Bringing Vitality Back Into Your Family

The dictionary defines vitality as:
 
1) Capacity for survival or for the continuation of a meaningful or purposeful existence: the vitality of an institution.


2) Power to live or grow: the vitality of a language.
 
As a parent, what do you feel brings vitality to your families? How do you preserve what is meaningful and important and pass that onto your children?
 
What can we do to ensure that future generations do not become drones in a society that tells them what to think, what is cool to wear, how to speak and that it is ok to be oblivious to the incredibly violent content in almost all screen media?
 
I believe that if we all come from a heart centred place and teach our children our core values; teach them to think for themselves and encourage and inspire them to use their own imagination and to live their dreams, then we have a chance at creating a world that is not driven by corporations and their desire for profit.
 
Every little step, every small encouragement, every heart centred attempt is a contribution to creating more vitality. Over time, small steps create huge leaps. Each drop in the ocean has its' place and contributes to the greater whole.

We begin by taking a look at what we value as parents and what are things that create vitality in our own lives. By remembering who we can be and focusing on what we HAVE achieved from a space of appreciation, we begin to let go of the limits and vitality draining thoughts from our lives. Everything begins with a single thought. This is why imagination is so powerful. As you look around you take note that absolutely everything in your world first began as a single thought.
 
We don't have to be superstars to make a difference. Every time you listen to your child with presence, every time you stop and respond instead of react, every time you encourage your child to use his/her own creativity, you are making a differene in the world. Your task as a parent is huge and I would like to invite you to appreciate yourself for all that you give, all that you do and for who you are chosing to be for your children.
 
You are the creators of the future, as you lead your children forward. By choosing to parent consciously, you are leading the way to a brighter future for your child.
 
As you hold family meetings, use respectful language, pay attention to your reactions and take time to practice self care; vitatlity finds a way into your life. You are the doorway through which vitality can flow. As a parent you can model true vitality.
 
When we engage in the excitement of creating great things for oursleves that also are in alignment with our inner purpose, we start to realize how energizing it is to be part of something that is greater than our single lives. When our "doing" begins to contribute to something larger than ourselves in a positive way, great changes are possible.

How can we create excitement for ourselves that we can model for out children? We start with a dream and then we actually write it down in sentence form. Not just any statement - I call this the ultimate dream statement. Think of what you really want and what feeling that having it would provide for you. Play with this exercise so that when you read the words, they ignite a passion and vitality within you. Remember to ensure that you include the ultimate feeling of the end result in your statement.

For Example:

I do what I love and love what I do
(this is a nice sentiment but it is very broad and doesn't feel empowering)

Vitality statement example:

I am feeling so fulfilled by the choices that I am making that my work has taken on
incredible and new meaning in my life. I see worth in what I am doing and I am approaching it
with fresh eyes. I can see the value in how I contribute and I love who I am being in the world.
(The above sentence has an intention and a feeling that one can align with and feel into)
 
We can heal ourselves, we can transform fatigue into energy, we can move from competition to cooperation, we can energize our relationships with our children one step at a time through the practice of conscious parenting.
 
Take a moment to think about how much you, as a parent, influence the world around you, especially your child's world. See how your child reflects "you" in his/her behavior and know that you are making a difference.