Is it the accumulation of winter weather? Cabin fever? Sticky emotions? Too much sugar? Not enough of whatever it takes to find balance?
Sometimes it seems SO BORING to do all that it takes to stay on an even keel doesn't it? Eat right. Sleep well. Drink lots of water. Outside time. Daily meditation. Exercise. Yoga. Read inspiring books. Time by yourself. Time with others.
And then some days, in spite of all that, there is that lingering I-don't-know-what that is heavy. Hard. Overwhelming. I can't put my finger on it but I know things are off. I'm off. I'm more irritable. Less patient. Quick to judge myself. Quick to find fault.
And then, the Angels bonk me over the head with BREATHE.
The meditation script: "When things are hard, don't try to change it. Simply BREATHE. Notice your breath."
The daily angel card: BREATHE
The instructions when feeling the pain of the Shakti mat? (this one is something to try, honest): BREATHE
And so it is.
I come back to the simplicity of finding the calm inside through breath. It brings me to the space that is calm EVEN in the midst of the noise in my head, or the busyness of day to day life, or the scolded child feeling when my dogs run into a random house in search of their cats.
Can I find that snippet of calm space when I fret about time running out with Gary?
Sometimes.
I have PLENTY of opportunity to practice about that one. That's all part of this process right now.
Coming back to the present moment through breath.
Tricks:
🔹 Take 3 deep breaths. Period. Nothing fancy. Just 3 breaths: When you feel your shoulders up at your ears. When your belly is tight in a knot. When your heart is pounding with fretting. When your thoughts are making you crazy. When you are craving that drink during a time away from alcohol. When you are consulting with that REALLY difficult colleague. Just 3 breaths.
🔹 Box breathing- Inhale for count of 4. Hold for count of 4. Exhale for count of 4. Hold for count of 4. Do 3-5 rounds to reset, ground, release tension.
🔹4-7-8: Inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Lots of studies about this calming the nervous system and aiding in falling asleep.
🔹 Connect taking 3 deep breaths with something you do routinely: Opening your computer, looking at your phone, washing your hands, knocking on the door of another client at the office, driving, etc.
One of my midwife clients decided to do this every time she goes to the bathroom. Why not?
🔹 Put sticky notes in easy to see places: BREATHE. (I also use sticky notes like this for reminding me of how I want to FEEL during the day: grateful, kind, patient, etc. Gary's choices? Fun and laughter.)
The days of feeling out of sorts is all part of change, growth, stepping into our authentic lives, away from our familiar patterns/habits and finding new openings. Even when we are in the FLOW of change and the shifts are easy/tiny/doable, there are times when at least part of us is feeling like the St. Bernard who sits down and refuses to budge. We resist. Rebel. Or sometimes it's like being pulled by the rope- hanging on for all its worth in a tug of war, heels dug in the ground. What happens when I drop the rope? I fall on my ass. Sometimes the wind is knocked out of me. It usually makes me laugh (or cry).
There are probably a MILLION ways to interrupt this resistance place to clear our minds, drop the "rope" and come into the present moment with all it has to offer.
Maybe the most simple way is with the breath.
It's with us throughout our lives.
It's a gift to our body/mind/souls.
It's amazing how simple and how profound it is to FIND OUR BREATH as often as we can, in whatever life situation we are in.
Sending love wherever you are on this journey.....
Do reach out if you're struggling. It's so much easier to find your way when you're not alone.
xo
Martha
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