What I Know to be True

I’ve been writing and teaching quite a bit lately on our inner wisdom, and how important it is to cultivate our connection to it. One morning when life just felt heavy and my thoughts were chaotic and not particularly nourishing, I felt an inner nudge to make a list of what I know to be true.

Here’s what I wrote:

Life is hard and it is also so very worth the effort.

It is the love of my people that get me through each day.

Many of the activities that connect me most deeply with joy include physically moving my body.

Only in the past decade of my life have I discovered how good it feels to move my body—gym workouts, dancing in my kitchen, paddling a kayak, hiking to a good fishing spot.

Spring is my favourite season of the year, and it also unfolds so much more slowly than I would prefer.

People are beautiful and frustrating and amazing and annoying and inspiring.

Relationships bring me so much joy and comfort. They also break my heart.

Creativity matters more than we realize.

Learning how to grow my soul has been one of the most rewarding journeys of my life.

Stories, whether written in books or shared in conversation, nourish my heart.

I miss my children every day, both the present day adult versions of them, as well as every younger version of them I experienced.

I don’t miss my Favourite Person’s lengthy absences from home due to military service.

I wish it were possible to “turn down the volume” on the wind.

Nothing feels as good as a really restful night’s sleep.

The colour purple is amazing in all its variations, and burgundy is NOT one of those variations. 

Moving water is one of Earth’s greatest treasures, and I feel cranky about the fact that access to it is often limited to those who have abundant financial resources.

One of my dreams is to spend an entire year living beside the ocean.

Playing with words (usually) makes me happy.

There is another kind of play I don’t do nearly enough of—just messing around with something for the fun of messing with it.

One of my greatest delights is making food for people I love.

I want  to cultivate more whimsy in my life.

This feels like something I could turn into a somewhat regular practice. I’m noticing that, having spent time considering what is absolutely true for me, my heart feels lighter. The headlines and gas prices don’t feel as significant as they did an hour ago.

What is True for you? Start with just three things, and see what grows from there.