Crystal's Notes - 6th January 2024

Dear Community

“When was the last time you felt a sense of inner peace?” That was one of the powerful daily self reflection prompts in our I Am Well journal and it helped connect to a magical piano and cello concert I recently attended in Venice. I put on some music and relived that profound sense of peace I had felt. It helped me process some change I was going through, and all it took for the entire experience was the 3 minutes I had taken to journal. 

I couldn’t help but think about everyone else using the I Am Well planner, and what they had filled in for the same prompt that day, and so I asked the question on my Instagram. Some of the replies made me laugh, (I am looking at you, Ms Warm Toilet-Seat!) some made me pause, and one or two broke my heart. Here is a glimpse of the responses.

Some were short, but told so much:

Realising it was not me

Awakening from my surgery 

Realising I had choices

Realising I had finally let go of a heavy burden

When I chanced upon my ex’s wedding stories on IG

Some had to do with family: 

Walking my children to school in the morning

Blocking time off to visit my parents and chat with them

Falling asleep with my toddler during his bedtime

Some had to do with spirituality

Returning to church 

When I heard from God I was on the right track

When I realised and decided to surrender to God and let him take control

During a spiritual trip to Mecca

Listening to the drumbeats in the temple on 1^st Jan

Some made me pause to say a prayer: 

Realising there is no problem when you meet with the Big Problem (a terminal diagnosis)

Sweet nurse saying, “It’s okay, hold my hand.” 

Waking up after egg retrieval at last IVF, which failed 

Some had to do with Mother Nature:

Walking on the frozen lake of Khuvsgul Lake in Mongolia

Watching the waves in the early morning at a beautiful beach house along the Great Ocean Road

Staring into the Pacific Ocean and hearing the sound of crashing waves 

Walking around Mt Fuji in winter

Taking a slow walk at East Coast Park 

Drinking coffee while feeling the sun on my face

Autumn leaves in Japan

Some were about mindfulness and mindful moments:

When I did the mindfulness exercise at the start of the I Am Well Workshop

A sense of peace during meditation

While I was journalling during lunch

Spending time with my husband sharing what we reviewed and planned for the year 

Meditating on the beach at sunrise

What gives us peace? It is not the lack of chaos or difficult situations, or being indifferent, that gives us peace. In fact, peace can be found if we have equanimity and be with whatever shows up, no matter what it is. It manifests when we stay present, when we understand impermanence, and if we seize the fleeting moments when Beauty chooses to grace our lives. 

If you haven't already, take a moment to reflect on what brought you peace recently. Revisiting those memories will offer some tranquility and remind you of life's true priorities.

Rachel and I are so grateful for all the longing for our I Am Well community to connect, and we are working hard to build everyone a community platform. We'll also soon unveil our 2024 calendar of quarterly events. But we have to take some time with it, and we hope to ask for your patience. This is as we are considering all the different platform options and collecting feedback about how the community could be connected. 

Please grant us a bit more time as we prioritize sustainability over speed. We want to remember to breathe and play the long, infinite game. In the interim, I'll continue holding space for all of you on Instagram, offering daily journalling tips and advice.

Thank you, everyone, for always sharing your heartfelt feelings and thoughts with such courage and vulnerability. May you be safe, may you be protected, and may you find peace.