Internal Sunscreen

I practice daily the things that keep me focused on my path

This week I took my girls to the outdoor swimming complex. I packed snacks, water, toys, and everything I imagined that we would need for the day. Before we left I put sunscreen on the 2 youngest girls and let the oldest handle it on her own. When we arrived I found a shady spot to act as a home base and left our cooler, towels and bags and then we all hopped in the pool. Every few hours the pool has a policy where they require everyone to get out of the pool. They offer the sage advice of reapplying sunscreen, changing swim diapers, and going to the bathroom during the down time as they do safety checks.

After 6 hours at the pool it was finally time to leave and even though we had reapplied sunscreen twice more during the day all but my youngest left with a burn. I spent most of last night awake amidst complaints of "it hurts." We have had to spend the last 2 days indoors to avoid any extra exposure to the sun and using copious amounts of Aloe Vera to soothe our tender backs and shoulders.

Just as I can easily burn from lack of protection in the sun, I can just as easily get burnt when I do not take adequate steps to protect myself from the things that have the potential to hurt me in other ways. Shame, doubt, fear, and complacency are just a few of the things that frequently burn me. I have realized that it is not enough for me to do this haphazardly, but that it needs to be a conscious daily effort. Here are a few of the things I find are invaluable to me as daily practices.

Gratitude - I find it easy to get wrapped up and lost in many of the small inconveniences of my day. When I choose to act in an attitude of gratitude I find my perspective changes. 

Spiritual Connection - This can look a variety of ways for me: meditation, prayer, solitude, a hike, a question to ponder, reading, or searching for meaning in my experiences. My key is finding a connection to something bigger than myself.

Reflection - Taking time to think about or remind myself of what I want, who I am, and what matters to me keeps me focused on the path I want to travel. This has been most useful to me when I have done it in writing, but even taking a few moments to think twice about something is sometimes enough. 

Presence - Living in the past or future leaves me wide open to all of the anxieties and worry that comes with things that I can not control. Breathing, centering myself, and practicing being fully present in the moment keeps me focused on the only thing I have an influence on, the now. 

This list works for me and is certainly not exhaustive, but it is what I need to practice daily in order to stay focused on the path I have chosen for myself. 

What keeps you protected and focused each day?