In the last year, I’ve developed a pretty good routine that I have deviated from very little. I wake up around 8:00 to 8:30, I feed my cat, grab some coffee, open the blinds, and if it’s nice a few windows. Then I sit down with my view of the bird feeder, still in my jays to watch the birds, and read my daily devotionals, Mark Nepo”s The Book of Awakening and Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. I’m also doing a little reading of the Bible from start to finish (NIV). Why is Genesis such a weird chapter? I think the begats go on way too long.

Anyway, after that 30 to 45 minutes, I meditate in my room on my cushion for about 20-35 minutes, shower, and then I am ready to start my day. I feel so much more refreshed and clear-headed after this routine you think I would never want to miss it. Wrong. Today, I had a dozen excuses to stay in bed until the last minute before getting up to get ready to meet my friend, Heather for lunch.

The covers were warm, my pillow was scrunched up just perfectly, it was cloudy outside, and my cat, Tiger was laying at my feet. No one wants to disturb a sleeping cat. Despite how good it would feel to get up, my body and my sleepy brain staged a bed-in protest. I wasn’t going anywhere.

Lunch brought to light that my friend could relate to the morning I’d had, but overall she was having a really great day. Her boss paid her a nice compliment on a big project. Good on her. That made me feel better. I have a tendency to mirror the energy and mood of the person I am with sometimes, not in an empathic way, but more in the way of just being sensitive to what that person might need in terms of energy.

We all need some shared energy from time to time. We really aren’t designed to be solitary creatures. Those connections are vital to our health, and for me, I thrive better when I have interaction even when it has to be socially distanced.

That is why hearing your feedback, dear reader, or comments on social media for those of you watching the videos is so important to me. That energy motivates me to do this very challenging thing… be vulnerable.

The last thing I want is to use the internet or social media as a Dear Diary session. My hope is that you guys might relate to something I go through each day. That maybe by sharing my journey, you might not feel so alone.

What I’m seeing mostly out there is negativity, soapbox commentary, hate speech, and anger. It really makes me sad, but we’ve created this monster, haven’t we? It should bother you that censorship is occurring in our country regardless of your political affiliation and that personal freedoms guaranteed by The Constitution are being disregarded. But even more, it should bother you that we have turned a fun forum where we could stay in touch with our friends and loved ones into yet another platform of debate.

I think I’d rather see a photo of what you had for dinner last night at that new trendy restaurant than hear you post another unsubstantiated political claim, and that means everybody. Come on, tell me something cute your pet or kid did last night, but let’s leave the griping to the politicians. Big shame on them for behaving the way they do!

You can change the tide of division and be in charge of what kind of energy you project onto the world with simple kindness daily instead of conflict. Remember, that others out there might be just like me, looking for your positivity, a happy word, a compliment, a hug, or just an objective point of view.

Give it to them today with your posts and shares, listen, and then give of yourself in love.

If you need a moment, it’s fine. Just pause… and go gently.

Namaste, friends!

I’m picking up good vibrations!