A fast-paced lifestyle shaped by personal choices and my profession was never going to encourage me to stop and think about my purpose in life nor give me the space to truly learn but the forced slowdown we are currently experiencing has and I am grateful to have been stopped and given this opportunity to pause and reflect.

This pause is building on the benefits enjoyed from a lifestyle change made in mid-August 2019; the decision to stop consuming alcohol. With a tendency to take an excessive approach to all that I do, the lifestyle I was leading was taking its toll, so giving up the booze felt like the right thing to do. I haven’t looked back (well maybe I’ve looked back a few times!).

So what have I discovered to date?

• When driven by a needy mindset, no good can come of it;
  
• A needy mindset led to an imbalance in my life; neglecting what was truly important, such as relationships with family and friends, by placing too much focus on areas of life that simply didn’t carry the same significance;

• To address this imbalance, I embraced excessive consumption in many areas of my life, which impacted my physical and mental wellbeing;

• My needs are quite simple and when fulfilled, give great joy and meaning to life;

• The power of practising gratitude on a daily basis and the positive impact it has on my wellbeing;

• Letting go of ego enhances my ability to make better decisions and feel a greater sense of ease;

• Ensuring the inner me and the outer me are getting closer to being the same thing with each passing day brings a great ease into my life.

Self-reflection and the learning from it is a journey and I take it one day at a time but I know that by continuing to build a life on a foundation of simple needs that a more fulfilling and rewarding life will unfold. The power of a pause.

___________________________________________________________________________

Ken Lyons

Director, KL Communications

SITE International Board of Directors