When you’re feeling overwhelmed by a to-do list, consider these thoughts from Emily Freeman, writing at (in)courage:
There is without question a lot to do.
But there is also an invisible world that lives inside our bodies, the inner world of the soul. And this world won’t show up in your newsfeed, it won’t get a headline on the evening news, and it won’t push a notification to your phone.
This inner world needs our attention, but it doesn’t respond to programs, agendas, or hustle.
The soul responds to space, silence, and Jesus.
In other words, sometimes we need to disconnect and do a simple practice to be able to listen to God in a new way. We may recognize this in times of formal discernment or retreat, but what about on a daily basis? Emily is trying crochet to help her; Vinita Hampton Wright colors mandalas. What methods do you use?
I spend time with my prayers and my journal.Maybe,God is trying to reach me and I have a restless soul. I may go outside and lose myself in the woods and creek.Seeing all the blessings of our Creator’s gifts. I talk to all those on whose shoulders I stand. I work to carry on.
I just seat, close my eyes and begin to talk to my Holy Mother and Her Son. I cry, I tell them all my problems, my despair, my hopes and just keep my eyes closed. Sometimes I sleep. But I always can feel they are with me. And that is enough.
For me it’s being able to be alone with my journal in hand and writing to God. It’s expressing my feelings, thoughts, observations, the flow of thinking and feeling. Doing this ; sometimes with spiritual material in hand to prompt spiritual seeds of thought is the most balancing thing I do. I’ve kept these journals since I was about 12 and I can see the track of growth in them. My happy way of prayerful balance!