It always amazes me how much our bodies hold. I know this too well. Whenever I am confused or stressed about something, my body goes into overdrive and falls apart on me…headaches, tummy aches and all that other stuff that comes with stress. I realize I need to be very conscious about my well-being during these times. As a person who has suffered from depression– I put myself on ‘high-alert’ so that I can regain my equilibrium without falling off the deep end.
I’m not always good at following steps—I just like to go with the flow, but these things seem to help me and re-ground me:
Take a Step Back: Remove myself from the stressor and find a place to go and breathe. Do you have a special place to relax?
Breathe in Deeply, and Let Go:Release all that is within me that is causing me suffering—Letting go with every exhale. And breathing in calm and peace. What do you do with your breathing that is helpful during a stressful event?
Pour a Cup of Coffee:The caffine helps with my migraines—they come along when I’m really stressed. I’m really good at holding stress right in my neck and head…Where do you hold stress in your body? Do you have a ritual of coffee or tea etc. that helps you re-center?
Listen to songs that make me move my body & dance:Even though I need the calm I also find I need to move my body and get those positive endorphins moving! There is something freeing about moving your body—it gets me out of my state. What do you do?
Get a Hug:My son is good for hugs during the day, and my dog and 2 cats also love to be hugged—there’s something about connecting to humans and animals through touch that releases so much of the negativity and refills my body with a sense of love and care. Do you have someone or a pet that you who reconnects you to sense of care and well-being?
Writing about it: I know this has been the topic of lots of my recent posts, but I’m realizing how much better I feel by having an outlet for my feelings. I used to journal all the time when I was younger and stopped when my life got too busy…and of course that’s when depression got in my being…I guess I need to write to get to that place of balance after I’m stressed, anxious, etc. What about you? Do you find change happening within you when you write or sing, etc.?
It’s Friday evening in New England. So I’m letting go for a while, and ready to just enjoy the evening. I hope you are well, and find joy in your journey today too.
Remember: You are capable of feeling good in your life whenever you want to—especially when you change your state and give yourself the freedom to be happy.
Each new morning opens
My Life
to a story of Healing
I do not let my past define me
nor determine my future.
I go forward knowing my past
is a part of me
but I am
Strong,
Amazing
& Wonderfully Made.
So today my present is
the force that propels me foward.
It is a time to celebrate the gift of New Life.
When you share love you give others the gifts of healing, happiness and fulfillment, and in return you receive these same gifts.
Your feeling of bodily emptiness also becomes less because you become connected to the *Beloved, who is both beyond you and within you-
We are in deep relationship with the Beloved when we Love each other, and when we love ourselves.
This is when deep healing is possible and happening!
And New Life begins within you and for those who come in contact with you.
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice! for your soul is alive!
–Eleanora Duse
Sometimes amongst the chaos of our daily lives: getting up, going to work, taking your kids to daycare, trying not to spill your coffee as you run out the door, honking horns, too many commuters, late trains, over-packed trains, clients, bosses, staff meetings, etc., it’s nice to find a garden in bloom reminding you that, life does give you permission to pause!
But of course you have to take the time to notice. Give yourself the gift of taking a break!
Why not pleasure your eyes with all the beauty and color around you?!
During my working days, I was always really good at saying, “I don’t have time!” to take even 5 minutes to go outside and enjoy the fresh air and natural world. But now that I’ve had time to reflect, I realize I did have the time; I just didn’t give myself the permission to take a break.
Life isn’t about how many hours we’ve worked in a day, but about the moments we choose to give ourselves during the day.
Happy Spring from NYC!
Make a note to yourself how different you feel on the days you take a break versus the days you don’t.
Your health and well-being are going to give you a more fulfilled life–filling your life with busyness that doesn’t make you happy deters your health, So
Take the time to pause and notice life around you. Your eyes are a gift and the world we have to see, somewhere, somehow, holds something beautiful for you to behold every day.
In my time here in the blogging community I have had the sacred opportunity to read people’s stories-and share my own. The stories that come from deep within our hearts…the ones that make you feel..because you know that could be your story too, or someone else’s story has already been part of your own story. There is great power in how our story—the way we make sense of our experience—effects and impacts our healing journey.
I am grateful for the healing power of our stories—by sharing them we have the ability to heal.—Until I was able to admit openly my struggle with depression, healing was pretty much null and void. But when I began to share—which happened because I finally was able to witness my story in my heart—the healing began, and continues…
What is it like for you to feel and know your own story?
I am grateful for the gifts of strength and survival that we were created with, so that even in the midst of suffering, somehow we have the courage to live—it always amazed me in my days as a spiritual counselor in the hospitals, how those who decided they were not going to be defined by their illness and instead continued to be themselves, were the ones who lived life, and those who let their fear consume them, or the disease define them, slowly or quickly withered. Your journey of healing is effected by how you make sense of and share your story of suffering, illness, loss, divorce, etc.
When I was afraid of my depression, it consumed me—I didn’t want to admit it was a part of me so my depression had control, but when I accepted that “My depression is a part of me, but I will not let it define me,” I became in control, and my healing journey continues to happen because this has become the story I now live my life by.
When you are ready, put your own words in place of mine or create your own powerful statement! And if you already have one–congratulations to you!
How has sharing your story lead to healing in your life?
A Healing Blessing from Me to You:
May you be surrounded by healing love, a healing love that comes from all of creation, and gently and powerfully calls your name. And in those moments when you cry out, may the depths of your heart be heard by all the angels who are there to protect you and by the love of the Divine–who is there to carry you when you don’t have the strength to carry yourself. And may all the blessings that are good & pure and full of light & harmony be with you now and always.
I’d like to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I would be sillier than I’ve been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I’m one of those people who lives sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day.
Oh, I’ve had my moments,
And if I had it to do over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d have nothing else,
Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.
I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I had it to do over again, I would travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over…
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies…
~ Nadine Stair
85 yrs. old
You are alive right now! So make the most of your life starting today!
Ask yourself this question right now:
What would I wish I had done differently?“—Thinking ahead to your future, knowing what you don’t want to regret/or wish was different about your life will help you know now how to better live your present life:
Write down your answers on paper
Set up your answers like a “Bucket-List”
Hang the paper up somewhere where you will see it so you can be intentional about your goals
Start making the changes you want to see happening in your life immediately! –“You can do anything you put your mind to!”
Change the way you live your life now!
So this becomes your answer when asked,”What would you have done differently?”
” I love the life I’ve lived. I love the life I’m living! There’s not a single moment of my life I’d want to change.”—because you made the effort to work on living fulfilled in your present life!
Give yourself the gift of being fulfilled starting today!
If you like the question/quote from Nadine Stair you might also enjoy the answer of Erma Bombeck,– it may give you some ideas of things you want to work on in your life.
You deserve to be fulfilled in your life every moment!
This is what I see…
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