturday, July 10, Finding Clarity and Stability with Change.

Finding Clarity and Stability