Found Time - A Snow Day in April

Wow, it's that time of year again, Spring! Not only are we seeing flowers bloom and trees start to bud, but we're getting snow, at least in the Pacific Northwest. And I'm not really surprised.

I could have been really mad. I had plans. I had to get things done, and that included getting on the roads and driving. Now, I'm not going anywhere. But instead of being mad, I'm going with the flow, building my resilience by not fighting (or getting angry) at something I can't control (the weather).

I know what you're thinking, "Easier said than done," (or "She's delusional"… I choose to go with the first). But it's all how you look at it. The choice I made was to be grateful and appreciate this landscape palette cleanser. This is my Found Time.

Found time. What a concept. Who couldn't use more time to get things done? So, you had to cancel a meeting or a friend canceled lunch, now you've just been given the gift of time back, unexpectedly, no strings attached. What an amazing gift.

Here are a few ideas that will help you refuel your tank, get grounded, re-balance and use that found time to build some resilience.

1. Practice gratitude. That blessing in the brown-paper bag might not be pretty (or easy to drive in, in my case), but it's an opportunity all the same. Sit still and be grateful.
2. Practice 'not doing'. That's right. Just breathe, or take a nap. You've been given the time to just be 'in time'.  It's a gift from the Universe to perhaps take a time-out. And you haven't even been naughty.
3. Exercise. It does a body, and a mind, good. Or at least a really good stretch.
4. Meditate. Be still and see what happens. Light a candle, play some soft music and float away.
5. Do something you don't normally do. Seriously, go play, go shopping, go sit in a café and people watch. Let your brain have a break from the day to day.
6. Feel mad, then let it go. It’s a powerful exercise, my favorite in fact. Go ahead, get mad. Feel it in every tense muscle, wrinkled brow, clenched fists, gritted teeth… then just relax into it. And shake it off. What a powerful feeling of being in control of all that raw energy. It's harnessed so much better.

What else would you do if you had Found Time? How do you build reserves that carry you though the trying times?

Enjoy spring and here's to more snow!