Dear SuHaeng Ja,
I feel like I'm spreading negative energy everywhere. I've been really stressed out about finals, projects and summer job and internship applications. Now that I'm finally done with the semester, I'm still stressed out because I don't have a way to earn money this summer yet. Most of my friends don't have to worry about working because their parents support them. They're all talking about their fun summer plans, but I know I'll have to work, so it's hard to be happy for them.
Help!
Stressed Student
Dear Stressed Student,
Take a deep breath, then slowly exhale by releasing the air through your teeth. You have been dealing with a lot and I feel that clearing your mind even a little bit is the best place to start.
You may not find comfort in knowing that your circumstances are not unique, but it's the truth. You are not alone. While that may not cheer you up, it can help you shift your focus away from what you think is wrong with your situation. This is necessary if you want to see what could go right. Meditation can help you see yourself and your potential more clearly. Whether you know it or not, you are creating your life experience with the series of choices you are making. The way to start creating the experiences you want is through focus.
Let's try looking at "focus" in a new way by emphasizing what to focus on. Have you ever heard of the "Zero Point?" It's the area of potential, the pause, the space between your choices, the second before a thought plants itself in your mind. The Zero Point is a powerful target for focus because it allows you to process and deal with emotions and experiences you might have previously rejected. It allows you to change your perspective and how you feel about your circumstances.
Why are you so sure that your friends will have more fun than you this summer? Does your summer job have to feel like drudgery? You could meet your soulmate at your summer job or learn something that could put you on a whole new career path. The possibilities are endless. Every choice holds an opportunity that you might miss if you keep assigning yourself the same role, taking the same actions, replaying on the same emotions.
Remember, you are the source of fun, whether you're on a beach or in a kitchen. Try something different this summer. Focus on the Zero Point in your situation. Pause, breathe, exhale. Start with the feeling you want and build on that energy. Not only can you take the feeling into new circumstances, your feeling will start attracting more situations that support the feeling.
Take another deep breath, exhale through your teeth then say this affirmation:
"I engage with the present, I have integrated past lessons, and I am creating an exciting future."
What in the world is a SuHaeng Ja?
SuHaeng Ja: soo-hang jah (n.) One who practices SuHaeng
SuHaeng: soo-hang (v.) 1. Performing an action with sincerity and intention to grow.
(n.) 2. Any practice, such as walking, observing, meditating or exercising, done with commitment and consistency.