B.O.R.A.

“Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” -Mike Tyson

“Fall down seven times, get back up eight.” -Japanese proverb

(Thanks to Fr. Pete, aka “DJ McSwish” for inspiring this post)

Hopefully not literally, but definitely figuratively, you can expect life to punch you in the mouth. It’s not a matter of if, but when. (If you’ve lived on Planet Earth since March 2020, you know what I mean.) And it won’t just happen once. It will happen throughout your life. Big roundhouses and small jabs….Job loss. Family illness. Bad weather ruins your vacation. The dog ate your homework, etc.

So if you know a storm is coming, what can you do? Or better yet, how do you get back up?

Think of the below four words and corresponding acronym, B.O.R.A…

Breathe. Remember to breathe. Focus on the inhale. Focus on the exhale. Ground yourself. “Be here now” is a good mantra to repeat.

Observe. Look around. Notice your surroundings. Get outside. Observe nature. You’re alive. Be grateful. If for nothing else, that reason alone.

Remember. Remember the good and great times you’ve had. Times when you felt loved. Remind yourself that this too shall pass and better days lie ahead. Life is a flywheel constantly turning.

Act. Once you feel that you’re in a more positive emotional state, write down all the possible action steps you can take from here. When you’re ready, pick one and move forward.

Coincidentally, a Bora is a real thing. As defined by Merriam Webster, it’s “a strong, cold, dry northeast wind blowing in the upper Adriatic.”

Oh, and in the Urban Dictionary, a Bora is defined as “the truth. often known as a waker of dreams. ancient legend speaks of one who walks with insight and sees things for what they are.” Hmmm….