Where You Are Is Where You Should Be

So last week the wheel turned — completing the 61st cycle for me. On to number 62! Wow! I don’t feel 61. Sometimes I ask myself what this seventh decade of life should feel like. Have you ever questioned how you should be acting at a certain again? Or what should be happening?  After I asked these questions, I realize that there is no should, no living into expectations, no mirroring the life of another. Where I am is where I should be.

You’ve heard it before: age is just a number. Wherever I find myself is an invitation to live into who I am. I hope that you are discovering the same. 

Sure, I look in the mirror and see a few more wrinkles, some sagging…you know the effects of age. In those moments I am glad for my stint as a beauty advisor. Not that I look younger, but I have the tools to outwardly age more gracefully. And, aging gracefully is important to maintaining a healthy body/mind/spirit/heart!

Aging gracefully is all encompassing. The past two turns have me reflecting over and over again on what this means. When I look at the physical, it is easy to name. Taking care of my physical includes using lotions, practicing tai chi, eating healthy, exercising — those are just a few. 

What is your gracefully taking care of you list?

Aging gracefully within the other three aspects of self are a bit harder to live into. What does it mean to show up gracefully mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? For me, it begins with the spirit. Breathing into the silence, finding time to rest in my solitude, strengthening my connection to the core. When I focus on my connection to the sacred through my spark, I tend to be more graceful in aging mentally and emotionally.

I have a not so well kept secret: I am a strong woman. Aging gracefully mentally is learning to be okay with the assertive part of me while discerning what needs to be gentled and, in some cases, let go. The real question for me is, “How can I be true to myself without contributing to the tumult in the world?” When I act in peaceful ways, I find grace mentally.

Emotionally: I am going to use that word tumult again. The world is filled with so much upheaval and uncertainty. As an empath, I can find myself overwhelmed and reactive. Grace calls to me, invites me into the solitude where I can clearly hear the tumult. Grace helps me quiet the unsettled and blow it out of my being. Being graceful emotionally means I can hold the space for myself and others to be calm.

We cannot stop the wheel from turning, but we can decide how we show up in that turning. For me, I want to show up with grace. What do you want? 

Van Hurst, ms, is an intuitive-coach-catalyst. As a contemplative coach, she uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for navigating the mundane and extraordinary. The result of time with Van? Being the change you want to see in the world by creating a blueprint for your life through a deeper connection to your intuition and contemplative nature. 

Van is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

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