… or the lack of it! I woke today after a fitful night’s sleep, waking perhaps 20 times in the night. Not fun! Nor does such a night result in a strong desire to face the coming day. For me, sleeplessness can result in fear, frustration, impatience, intolerance and doubt that I can get through what lies ahead.
Here’s the thing. Any one of us may have multiple reasons for sleepless nights – from the physical to the emotional to chemical imbalance – any of which can cause our bodies not to rest well. I encourage you to seek whatever professional support you may need to explore what is contributing to your sleep challenges. And …
And … become willing to look at the negative impact of your sleeplessness on those around you and realize that you have a choice. You can choose to focus on how little sleep you got and how bad you feel and how you won’t be able to fulfill on the day’s activities. And then, by all means, make sure that you complain loudly to everyone who appears to listen about how awful you feel.
Or … you can choose to affirm that all is well and your sleep was sufficient. Consider holding these affirmative messages with you throughout the day:
- I am grateful for the sleep I experienced last night
- I have sufficient energy to do what needs to be done today
- I feel rested and alive
And perhaps these practices, combined with those affirmations, will be helpful. Every hour or every change in activity today:
- Pause and take three deep breaths, with each one affirm the statements above.
- Pause and breathe into your heart space, and let the fact that your heart is beating bring a smile to your face.
- Notice someone around you who seems to be struggling. Affirm for yourself that “all is well” and then ask, “How are YOU today?” and give the gift of listening.
What is the impact of your lack of sleep?
What if you chose mindfully to have positive impact instead?