Life Is Lived In The Little Moments
As I started to think about what I could share for this blog, I came up empty. I couldn’t think of a single story I could write about, any particular breathtaking moment, my mind was blank.
A while ago, when I was doing a program to help me activate my courage with getting more visible, specifically through video, many of the prompts relied on recall and storytelling, and I struggled then too. I watched as so many of the participants were able to show up, sharing these beautiful stories from their lives with such vivid description and emotion that moved me. I felt really down and frustrated with myself that I couldn’t seem to do that. I love expressing myself through writing yet storytelling in those ways just didn’t seem accessible to me. And so I wrote it off as ‘just not my jam’. Some people’s gifts are their beautiful storytelling abilities, and that just wasn’t mine.
Of course I forgot all about that when the opportunity to contribute to this blog presented itself until it came time to actually write, and I froze. Shit, what was I going to write about?!
Want me to channel a guided meditation - I’m in.
Want me to create some copy for my product line creating a beautiful visual of a self-care experience - I’m good.
Want me to express the musings going on in my head at any moment - sure.
Need me to recall a story, an actual memory of my lived experience and extract the wisdom from it for you, on demand, in written form - fuck no.
And so, my mind started spinning stories of its own - ones of self-doubt that I’ve created over the years. Ones about how I am not enough. The “who does she think she is?” kinda thoughts.
The Downward Spiral.
And then I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air, enlivening my cells with nourishment, inviting more love into my body. I let out a loud sigh, feeling my body soften, my shoulders sink, the spaciousness left once I exhaled all that self-doubt.
And what came to me was this realization.
So much of my work - in this world, in my business, and in my life - is working to be present.
Yoga, meditation, breathwork, essential oils, energy work, creating products, making art, writing, therapy...they’re all tools and practices that help me get out of my head, into my body and more connected to my heart. And I love teaching others about them too because I know what it's like to feel lost in the thought spirals, my brain seemingly hijacked, my body a source of shame and painful stories, my fear, worries and doubts holding me hostage.
And when you’re stuck in your head, you’re not in the present moment which means you miss out on so much.
How many beautiful memories have I missed out on because I was too busy stressing over the past, worried about the future, holding myself back from my dreams or too self-conscious about my body?! A whole fucking lot.
Though I’ve known this on some level for a while, I don’t think I put it all together so clearly before. The storytelling, the memory recall, the anxiety and the real ‘why’ behind my decade worth of learning, adopting, adapting, using and teaching so many self-care tools and practices.
Whoa.
Such deep healing can happen quickly and powerfully in these moments of realization and clarity. And it took my breath away.
A Love Letter To Myself
So I wrote this love letter to myself as a reminder and maybe it’s a reminder that will help others too…
Dear Kristin,
I know sometimes it feels like life is overwhelmed by such big worries and experiences, but the truth is, life is really lived in the little moments of every day.
A quiet minute to yourself while you sip your coffee. A goofy laugh with your little one when they’re doing something silly. Jamming to your favourite song in the car. The way the sunlight in that golden hour shines in through your window. Playing at the beach with your kiddo. Hugging someone you love. Creating for pure joy.
Don’t miss out on them because you’re too worried about how you look, what you said, didn’t say or should have said. Because you’re wondering what other people think of you, or what could go wrong if you follow that dream, or because you’re thinking of the pile of things on your to-do list.
Be here now.
In your body. In the moment.
Listen, like really listen. Connect. Create memories.
There is only ever the present moment.
Don’t miss it for worrying. For fear. For overthinking. For self doubt. For not feeling good enough. Smart enough. Pretty enough. Skinny enough.
Don’t miss it for dwelling on a past you can’t change. Or a future that you’re actually creating right now, so be intentional.
These are the good old days.
The days you’ll look back on:
*if* you’re present.
*if* you’re making memories.
*if* you’re all in.
Play. Laugh. Be ridiculous. Cry. Feel it all. Do the thing you’ve been dying to do. Fuck up. Forgive yourself. Learn. Take risks. Celebrate. Wear the bathing suit. Take the photos. Be intentional. Live.
Please, truly live this one beautiful life of yours.
Love,
Kristin
Written by Kristin Harris
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
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“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
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