Riding Life’s Storm

We grow up thinking life is a breeze, fun and play. Then bam, we hit adulthood and realise it’s not as great as we thought it would be.

As the saying goes “adulting sucks”

This isn’t to say life doesn’t have its wonderful moments, because it definitely does. But there are just some days we adults approach life with less gusto than a sloth running on an hour of sleep, and there’s just not a strong enough coffee.

So how do we move through life’s stormy weather, it’s up and down swells, and tos and fros, ebbs and flows?

Let’s first acknowledge that life can have moments of truly rough seas, where you feel tossed about and without a rudder. If you’re in one of those moments, it’s important to acknowledge where you are. You can’t change something you can’t see or don’t know is there. That doesn’t mean that it should be dwelled upon, or that it becomes your only focus and perception. Acknowledgment gives you the power to be able to take control of the situation.

~Start Small~

If big changes or big choices just aren’t possible right now, start with something small. It could be asking a friend friend for help, (even though you may not want to, not everyone likes asking for help), starting off with a one minute meditation if 5mins isn’t possible, walk 50m instead 5kms, tell a friend or a professional about the problem even if you can’t do anything just yet. A journey of empowerment means it’s a journey of smaller steps, not a big leap.

~Gratitude~

While this may at times be a broken record and not that easy to put into practice when life truly has you down, it’s proven that gratitude heals. Studies show that it helps people with depression, anxiety, and burnout, and that it reduces cardiac disease. A journal with one thing you’re grateful for will start it off. It doesn’t havent to be a huge moment or an epiphany, just anything you are thankful for. Even if it’s as simple “I’m so grateful I didn’t have to cook tea tonight!”

https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/#mental-health

~Make A Choice~

“You are one decision away from a totally different life” - credit to unknown author

There is always a choice. Small choices can lead to bigger changes, they have a ripple effect. If you can make one choice in a situation, it may open up to possibility of two choices. Then you have options and freedom to move in a new direction. I know this sounds simplistic, but it is simple. It's just not always that simple to do. I know there are some situations in life that any take any ability or control away, but if you’re in that situation, look for something small that you can influence even if it’s not directly to do with the situation itself. Empower yourself one choice at a time, however small that choice is. The act of empowerment is big even if the choice is small.

~Meditate~

While this may sound like a typical new age response, the fact is meditation promotes calm, helps with clear thinking and focus, can help you receive guidance even from yourself, can bring awareness to your thoughts and emotions, and helps to release anything you might be holding to. Is the storm raging on your life a reflection of the turmoil within yourself? Meditation can you find awareness so you can let go, and find your own inner calm. There are so many different tool and practices of meditation, I find the simplest is to simply breathe. Sit quietly and breathe, feeling that breathe move in and out. When your thoughts wander, acknowledge that thought, and come back to the breath. Over time you might feel emotions rise, or have mentors surface and so on. These are things coming up to be released.

~Communicate~

Yes, that means talking. About everything. The great stuff! 😁 and the crummy stuff 😒

Holding everything in isn’t healthy. Wether that means you reach out to friend, a professional, a family member, you talk into a mirror (this isn’t at woo woo as it sounds), your write it down on a letter or a journal, or prayer. Or any other method of communication you use. The most important part about this is letting it out so your emotions can move and your body isn’t holding into tension that can affect your health long term. If you’re in the middle of a storm and can’t see a way out, communicate that you feel stuck and ask for help.

Mirror work involves saying your piece in front of a mirror, and it's a great way to release emotions or gain clarity on how you feel and what's happening within yourself.

~Power of the Pause~ “If you don’t know where you're heading no wind is favourable” - unknown author

Sometimes when you feel yourself surrounded in darkness or a chaotic sea, stillness is best. If you don't know where you're headed or what to do then pause, take a breath and take note of where you are and what's around you. When we're solely focused on one path it can blind us to other options or possibilities. Taking some time to be still means there is no pressure of making a decision right now, no pressure to be anywhere or do anything right now. For now it might be best just to stop, take a step back and look at the big picture.

~Fight or Flight~

Please know this is purely stemming from my own experience and I am not a medical professional.

Stressful situations can trigger fight or flight response. This can be countered with calming strategies such as grounding excersises, breathing exercises, yoga and so on. This is an article exploring what fight or flight is and how it may be affecting you. By observing myself, I find that while I’m fight or flight mode I have trouble concentrating or keeping my attention, my breathing is shallower, I become ungrounded and stuck in my thoughts, and I’m more easily stressed or emotionaly triggered. If this is something you think might be affecting you, read the article below.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

And because I’m obsessed with crystals and this is what I do, the crystal of the month can help as well.

~Pietersite~

Chakras-third eye and solar plexus

Element - storm

Zodiac -Sagittarius

Structure -

•courage•willpower•transformation•protection

Pietersite is known as the storm or tempest stone and as the keys to Heaven as it heightens your connection to spirit. It is a very protective stone for when you’re in bad weather as well as protecting sites or buildings from bad weather. It shields against emf, and encourages you to rest and recuperate even if you’re not aware of the need to. It also helps you to reconcile emotions that have not yet been dealt with. It is a stone of courage, positive change, leadership and transformation. It is said to balance the hormonal system and calm the nervous system in times of stress. Helps to build confidence, especially for those who’s self esteem has taken a battering by repeated failed attempts. It’s a good stone for entrepreneurs or those building a career out of their individual gifts and talents. It is a stone that helps to provide clarity, focus and calm in life’s stormy moments.

It enhances telepathy, stimulating the mind and the psychic senses. It is an activation stone that opens pathways for your spiritual development. It reconnects you with the concept of oneness and grounds spiritual energy. It can be used to access Akashic records.

*image credit to Soul Holistic Harmony

So how do take control of your own ship?

How do you calm a stormy sea and have smooth sailing?

Ponder the message that our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. (But please do not place any blame on yourself or feel you're being blamed, there is no judgment here. This is just something for you to think about). Just observe when you find yourself in turmoil, what's happening in l and if it is mirroring that.

Make the positive changes you’re able to, be kind to yourself and don’t criticise or punish yourself because things are panning out right now. It doesn’t help and make you feel worse. Please don’t be hard on yourself. Accept things as they are if you can. Ask for help if you need it.

If you’re at a time when you’re struggling, then this a message that you’re safe and loved, you’ve got this and things will get better. You’re enough 💙💙

Be well and happy x

Emma

*image credits go to pexels and pixabay

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Soul Holistic Harmony 💙💜🦋

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Emma Saunders

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