Connect 4

Hi, my dear Linked In community, it is lovely to connect and chat with you again.

I have not posted for a few days, as I have been getting a lot of tests before I start my second phase of chemotherapy tomorrow.

If you remember, in the last blog, we chatted about gratitude, beauty in the moment and the magic in life.

I know that resonated with a lot of you, and thank you so much for your lovely comments.

Clarity in Life

However, in the last few weeks I have been trying to get, to some degree, clarity of mind.

I have been finding in particular, partly due to morphine, that my mind has been at times ‘foggy’.

This is something that I get really frustrated about, as it makes my ability to complete tasks slower.

Although, it has also given me a great determination, more than ever, to hone my abilities to focus and continue enjoying the life around me.

Discovery through Meditation

Therefore, I wanted to share with you what I have been practising in the last few weeks. I have started meditating everyday, and whilst asking myself some deeper questions I realised that an important word for me is connection.

The Power of Connection

For me, this word is so strongly rooted in everything that we do in life. Whether by sight, smell, touch, sound or taste, we connect with everything around us.

Recently, I decided to try and develop my ability to focus, through my love of connection. I suppose, I have used it as a way to motivate, inspire and provide clarity to support me in making intentional and clear decisions.

I thought this week I would take the opportunity to share my ideas and thoughts which might be useful for your own connections in life.

The Important Moments

When I look back on everything over the last 12 months all the important moments have involved people.

I can be pretty stubborn, determined and a little introverted, and mixed together this combination can be difficult. Sometimes I think I can get by just by doing my own thing, being incredibly independent and never asking for help, or sometimes not making the effort to go out.

But in all honesty, I truly believe connection is where the good stuff happens. Our connections with the world around us and with people encourages growth, insight, and new ways of thinking.

Grounding Yourself

Because my life at the moment is quite up and down, and to some degree full of uncertainty, I also want to connect to myself more and do things that help ground me.

This has included doing small things like keeping a self-reflective journal, eating healthier, exercising more, playing more piano, creating everyday, and continuing to discover how I want to live my life and to stop comparing myself to others.

Once I realised the importance of connection, I spent the next few days working out what it means to me, in my life and day.

C+C+C+C

For me, connection is simply defined by the following four C’s: community, conversation, compassion, and contemplation.

Community

Surrounding myself by people that I love, people I can relate to, friends I am mutually supportive with, and feeling part of something bigger, and included in. Like the Linked In community, where I feel I can contribute to something that doesn’t revolve around me. Where we all have an importance and value.

Conversation

Conversing to people is so crucial in my life at the moment. I am so passionate about spending every moment I have in a magical and memorable way. This includes having deep, meaningful, and inspiring conversations. That has also meant stepping out of my comfort zone, finding people who I can have those conversations with and also doing some motivational speaking. I also have been taking care of the relationships I already have in my life by staying in touch more with my friends, and valuing the time we have together.

Compassion

For me a deep part of connection is compassion.

Being less judgemental, more open-minded, more supportive and encouraging towards myself and others. In the past , if I’m honest, I sometimes judged others before I really knew them, which potentially prevented some beautiful moments from happening. I have also spent time judging myself for my weaknesses. So part of my new life and alignment to connection means being kinder, thoughtful, caring and more compassionate to myself, others and the environment.

Contemplation

Part of creating a deeper connection is about looking at things differently, deeply, authentically and openly. Spending time to truly reflect on what matters, how I feel, what I want, what I see, what I remember etc and making time each day for me.

Whether that’s through writing, playing piano, weaving, meditating, or taking long walk, I want to spend time with myself. Whilst, not feeling compelled or the need to jump on social media or to distract myself with unnecessary tasks. I want to continue learning about myself, getting to know my strengths, and spending time doing what I love daily.

I want to spend much more quality time connecting to what’s around me and what’s important to me. Every moment in life should count, and have meaning. I want to live my life with minimal regret and that means truly connecting to the moment.

Your Week Ahead

Thanks for listening again my friends. I hope you enjoyed my reflections and should you find yourself with time this week to connect then maybe think about the following questions:

1. How can I build or find more community in my life?

2. How can I enhance communication and conversation?

3. How can I be more compassionate towards myself and others?

4. How can I make time for contemplation and quiet moments alone?

Until next time. All the best and much love

Cameron x