Monday, March 23, 2020 / by Michele Patterson
Hour of Power - Beat the COVID chaos
Ahh COVID…thanks for disrupting our regular routines and schedules. I don’t know about you, but when my routine falls off course, I feel like I’m trying to navigate life with a blindfold on (I have mad respect for the visually impaired). No one deserves additional chaos, especially during these times…
But there is hope my friends! We may not be able to control what’s happening around us, but we do have control over what and how we think, feel, and do. Let me introduce you to the “Hour of Power” (HOP).
I have personally practiced this for a few years and it really has been #lifechanging. Life has its ups and downs and sometimes we spend more time dwelling on the valleys rather than the peaks. When I practice my HOP, I’m able to deal with those valleys from a grateful and positive perspective. That crash is no longer the end of the world and I’m in a more positive energy space to take on the next challenge.
Gee, Michele, that sounds great, now what is the HOP and how do I practice it?
The HOP is a scheduled block of 1 hour, typically in the morning where you isolate yourself (ha, that should be easy now), free from distractions, including your smart phones and kids and spend that time for yourself by practicing the following:
30 Minutes of reading a personal improvement book
20 Minutes of journaling (Gratitude, Affirmations, lessons from reading, etc.)
10 Minutes of meditation
Now, you don’t have to follow in this exact order. This is the sequence that works best for me. You may even want to extend/retract the time allocation for each exercise. That’s totally fine! Do whatever works for you, as long as everything totals 1 hour.
You might have some questions like, “How to I practice gratitude or what book should I read or how do I meditate?” No need to worry. Let’s breakdown each category:
Reading
Otiti Jasmine of Mindbodygreen.com sums it up with her 5 Reasons to Read Self-Help books (Even If you Think You Don’t Need To)
Need some suggestions? Here are a few of my favorites:
· The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
· The Code of the Extraordinary Mind by Vishen Lakhiani
· Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
· Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant
· The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Journaling
There’s something powerful about journaling and how it grounds your thoughts and provides clarity. Use this time to write whatever is on your mind. You might even come up with some solutions or million dollar ideas.
I like to write down the things I’m grateful for. It can be as simple as waking up that day or the fact that my baby slept through the entire night without interruptions.
Meditation
I like to save this for last because sometimes I fall asleep and get a 10 minute nap! I have to admit, the very first time I started mediating, it was really awkward. You may feel the same way at first, but trust me it gets less awkward the more you do it. My suggestion is to go to YouTube and search for guided meditation. Someone will talk to you and guide you through meditation.
[also, check out My Meditation Playlist by Clint Warner for some great meditation tunes.]
Once you finish, you should feel refreshed and ready to start your day. If you’re not able to practice your HOP, then do it right before you go to bed. It’s a great way to program your brain to start fresh for the next day while you are sleeping.
I hope you found this helpful during these crazy times. I’d love to hear your stories and/or share your comments!