Since last fall, Coach Brad has been dealing with some intense, personal challenges that have required his undivided attention. It is largely the reason his blog has been so quiet. These events have led to his development of the following meditations (if you prefer, prayers). We hope you might find them instructive and even helpful in your own life. And we hope, in this time of profound and unsettling news (i.e. the COVID-19 virus) that they might offer you some calm amongst the storm.
Gratitude
- I am grateful, I want to be present in this time, in this day and in this moment.
- I breathe to settle down: Deep breathes in and out of my nose. Soon I becomeI calm, clear and confident in my purpose.
- I am aware of what the activities of this day mean to me.
- I’m clear of my expectations, the “why” for these activities.
- I realize that energy to move forward with the creation of this day comes from within me.
- Indeed, I have the patience to consider the options for the way I think, feel and act this day.
- On Reflection: I feel the power I need to commit to the decisions that will move me forward to live, love and give my best effort without anger, pain, fear or doubt!
Excitement
- I am excited, I have the energy I need to accept the work and challenges that may unfold this day.
- I have the skills needed to settle down, be present and access the positive energy required to perform at my best.
- I am able to operate “above the line” that separates positive energy: thoughts, feelings and actions from negative.
- If I experience negative energy during the course of this day, I will welcome the opportunity to learn from this situation and reframe the negative energy into a source of fire (fast burning fuel/intensity) and passion (slow burning fuel/consistent effort) as needed.
- The ability to maintain a positive attitude no matter how difficult the challenges I face is a function of the trust I have in my ability to perform under pressure.
- On Reflection: I am able to work hard and find joy in the process of learning to achieve the results that mean the most to me.
Devotion
- I will maintain the commitment needed to balance the awareness of what I want to achieve with the acceptance of the energy needed to get the job done.
- I have the capacity to maintain the effort needed to get better at what I love to do when it matters the most.
- I will maintain the practicality of my efforts by debriefing on a regular basis.
- I will keep it real.
- I will breathe and visualize the results I desire to achieve in living color with vivid details.
- On Refection: I will learn to battle with the distractions and the competition. I will give my best effort and focus in the moment. In the process I will easily see and accept the truth in myself and others.
This has all been said by many others. What I've written above are my own words and are part of my own journey. For some simpler ways of saying it, there’s the Serenity Prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
There is also the well known Desiderata (Latin: "things desired") an early 1920s prose poem by the American writer Max Ehrmann.
“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste…”