This has all led to me being the worst morning person you will ever meet of course.
When I have a lot on my plate or am feeling stressed, it gets even worse. Forcing my brain to shut off and let me sleep becomes a real challenge, and staying asleep is even more difficult.
As you could imagine, last week was a rough sleep week. And on top of everything else, I was waking up with a sore jaw and neck almost every morning. To the point where it hurt even to eat an apple. I hadn’t realized I was grinding my teeth before, but I certainly realized it last week.
So, I’m trying to stick to a bedtime routine. One that focuses on relaxing and calming myself before closing my eyes. With whatever means necessary.
And part of this routine has been a warm cup of Yogi Bedtime tea every night before attempting sleep. I’m not saying this stuff works miracles or anything, but… it does help me to feel more relaxed.
Plus, I've always had a thing for the messages on the tea packets.
(Courtesy of Google Images)
The other night (as I was drinking my tea), I looked down and saw this message on the packet:Always be pure, simple, and honest.
I've been thinking about that phrasing for a few days now.
Always be pure, simple, and honest.
It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? And it sounds like something we should all strive for. Like the kind of mantra we should all be reciting. Daily.
But, I struggle. Like everyone, I struggle. And I do not for one second believe I live up to those 3 straightforward words. Even if I would like to.
If I had to put this in order of the hardest for me to adhere to, it would be simple, pure, and then honest.
You see, I am not simple. Nothing about me is simple. My long rambling blog posts should make that clear to anyone reading here. I have a need to make my point clear, and in the process - I tend to get lost in the words.
I am not simple.
And pure? I'm pretty sure I threw that away over a decade ago.
But honesty I do believe I’ve got. In fact, I’ve got it in spades. I am honest to a fault, and I never shy away from telling people the truth; even if the truth doesn’t paint me in the best light. My dad always raised me to believe that the worst thing anyone could ever call me would be a liar. He taught me that once you lost people’s trust, you could almost never gain it back. And I believed in that. I grew up shaping my life around that. As a result; I am honest.
I may not be simple or pure, but I am honest.
Purity is something to strive for, in all facets of life. I believe it speaks to the spirit and soul far beyond the physical. I believe it’s reachable. Although, I do wonder if perhaps my mind hasn’t been far too corrupted up to this point to ever be truly pure. If perhaps I have seen and done too much to ever regain that thoughtful naivety. Purity is a happy thought, but it may not be so easy to achieve.
Simple isn’t likely something I will ever be. I’m too driven, and complicated, and inquisitive. My life revolves around the goals I'm always striving to achieve, and I’m never truly happy unless I have something to be working towards. It’s just not how I’m built. So while I will forever be envious of those capable of living simplistic lives; I can live with the fact that it won’t likely ever be me.
Always be pure, simple, and honest.
I looked at those words over and over again and pondered their possibility in my life. Wondered about the message they were trying to teach me, and if they were qualities I was capable of obtaining.
Then I got up and threw away the tea bag, thinking to myself:
1 out of 3 ain’t bad.
