I was thinking this past weekend about the importance of connection.  Connection to ourselves, our partner, our family and even our community.  It is an all too often complaint that we don’t have time, time to do just this simple act of connecting.  Not only are we too busy physically, but mentally too.  Our days and often our nights are filled with activities that we need to accomplish, deadlines we need to meet and crises we need to attend to.  And this physical hyperactivity spills over into our heads, so that our heads are constantly working, analyzing, thinking, and doing.

So how do we step off this treadmill and start to reconnect, to find happiness within?

For starters, we need to realize that true connection and happiness comes from within.  From being one’s own best friend and truly connected to oneself.  If you are connected to yourself, you can find happiness no matter what storm is raging outside.  With this solid and resilient foundation of self-love and acceptance, you can begin to value yourself and nurture yourself.

A good way to begin this journey of reconnection, is through meditation.  Meditation will help you to calm the chaos of the body and the mind, so that your internal experience will became more relaxed and at peace.  And in so doing, your capacity to connect and respond to others will increase and improve.

When we take time to reconnect to ourselves, substitute our fears with trust and learn to let go of the things we cannot control, we start to take care of ourselves.  So be gentle with yourself, embrace yourself – with all its imperfections, and begin to connect within so that you can begin to connect on the outside too.