“Staring at the ocean actually changes our brain waves’ frequency and puts us into a mild meditative state.”
― Richard Shuster, PsyD, clinical psychologist and host of The Daily Helping podcast.
Since moving to California, I have found this to be an extremely true and helpful finding. Every day, at least twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), I go outside to The Strand and stare into the ocean. Admire how far the ocean goes before it meets the sky. I watch the waves come in and wash over the sand. Watch the blue color of the water change with the sunlight. Watch the surfers intently, even to the point where I feel goosebumps imagining the adrenaline they feel while catching their wave. Listen to the waves pound the beach. Let the smell of the sea take over my senses. Allow my thoughts (both positive and negative) to go silent. Allow the sparking nerves in my body to relax and defuse. Simply put, I am present. I am on top of my world. Body. Mind. Soul.
Something you might not know about Cerebral Palsy (CP) is that it increases the risk of anxiety, depression, and general nervousness. A great little addition to the physical limitations and other difficulties someone with CP experiences. I have always been a nervous person, an anxious person, but I have dealt with it. Only once did I allow medication to be my treatment, but it just wasn’t my thing. I did not like the feeling or who I became because of it. Always tired, drowsy, and lifeless… That is not my idea of living. I consider myself vibrant and passionate, adventurous and entertaining, and even moody. My moody side is probably 90% affected by my lack of patience, which is 100% affected by my CP. It can be trying at times, especially when I do not exhibit the symptoms and physical appearance that most individuals with CP have. Oftentimes, my disability gets overlooked and admittedly that is both great and horrible at the same time. Let me give you an example: being on the subway with no seats and no one to offer you theirs. There were a few commutes from work that were quite comical (to look at it from one perspective). Bouncing from subway pole to subway pole, trying to hang on and keep my balance. Watching me lose balance between them was like a watching a Pinball Game, at least until I wasn’t able to stand any longer. That would be an example of the bad part of my disability going overlooked. And I always found it difficult to speak up and ask for a seat, since to them I look like I don’t even have any disability. One of the downfalls to what I wrote about in Blog #1 “I Am An Octopus.” Trying to blend in. Although, on the positive side, it’s nice when people don’t acknowledge you as “a handicapped girl” and just treat you normal.
Life is difficult, no matter who you are. We all have problems, bad days, obstacles we need to overcome. What we choose to do about it matters. Catch your wave. Be on top of your world.
What do you do to refocus, meditate, and relax?
Children’s book author, journal maker, teacher, adventurer, Nutella food-tasting manager, and Nutella addict. And yes, I am related. Thanks for visiting – my blog JuiceBox is about my experience growing up and living with a physical disability (cerebral palsy). I intend to give you the juicy details of real life experiences; the hardships, the bullying, how I handled the situation then and, in retrospect, what I should have done. After obtaining my Master’s degree in General & Special Education, I decided that I wanted to help the children of today have a better tomorrow. Read along weekly and interact. I look forward to chatting with you.