Do you feel anxious, worried, or fearful in the midst of changes that are happening in and around you?
I get it. I have experienced all of these and more!
These exceptional times are giving all of us the opportunity to see, feel and transform (if we choose) the way we live our lives and manage change and what is happening around and for us.
The global pandemic, inequality and racial injustice issues, the climate crisis, our relationships to our health, each other, our work, and much more. There isn’t much that isn’t changing.
If you’re not managing this ongoing stress, it shows up as heart racing, tightness in your chest, worry and over-thinking, and have difficulty sleeping or feeling unrested upon waking.
You feel disconnected from yourself and others that shows up as problems with your health, relationships, or projecting what you feel onto others, near and far.
You feel confused about what to focus on, overwhelmed, and distracted by the news and what is happening for others. You either push through, burn out, and get stopped or avoid, hide, and pretend everything is fine.
Here’s what I’ve learned is helpful:
- First, notice and be aware of yourself.
Pay attention to your body. And, when you notice you are anxious or fearful, stop. Pause. Check-in with what you are feeling and sensing in your body. Where do you feel it? What is the quality of the feeling or sensation?
This will help you clarify what is yours and what you might be feeling from others or outside of you.
I know sometimes I feel agitated and when I check in, I realize that I’ve taken on someone else’s energy. That helps me know what I need to do with that energy rather than just carrying it with me and assuming it is mine.
2. Next, feel and work with what you are noticing.
Connect with your physical sensations. Allow yourself to be with them and to feel them.
Sometimes, this will be enough. Other times, you may want to inquire what the feeling is about, and ask for support or guidance to see what the deeper message is.
This will help create space to allow stress to move through you, whether it is something old that’s being triggered by the current events or situations or a new stress. You will be able to notice patterns and can inquire into them more.
3, Finally, use your awareness to take a next step.
Ask for guidance about what the next step is. The next step may be doing something nurturing for yourself or changing the way you do something.
For me, sometimes this looks like connecting less with the news or making requests of others about our conversations or choosing a next step that will help me take action based on the anger, sadness, or guilt, for example, that I am experiencing.
Taking this next step based on the sensations and emotions you are feeling helps bring you back to you and what you are meant to be healing and transforming through this time. And, this has you playing YOUR part in the collective healing.
In this way, you will feel more grounded and connected. You will make choices based on what you need, rather than on only what is happening “out there”. You will be able to stay connected to the real world by processing your own feelings and sensations. Everything will make more sense – what this means for you and how you are part of the greater work we are all doing to help humanity continue to evolve for the better.
I’ve seen this for myself and my clients and I know it is possible for you, too.
Warmly,
Jennifer
P.S. If you or anyone you know needs support with staying grounded in the midst of all the changes that are happening, please email me at jenniferlsherwood@gmail.com or contact me on my website for a Complimentary Clarity Call. That way I can hear more about what’s happening for you and see if the work I do makes sense for you.