Life can get so stressful and overwhelming at times. Trying to juggle and manage everything while not losing your cool can be challenging. Life does not slow down though and things in life don’t always get easier. So how do you learn to manage all that life throws at you? How do you learn to not feel like you’re drowning all the time and actually thrive during these periods of stress.
Like a friend walking alongside you I will walk you through seven gentle reminders to help you not just get by through this period in your life, but flourish and thrive. Each step will bring you closer to that version of yourself that lives inside of you. The one that lives and breathes inner calmness and peace no matter the state of your environment and what you may be going through.
Release what you are clinging onto
Whatever negative thoughts have been circling in your mind, know that you are not alone, and that you should not be alone in your thoughts. Remember your friends and family are there for you, to support you, and be there for you when you need it most.
Open up to someone you love and tell them what you are going through. If you need even more support you can also seek out a therapist as well. Often just talking through things alone will lift the weight of what you’ve been carrying.
I know you do the same for your friends and family, so know that they are there for you too. You can hold each other and lift eachother up during these hard times and make the passageway through a little softer.
Prioritize things that fill your cup
During times of stress it’s important to prioritize self care and things that fill your cup. Do things that ground yourself back to the present. This can be as simple as making yourself a cup of tea and sipping it slowly as you watch the sunrise in the morning or listen to the birds chirping midday, or sound of crickets at night.
Go for a walk in nature or let your mind escape into a good book. Let art be your therapy and do something creative just for the pure joy of it. Hold no expectation on yourself for something that brings you joy other than that it makes you happy doing it. It does not have to be shared with anyone else, simply the act of doing something you love is enough.
If you have a hard time thinking of what brings you happiness during these periods of stress, try making a “happy list” This is a list of all the things that bring you joy and happiness. You can turn to this list and try one thing everyday that brings you joy.
Nourish yourself with good food
During periods of stress it is a natural urge to turn to foods and fluids that give you a “quick” and “instant” burst of energy. Often those types of foods and beverages also come with an energy crash though and that pendulum swing can be hard to recover from.
Instead of fueling yourself with those packaged foods, sugar and caffeine, try nourishing yourself with whole based foods. Consume high water content foods, high fiber and foods rich in antioxidants. All these types of foods have rich fuel that will last you for hours without the energy crash.
These foods will help your mind think more clearly and give you the energy you need to tackle your tasks and to-dos. Foods that are closest to their natural state will be the most healing. Foods like blueberries, avocados, leafy greens, and apples. Foods like quinoa, sweet potato, brown or wild rice, lentils and tofu. The closer to nature they are the higher vibration they hold. The less ingredients they hold the more energy and healing they provide.
Move into a healthy rhythm
Energy comes from within. Learning to listen to your body. Listen to what it is trying to tell you. Often in these periods of high stress your body is trying to tell you to slow down. Allow yourself to move into a healthy rhythm of what feels best for you in this period right now.
If this means more sleep, then please allow your body to rest more. Return to a calming bedtime routine that helps ease you into a restful sleep environment. An environment that conduces rest instead of racing thoughts and anxiety.
This could mean meditating and/or journaling before bed to encourage a calm mind before you rest. This could mean reading a book you enjoy or doing something creative that is calming to your mind. This could also mean making yourself an epsom salt bath or massaging your body with body oil infused with lavender or a scent that is calming to you.
Whatever practices bring you peace and help calm your mind, begin to incorporate them into your nighttime routine. This will allow your body to transition into a more restful sleep and help you feel renewed the next day.
Focus on one thing at a time
Practice the art of focusing on just one thing at a time. Often you will find yourself in a state of overwhelm and stress from trying to do too many things at once. Despite what you may have been taught, it is actually not possible to multitask. You may think you are getting more done than you would if you just focused on one task at a time, but your split focus only spreads thin to the tasks that are most important to you.
Instead of piling so much onto your plate, try instead to just focus on the most important task that needs to get done. Feel the tension release as you let go of the unrealistic expectations you hold to accomplish and do so much in a day.
If you do not know which task you should focus on first and you feel too overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done, try meditating. Use meditation as a tool to help calm your mind and bring clarity to your thoughts.
You can similarly use breathwork as well. Both meditation and breathwork will help calm your nervous system and your thoughts so you can see more clearly what are the most important tasks that need completing, and prioritize them. As you learn to slow your breathing and slow your mind through meditation, you will find that the answers you seek are always inside you.
Try a different approach
Everything has a rhythm in life. Just as the seasons of the years change and evolve, so do our bodies. Some seasons in our life require more energy and focus, some seasons require a slowing down and almost hibernation and deep rest mode. You must honor each season that your life brings by tuning into what your body is telling you, and what your body needs.
Through each season in life, learning flexibility, adaptability and protecting your energy will be very important. What does this look like? Maybe try switching up your morning routine and instead of starting your day with a meditation or slow chi gong exercise, try moving your body more vigorously, like a run or brisk walk outside.
Energy in motion stays in motion, so beginning your day moving your energy will help recalibrate your body, mind and soul. You will begin your day more centered and renewed. You will start your day with more clarity and focus.
To recognize what season you are in right now and what your body needs, do a self audit and reflect on what is working for your life right now and what is not. Remember you hold everything, all the answers you are seeking are within you. A different approach is going to birth different outcomes; outcomes that allow you to be the best version of yourself.
Remember self love is service. Take care of your mind, body and spirit. When you take care of yourself, you will have the necessary energy to pour into the world around you. Slow down if your body is telling you to do so. Be flexible and willing to adapt to what your body needs in this moment and in this season.
Honor the resistance
You may see resistance as a negative thing, but what if instead of demonizing it you simply acknowledged it. Resistance is not a negative, it is simply part of the process. Life doesn’t get easier with time, we just get stronger. That resistance that you feel is going to give you that creative breakthrough that you need.
The contrast is going to breathe energy into the light. Don’t beat yourself up if you experience creative blocks. Honor all seasons in your life and all emotions you feel. The more you give energy into that resistance the more it holds you back. Honor it, learn from it, allow it to give light to whatever the resistance is trying to tell you. It is there to serve you. The shift you are looking for has already happened, within you.
Think of resistance as the tension felt from pulling the string of a bow. The harder the resistance the farther the arrow will fly. You are that arrow. The resistance you feel is just preparing you to fly farther than you have ever gone before. Remember that.
Final thoughts
When you are balanced, everything moves with grace and you will not burnout. Honor each season in your life. Adapt to what your body and mind need in whatever season you are in. Slow down if you need to slow down. Recognize and acknowledge any resistance that you may feel. Grow with it. Let it shed light on the areas you need to nourish.
Fall in love with the rhythms of life and the pace that feels right to you. There is no race, that is but an illusion. Be gentle with yourself. Release the negative thoughts and beliefs you are clinging onto. Prioritize yourself and what lights you up inside. Honor the cycle that you are in right now. Say no to the things that do not feel right. There is a time and a place for everything. Now is the time to say yes to you and what you need at this moment and in this season.
You are so held. You are so loved. You are so worthy. Now exhale.
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