Japanese character for “Harmony”
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
– Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
Several coaching clients of mine have had a strong desire for more balance in their lives; can you relate to this? I coach them to consider harmony instead of balance. Balance can be wobbly and unstable, think of the person with an extraordinary talent for balance who is skillfully walking a tightrope. They are not exactly on stable ground. Harmony, on the other hand, is full of peace and calm that is a great foundation for leading a team or living a life that is rewarding and fulfilling.
Here are four tips to increase your harmony, especially during this holiday season:
- Pay attention. Harmony is a state of mind that can be developed through paying attention to how you feel. Is what you are doing giving you feelings of stress and frustration or joy and fun?
- Change what you are doing. All this holiday activity was made up by someone. Make up a new tradition that gives you the positive emotions of joy, peace, gratitude.
- Agree on if you will give material gifts or change how you are giving so that it is more harmonious. I am so grateful for friends that agree that we do not exchange gifts and instead enjoy our time together at this time of year and for all of my four siblings and their spouses who agreed to draw names.
- Shift judgment into awareness and expand your capacity for kindness and empathy. This is especially important in busy parking lots and stores with long lines of shoppers.
“Begin to see yourself as a person who notices instead of judges. Avoid taking one position and sticking to it no matter what the circumstances are; rather, be in harmony with all people, especially those whose opinions conflict with yours! And remember to include yourself when dispensing kindness and nonjudgment.”
– Dr. Wayne Dyer, from his book, “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life”
Ho Ho Ho! Please share a comment about how you have introduced more harmony into your life or your holiday season.