I’ll be honest from the get-go: this is not the first time I have attempted to complete A Course in Miracles. In fact, this is my third time trying. So what makes me think that this time will be different? Well, I’m writing this blog to keep myself accountable and to jot down my thoughts.
Arguably, last year was tough for me personally. And through those challenges, I realized that something within me needed to change. I have struggled with anxiety and depression since my teen years. Now I’m a parent to a teen girl – not to mention a role model to all the teens I teach. How can I help guide others when I’m struggling myself?
So here goes. While I’ll be attempting to follow A Course in Miracles (again), I’ll also be journaling, practicing gratitude, and meditating on a regular basis.
A Course in Miracles: Day One
Lesson 1: Nothing I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] means anything.
Today’s lesson is all about looking around at various objects and repeating the idea above.
- This car doesn’t mean anything.
- This sofa doesn’t mean anything.
- This tree doesn’t mean anything.
The point of this lesson is to teach us that nothing inherently has any meaning except the meaning that we ascribe to it. This helps us to understand that we can choose to see people, places, objects, or situations however we decide to perceive them. Understanding this is key to helping us shift our mindset to achieve a more zen-like outlook on life.
The Course asks us to complete this practice twice a day for one minute each. That’s totally doable.
Vision Boards and Journaling
After I concluded the exercise, I also made my vision board for the year, which included affirmations that I intend to repeat daily.
Lastly, I bought myself this journal where I can keep track of my daily wins and scribble down what I am grateful for. Again, I’ve never really been consistent when it comes to journal writing. Honestly, my perfectionist tendencies tend to get in the way, and I get annoyed with myself if I don’t write neatly enough.
However, this is another aspect of myself that I am working on. I came across this unattributed quote when researching how to overcome my need to be perfect: “Perfection isn’t a standard… it’s an obstacle.” How true.
So here goes… I’m about to publish an imperfect article. But hey, at least I’m trying.