This is the time of year when I’m usually absorbed with list-making, holiday decorating, tree trimming, cookie baking, and gift shopping. Though I try to keep December light on the work front, I had two meaningful engagements scheduled this week involving my mindfulness work. This is also the time of year when artists are “supposed” to be marketing heavily to holiday gift shoppers.
I’m here to tell you that I have done none of the above – not one thing on that list.
Despite my best efforts to avoid the bug that bit my husband a few weeks ago, I have been sick with a nasty respiratory illness for the past ten days. Over the past week, I have postponed a public workshop, rescheduled a podcast interview, rescheduled a private training event (which had been on the calendar for six months), skipped a seminar and three holiday gatherings, left Christmas tree selection to my husband and son, and not marketed my wall art one iota (with the exception of that link to my work).
And closest of all to my heart, my beautiful meditation students, in the midst of our current 15-day meditation refresh program, encouraged me to sleep in yesterday with the promise that they’d meditate on their own. I accepted their invitation.
Guess what? The world has continued to revolve without me. Not only that, I feel well enough today to write about it.
Healthy Deviant
I recently learned a new term from Pilar Gerasimo, a speaker at the 2019 Mindful Leadership Summit in Washington, DC. Pilar is a health journalist, social explorer, founding editor of Experience Life magazine, podcaster, former executive editor of Healthy Living for The Huffington Post, and a self-described “Healthy Deviant.”
Her upcoming book, The Healthy Deviant: A Rule-Breaker’s Guide to Being Healthy in an Unhealthy World, investigates how the default choices in society move us away from wellbeing and how we can improve our lives by deviating from the norm.
It might seem a stretch to claim my Healthy Deviant status after being so sick. We often say in mindfulness training that meditation doesn’t eliminate challenging thoughts and feelings. It’s how we relate to them that evolves and allows us to navigate life more skillfully and with less suffering.
Though I haven’t read the book yet (it comes out in January 2020), I’m pretty sure Pilar would confirm that Healthy Deviants still get sick from time to time. The difference is how we respond to that challenge and the steps we take to nurture our wellness over the long term. As I write “we,” my ego is asking me to tell you that I passed Pilar’s online Healthy Deviant Quiz with flying colors. You can take it yourself here.
Healthy Deviance Begins With Amplified Awareness
I loved hearing Pilar explain that healthy deviance begins with “amplified awareness” — in other words, knowing what’s going on in real time in your body, mind, and external environment. Meditation and other daily practices cultivate amplified awareness, which leads to increased agency and autonomy (the Healthy Deviant’s willingness to buck societal norms).
When Pilar talks about going against societal norms, she’s referring to habits and practices that most other people don’t prioritize. For me it would be daily meditation and yearly silent retreats. Or working with an integrative nutritionist. Or getting acupuncture treatments for my hot flashes and migraine conditions. Or drinking very little alcohol to reduce my risk of breast cancer recurrence. Going way back to my economist days, it would include taking power naps in my office during business hours (with my kind admin assistant letting me know when I had a red circle on my forehead from resting my head on the desk).
Bucking the Story in My Head In Service To My Health, Wellness, and Holiday Happiness
My amplified awareness allowed me to recognize what my body needed to heal – more sleep vs. cookie baking and holiday socials.
My amplified awareness gave me the courage to ask if it was possible to reschedule the podcast interview and training event so that I could bring my best self to the audiences instead of my sick self.
My amplified awareness reminded me that art marketing can happen any time of year. (You’re welcome for not adding Damselwings art sale promos to your holiday marketing inbox clutter!)
My amplified awareness revealed that ruminating on these decisions takes energy, every ounce of which is better spent on healing.
Going forward, my amplified awareness will allow me to stay connected to what brings me a sense of wellness and joy this holiday season (good health and quality family time) and continue to let go of the “shoulds” that don’t serve me.
Happy Holidays!
Wishing YOU a peace-filled, happy, and healthy holiday season! Don’t be afraid to don your Healthy Deviant cape when necessary!
And if you’re interested in amplifying your awareness, strengthening your Healthy Deviant muscles, and kickstarting or deepening your daily meditation practice, registration is open for my first 30-Day Mindfulness Meditation Challenge of 2020 beginning on Monday, January 20. We’d love to have you join our circle! Learn more at damselwings.com.