In the thick of stress, your soul sternly asks two things:
1) How much do you respect yourself? And,
2) How much softness do you dare approach it with?
Think motherly energy if you will. A provider of unconditional giving and guider of deep knowing. Tap into that. Skip the escapism with booze binges or unhealthy comfort foods that give temporary relief and guilty aftermath. Look for simple yet effective ways that will help you stay grounded and carry yourself with a sustainable lightness. This is true soul work.
The Secret Number Is 40
Your body craves routine, and daily morning rituals set your tone for the day. Buy an alarm clock so you’re not beginning your day with looking at your phone. Physically placing my phone far from my head while sleeping also gives me this energetic spaciousness. Set a rule not to look at notifications for your first awaken hour to ease into the day, then in this hour stretch, walk, read, draw, meditate, listen to an inspiring podcast (check out Tim Ferris or Lewis Howes), repeat affirmations, or journal three things you’re grateful for.
Ready to seriously commit to a better you? Number 40 is symbolised in ancient scripts and spiritual teachings as a complete period of death and rebirth, or in this case, reaping the benefits of successfully creating new habits! (Not even kidding.) Commit to doing one small thing every single day for at least 40 days. Five days in and you miss it once, patiently restart your cycle from Day #1. 38 days in and you miss it again—yes, start again.
C Is For Compassion
Triggered by how someone behaved? Step out of your frustrations for a second, and mentally or openly (and genuinely feel it in your body!) Send your best wishes no matter how much you despise them. Turn “I hope he gets fired and loses everything!” To “I hope he learns his lesson and I wish him all the success”. Acting on dislike will bring more stress so stir this poison into healing elixir.
Instead of judging from a small interaction we’ve had with them, we can understand that what we see is only a tiny picture part of a larger, complex life that we don’t know. There’s a fine line between reflecting for learning, and doing yourself a disservice by replaying conversations in your head a million times, obsessively trying to figure out motives and thinking “what if?” Believe in inherent goodness of people, discover what this person has taught you, and look forward.
Nourish, Nurture, Nature
3.1 trillion trees on earth are nourishing us by absorbing carbon dioxide, storing it within their trunks, then releasing nourishing oxygen back into the environment and our bodies. Nature is undoubtedly therapeutic magic. Walk barefoot through a park, and feel the grass and dirt underneath your soles that activate the entire body. Gift yourself with a new indoor plant—watering my maidenhair fern everyday and watching it birth new tiny, delicate leaves on my bedside windowsill as my first sight of the day is a great reminder to nurture myself for constant growth. Become even more grounded through nature by opting to head to the farmers’ market for your groceries, to know where your food comes from and to taste organic fruit and vegetables.
Being The Star And Director Of Your Own Story
Have you ever gotten over something, looked back, and are surprised by how cramped up life felt then and how spacious you feel now? It’s hard to remember when you’re deep into stress that you WILL one day be on the other side of it. Get out, right now, and breathe deeply. Say in your mind or out loud “IT’S ALL PART OF IT”. I would repeat this too. It is a great reminder that stress is a necessary part of your epic life story, that it is a time of abundant learning and a chance for you to rise up to the challenge. Trust in the process, you’re exactly where you need to be.
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