Sometimes in life and on our wellness journey we need to slow down and look at things from a different perspective. I was able to do this recently and it is helping me to be gentle with myself and all of the forward AND backward steps of my walk toward wellness of body, mind and spirit.
My four year old, Joseph, loves his baby swing. And I mean LOVES. When he gets to choose the activity, he is swinging in the baby swing. The one where he can just sit back, be strapped in, swing back and forth and not have to worry about anything. Usually he’s very chatty during our swing time: sharing his ideas, asking questions about what he’s been thinking about, imagining some story. Anything really, it’s a constant conversation.
But yesterday was different. Joseph was strapped in, holding on, swinging, and was silent. Eyes closed, smile on his face, not a word out of his mouth. I was struck. It was so different from our usual swing time. So, my silence mirrored his and I watched. I watched the swing going back and forth, forward and backward, high and low. I watched his contentment, his joy, his peace. For 45 minutes I watched. And as it often does, my mind began to explore how this simple activity of a child happily swinging symbolically relates to my own life and journey.
My own wellness steps at times seem to swing: going back and forth, high and low, forward and backward. I’ll have a good week of eating healthy, distancing from bad habits, showing self compassion, spending less, only to stop and feel like I’m backtracking on them all. I often view the steps towards my goals, the “forward movements and the highs” as positive, important, and what bring joy and peace and wellness. And then I’ll stop making progress, go “ backwards or hit a low”, and I’ll view that as negative and get frustrated and discouraged. It becomes a cycle that really ends up paralyzing me in my wellness goals.
Yet what if I was a bit more like Joseph swinging in that swing? Joseph was so content with going back and forth, forward AND backward, high AND low. That was part of the fun -- It was a necessary part of actually swinging!
What if I looked at the lows, the times of backward movement as just as necessary as the highs, the forward movement? What if both gave me information, helped me understand wellness and myself even better? What if both could bring peace and contentment (as Joseph was showing on his swinging adventure)?
With this perspective, maybe I wouldn’t get so frustrated at times when my steps seem to be going backwards, when I fall. Maybe instead of getting discouraged, I could use those times as a way to see things from a different perspective, to gain information, to pause and then trust that I will again move forward, move higher, perhaps in a more intentional and fruitful way.
Joseph’s contentment with the back and forth, the ups and downs reminded me of my own need in life to be observant, to be patient, to be gentle with myself and content with the process -- Most importantly, to enjoy the ride! For wellness planning is not a one-time, “I figured it out and am now all good” process. Wellness of body, mind, and spirit is a lifelong journey that will provide endless information and fruitfulness about ourselves, others and who we can be.
When has been a time in your wellness journey that “backward steps” have ended up being helpful? What pushes you forward?
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