Time for reflection. To please our inner self, we can start to train ourselves to listen to our feelings of tension, apprehension, and anxiety, instead of stuffing, avoiding, or acting on them. We all recognize the moment we feel the onset of fear when we know we need to address a person, or situation, or make a difficult decision. In these moments it’s time to stop and listen. Sit down, and close your eyes. (Ok…not this very second). You’re Safe! Let the tension slip from your brow, your jaw, your neck…shoulders. Drop your guard. It’s ok. It’s just you and your inner self having a conversation. Breathe. Imagine sitting in your favorite place. It’s beautiful just as it is. Take a few more deep breaths. Let the apprehension slip away. There’s no judgment here. We’re simply connecting with our inner wisdom for inspiration and guidance. Thoele says it best: We are not our fears, we simply experience them. With effort, fears can be unlearned [18].
Recognition: What is your psyche, trying to teach you about your anxiety?
Recognition: What is your inner self longing for?
Resilience: What dreams, needs or self-care have you been neglecting that you can work toward now?
Recognition: If you’ve been quiet too long what are the consequences?
Resilience: How can you express your authentic self and ensure your voice is heard?
Resilience: If you’ve been stuck in past projections of doom what can you do differently?
Resilience: If you’re overwhelmed by what you think stands between where you are, and where you want to be, what’s the first thing you can do?
The second?
Recognition: If you’re settling for “less than” how are you denying feelings of unhappiness and loss?
Resilience: If fear of change or the unknown is surfacing resistance or procrastination, what can you do differently today?
Recognition: If your “old” story (or the judgments of others) is dictating how you respond to challenges, how can you coach yourself now to succeed?
Resilience: What will you do today, to maintain a healthy view of yourself and your future?
Looking at the Costco box that contains a 60,000-piece puzzle of the world is daunting and most of us are happy to leave it at the store. Yet, if we happen to have an empty room, we could actually complete this global task, one piece at a time. Some days we may put together a whole corner of Australia, but realistically, any time we picked up and fit one piece, we’d be making progress. Similarly, challenging ourselves to do just one thing a day for our health has a positive reward. Our psyche (or soul) knows that for today, we’ve done enough, we are enough, and we’re making progress!
So…remember the question about blue? Without looking up, how many yellow objects are in the room? Sometimes we narrow our focus when it may be helpful to observe the entirety of a situation or our surroundings.
