Neat and tidy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
This thought has been orbiting around my brain for a while now…for years. Ever since a dear friend laughed at me for ironing dish towels, my husband’s boxers, and just about anything with a wrinkle in it, I’ve been thinking about the wrinkles. Life’s wrinkles.
Can I live with them or not? The short answer is: yes, yes, I can.
Read MoreTen years ago in April 2014, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dan Harris, whose book 10% Happier had just been released in March. By April, his book had already shot to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Cynics might argue that the book’s success is the result of the massive ABC megaphone that helped to propel it, but they should think again. Its success is down to something far less cynical: an overarching societal craving to slow down and get a better handle on things and to be more…human.
Read MoreYesterday was Day 30. I did it. I cut caffeine out of my life for 30 days. Now that I am still living and breathing at Day 31 [imagine that!?], you might be wondering if I've had a cup of coffee yet...but before I answer that, I've got to get this off my chest - the thought of a 30 Day Caffeine Detox was once a complete nightmare for me, but now it's a dream come true...yes, folks, I did my Linda Blair and turned my head around.
Before my 30 day split with Java, I would awaken every night, same time, same breathless panicked state with ridiculous "omg. what the heck is going wrong now" thoughts in my head. I would meditate them away, put my legs up on the headboard and never-ever punch my pillow, but I got pretty fed up meditating with the monks with my legs in the air at 4am. Something had to change. There was no way I was going to pop pills for obvious reasons, but I won't side-track. I HAD to figure out another path to my zzzzz's ... taking out caffeine and adding breathing and meditation was the chosen course of action. And guess what, it worked. [duuhhh, but I am a bit slow to enlightenment]
Immediately - no joke - I slept through the night, from.day.one. So the answer to the question - have I had a cup of Joe on Day 31? No. I won't be going back to caffeine any time soon but I might just pop over to Dotties for an occasional decaf and I'll just have to figure out what to do in France when I get there.
But here's something that goes even deeper than Deep Sleep...a good night's rest is an effective aid in pain management. For those of you who suffer from the chronic pain of fibromyalgia like I do, Sleep - as in good, uninterrupted sleep - is a POWERFUL antidote to pain. It's free. It's painless and it has no negative side-effects, just positive results. So, what's not to love about getting a good night's sleep? I'll tell you what's not to love: the process of detoxing from caffeine. Like it or not, it is a necessary part of making your way to a peaceful night's rest. Ickbleck. Giving up caffeine was nothing short of dreadful, but the nice guy in the produce section at Guido's was spot on: after Day 21, life was remarkably brighter and so was I. At Day 31, things are totally rosy and I am no longer jones-ing for java. Spring awakening, or what?!
So folks, this is my recommendation - If you do not sleep well, then do your best to find a way to give yourself the gift of Sleep, Glorious Z's, DeepREMs, and Bliss in Your Dreams. With every good night's rest, you will wake with the peace of mind and gratitude it brings. For me, cutting out caffeine was painful, but the pleasure of sustained good sleep is beyond measure. Agony and Ecstasy, indeed.
