Finding Your Feet
Unless you have been asleep for the last couple of months, you are feeling the shifts in energy, the shifts in mindset, the shifts in … well, everything and like me, you are probably trying to "find your feet."
There is no doubt that change is afoot and in many ways it’s a really good thing. But it can also send us reeling off balance, questioning our purpose, wondering what it’s all for and what to do next.
When this happens, I find the best things to do are allow yourself to pause and be okay with not knowing the answers right now, to lean into practices that nourish your soul and help you center, and mostly trust that it will all be okay.
I know, I know… easier to say than do… right?
I say… it might take a little more effort than usual but it’s only hard if you believe it is.
Here are my top 10 practices. Try one or try a combination of a couple and see what works for you:
Meditate (no eye rolling please). You may be sick of hearing it but IT WORKS! Try it, it certainly can’t hurt. Click the image below for a FREE 3 minute meditation to help quiet the mind. If you are ready for a regular practice, we hold Guided Meditations every Thursday at 7pm.
Mantras & Prayer - Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, reciting mantras, affirmations or prayers helps redirect the mind from an endless hamster wheel to more soothing thought patterns. Try these, repeating them several times until you feel your system start to ease:
“I trust the Universe/Spirit/God.”
“I am calm and centered, my mind is peaceful and quiet.”
“Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha” - this is a Sanskrit prayer of greetings and gratitude to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.
Breathing Practices - Breathwork, even something as simple as inhaling or a count of five, holding for a moment or two, and exhaling for a count of six, repeated 3-5 times will calm your nervous system and help you center. There are also wonderful and easy Qi Gong movements you can find on YouTube that help move the energy and restore a sense of balance. If you find you like the practice, join us for Qi Gong for Healing every Saturday morning at 10am.
Aromatherapy - Essential oils effect the limbic system of the brain and can be used to help treat a wide range of physical and mental conditions, in this case, promoting relaxation and relieving stress. Smelling a pleasing scent can transport you to a happy place. We offer two blends that are great for helping you find some peace: Keep Me Calm, which has a warm spicy aroma and Bye Bye Anxiety, which is bright and citrusy.
Keep Me Calm
Diffuser Blend ~ Roll-On ~ Spray
The rule of One - Take one step at a time and do one thing at a time. The body performs hundreds of functions every second yet you take one breath at a time. Life is the same, hundreds of parts are moving every second and there is no way to do it all or control it all, focus on the one thing that is in front of you at the present moment and then when that is done move to the next.
If it’s not a “HELL YES,” it’s a “NO” or “not now” - Here is the thing about choices and making decisions… they don’t have to be forever! Somewhere along the line in our evolution, we collectively bought into the idea that making a choice is permanent and indelible. But that’s simply not true. We are allowed to change our minds because circumstances, desires, needs, etc. change all the time. Honor where you are in this moment, forget the expectations of others, the shoulds and supposed tos. It’s those very things that create the monkey mind.
Journal - When the mind is running amok or questions are swirling around, one of the best ways to calm things down, find order and answers is to write it down. The mind tends to ruminate, but when you get your thoughts out and down on paper it stops the merry-go-round, helping you think more clearly which allows the solutions to come more easily. Buy a beautiful journal, one that makes you happy to look at, find a favorite pen then take yourself someplace quiet and let it all flow out. No editing, no sentence structure and don’t even think about punctuation. You’ll be amazed at the results!
Talk to someone - Find someone you can openly share your experiences with and be there for someone else. Chances are they are going through the same things and knowing you are not alone can alleviate a lot of worry and stress. Talking it out works the same way writing does, by creating clarity. We’re spending too much time in isolation which makes everything feel harder. Humans are social creatures we need community, communication and connection.
Ritual - Create a small ritual you can do everyday without fail such as enjoying a cup of tea without distractions, spending 15 minutes in silence or stillness, lighting a candle and reciting a mantra or prayer, listing 3 things you are grateful for, earthing, or anything else that feels nourishing and centering. It doesn’t have to be long or a major production, in fact, simlicity is best. Being consistent is the key because the ritual becomes a touchstone, a calm in the storm which can keep you grounded when everything around you is going haywire.
Personally, I do gentle yoga, intentional breathing, and some form of meditation everyday. It doesn’t eliminate the unsettled, answer seeking state of mind but it does allow me to recognize when it’s happening so I can use other practices like the rule of one, pausing, trusting and talking to friends to support myself during those times.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to find something that brings you back to center in times of chaos and stress. And if you can continue that practice daily, even when things are great, it will give you a strong foundation making the difficult times much easier to move through.
Below is a FREE download called Center Me Empowerment Tool. It contains a few simple questions to help you discover the little things that bring you peace so you can create a “Center Me Go Bag” for yourself.
Click on the image above to access the PDF download.
I hope this information has been useful and given you some steps to take to help yourself during these shifting times. If you are struggling right now and would like further support, book a consultation call.
You are strong enough.
You are capable.
You will be okay.
You are not alone.
In peace and love and light,
Marnie
