Let's find peace amidst the chaos together. Learn new ways to move from surviving to thriving. Join me for a unique Relaxation & Resilience Workshop series (4 classes) beginning April 13th!
As a seasoned mental health counselor, holistic health coach, massage therapist, yoga psychologist and parent, I have a wide-reaching, panoramic view of the landscape of mental health. Whether we are aware of it or not, the mental/emotional stress and pain that we, as a global commmunity are experiencing, throughout the pandemic; is placing chronic loss, stress, anxiety and overwhelm right in our laps. From my perspective, we are headed for (or perhaps are in it already) a mental health crisis, at best; or a mental health pandemic, at worst. I know this sounds extreme, but people around the world, of all ages, backgrounds and cultures are struggling to live with layers upon layers of stress mounted on top of them.
The immense pressure is affecting our sleep patterns, our eating habits, our relationships, our parenting, our ability to focus, and is severely limiting our potential for moving forward toward our goals and living healthy and well. Many of us are searching for more tools, strategies or techniques to feel more peaceful amidst the chaos of our lives. We are longing to restore or rebuild our strength and courage for the future.
The Gift of Stress
Stress is a normal part of being human. Stress becomes harmful and toxic when the adversity we are facing is too intense, frequent or prolonged. Good stress (ie. eustress) is the stress we experience when we are excited or feeling positive energy about something. Eustress energizes us, motivates us, protects us, and helps us make choices toward our life goals and purpose. If we learn to harness our stress, reshape, reframe, and move through the challenges facing us, there are lessons to be learned and rewards to be reaped from challenging situations. Even in the face of a pandemic, it is possible to learn to embrace the hardship, and take on struggle and strain as opportunities for new discovery, healing and ultimately, bountiful growth and abundance in our life.
Now more than ever, we need to tune into our mental and emotional needs. One of the ways we can nurture our whole being - body, mind and spirit is to build resilience. It's never too late!
Resilience is our ability to recover relatively quickly and well from difficult, painful and dissappointing situations. When we cultivate resiliency, we give ourselves the tools to move through even the toughest times. Ideally, we want our mental and emotional body to stretch and bend like an elastic band, without snapping and breaking. A highly-resilient person can move successfully through a vast array of stress or trauma without getting overwhelmed or giving up. Becoming resilient is a practice and takes time and patience. It requires trust in the self, small measurable successes, and at least one loving person (ie. family, friend, or community) for support.
Join me for my community workshop April 13th, and see how you already have everything you need inside of you to feel relaxed, peaceful, and resilient.
But first, just breathe...
Right now, after you read this, I invite you to:
1. Take a couple minutes to slow down and sit (or stand) still.
2. Consider softening your gaze or closing your eyes.
3. Place your hands in a relaxed position; perhaps one on your heart and one on your belly, or maybe you are more comfortable with your hands by your sides, or in your lap. All of these are ok. The important thing is to find a bit of of calm in whatever position is best for you.
4. Now, breathe.
5. Stay focused on your breath. Inhale and exhale with ease.
6. Continue paying attendion to your breath for 1-2 minutes.
7. Open your eyes. Notice how you feel.
8, Practice this 1-2x/day.
In a few rounds of mindful breaths, you have started to cultivate resilience. You are preparing your body and mind for healthy growth and development, the same way you would till the soil to prepare for growing a bountiful harvest.
Take note: New beginnings often require stirring things up a bit first. When we sit to breathe, our thoughts and feelings may be restless, overwhelming or scattered. All of this is normal and part of the gift we were talking about earlier. Just keep breathing! You are
"Joy, collected over time, fuels resilience – ensuring we’ll have reservoirs of emotional strength when hard things do happen."
— Brené Brown
Life is full of hard things. But YOU have everything you need within you to move through the stress, anxiety and overwhelm of difficult times.
Our bodies and minds are swimming in a sea of emotions during the course of this pandemic. If we begin to pay attention to our own individual experience of stress, we will feel more empowered, truly heal our emotions, and ultimately move in the direction of our dreams.
Let's discover what brings us joy and cultivate resilience together!
Starting April 13th, my Live Online Workshop Series, will guide you through mindfulness meditation, gentle yoga practice, an exploration of the senses, and a creative process that will support you in discovering your innate body/mind wisdom.