Taking care of myself and staying present in challenges
How to look after my internal happiness first
Triggers happen on a daily basis, likely even more so in the times that we are in. Someone says or does something that creates a trigger. Someone in line asks you why you can’t stand further away or you say something that someone doesn’t like and get an angry stare.
It’s a feeling and it’s certainly out there.
As there is so much fear and uncertainty, it’s so key to find the things that keep me feeling safe and grounded.
Environment also makes such a big difference. Learning how to protect my own energy amidst all the anger and frustrations is so important in the midst of healing myself. Letting go of my own beliefs such as “make people happy all the time”, “don’t upset others,” and “don’t express your feelings” is a work in progress, as these thoughts don’t serve me anymore.
Focusing on myself and my own energy reminds me to come back to myself. Getting caught up with other people takes the energy away from me and as a result, I’m focused on changing things and/or people that I can’t change. I can only change the things that are within my control. What I can control is how I react to them. Instead of getting angry and feeling the internal heat within, I can focus on what serves my spirit.
I can go for a walk/run in nature and remind myself to be present as I navigate busy public spaces with other runners, mothers and their children, birds, flying balls from the soccer field. Navigating busy spaces forces me to be present so that I can dodge and maneuver through the things that I cannot control. I remind myself to keep moving and focus on my breathing as things get tricky — a great metaphor for my own life. Keep moving forward take action, even when it is so challenging that I want to give up and stop. I keep reminding myself through the pain and frustration that “This too shall pass.”
Doing things such as walking/running, listening to personal development videos, and connecting with supportive and compassionate individuals to serve my soul and spirit have been so important. The reminder for me is to keep taking action and do my best to put myself out there — even when others don’t understand and/or listen, I know that I am doing the right thing for me, irrespective of what they think.
Taking action creates self-confidence and trust in myself. It means that my word means something — to most importantly, myself and others. Showing up for meetings, interviews, commitments = small wins to create momentum. And small wins compound over time to create bigger wins.
Allowing myself to find the solutions that work for me has been valuable in trusting my inner guidance/intuition. I have to keep reminding myself that I will find the best solutions that work for me…even if I don’t see them right in front of me at this very moment.
So if you are facing challenges and feel like hope is gone, check-in with yourself and remind yourself of the things that bring you joy. This simple shift in mindset can shift your mood and perhaps create more ease and comfort in hard times.
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