#TGIF

I have recently resumed a practice that I started several years ago—a weekly TGIF reflection. I began this practice due to posts by Brene Brown at the time, using the same format, and I found it a beautiful way to reflect on my week and reconnect with what is important to me in the moment.

Dr. Brown used the TGIF acronym for structure.

Trusting - What am I trusting in right now? Answering this question honestly often surprises me. There is often something just under the surface of my awareness that I realize is holding me steady as I move through my days. Other times, engaging with this question helps me remember that I can choose to trust in That Which is Beyond, that I can soften my habitual grip, my compulsion to try to control my circumstances and reactions, and can allow myself to be carried by the Wisdom that is greater than me and simultaneously is part of me.

Grateful - We hear often about the importance of gratitude. I have tried various ways of making it a conscious practice, and this weekly check-in with myself often brings a sense of “oh yes, I am grateful for …” and a list begins unfolding.

Inspired - This is my favourite component of this practice. It turns my focus to the good that is around me. I freely admit that there are many days when I find it easier to see the difficult, the negative and the heartbreaking. It helps so much to have a weekly reminder to pay attention to what inspires me.

Fun - This is my biggest challenge. By nature and by nurture, I am always attuned to the work that needs to be done. I enjoy working hard, and I enjoy Getting Things Done. I need a weekly (or more likely, daily) reminder that fun is also important, and that if I don’t make a conscious choice to engage in fun, it won’t happen. This prompt reminds me regularly that I need fun for soul-nourishment.

Using this format for a weekly reflection on my Instagram (@soulquestservices) is also my way of blowing dandelion seeds into the wind. It is my hope that my reflections on what has meaning for me sparks reminders or new awarenesses for others. I also believe that simply putting soul-nourishing content into the cyber-universe is its own benefit. I want to be part of growing the current of that which is good, honest, and true.

And by the way, this picture captures all four components. It is me at our seasonal campsite where I slow down enough to remember my truth, recall what I'm trusting in (or need to remember to trust), a space I'm endlessly grateful for because of the rest and delight it brings me, where I'm inspired by nature, and when I have fun, whether hanging out by myself, or enjoying downtime with my Favourite Person.

Thank you for noticing my words.