READ THIS WHEN YOUR DAY SUCKS
We are all about good vibes here. All the rainbows, unicorns, and peace. Having great flow. Reaching your higher self. I love sharing these things with you! It feels good to write about and share all the calm and balanced times. Sharing the great times are…well, great, but, to be truly balanced, I should also share when things kind of suck and I have to put in a little extra work to get back to center.
Let's face it; everything is not all sunshine and rainbows all the time. There are some days when it seems like I completely wasted my time meditating in the morning. As soon as I open my eyes, all the peace just flows away. Kawhi is barking excessively, my meetings aren't going well, or recipes aren't coming out the right way. These are small things, but sometimes it only takes one small thing to get the ball rolling on a sucky day.
On this particular day, Kawhi was indeed barking excessively…at the wind. The skies were gloomy, and wifi was out, which resulted in many of my bills paid late. If you know me and my weird quirks, this is a big deal for me. Again, small things, but those small things seemed to grow into larger things throughout the day. My anxiety was high. Nothing was going right. I took some time to meditate, do my affirmations, and drink some tea. It wasn't working. I was stuck and living in a funk that not even truffle fries and red wine could cure.
TIPS FOR GETTING BACK TO CENTER
Ok, now that you understand where I am coming from, let's get to how to deal with it. Truffle fries and red wine is my "break glass in a case of emergency" meal. This day was one of those days. So, that's where I started:
Feel your feelings but don't dwell in them: When you are having a bad moment or day, there is no shame in feeling your feelings. Have your "break glass in an emergency" meal. Allow yourself time to feel hurt or mad or sad or whatever you need to feel. Those are valid, but they are not a dwelling space. Give yourself some time – no more than a day – to feel those feelings.
Flow: Now that we've had our moment, it is time to flow. A physical flow – get the body moving. Go for a walk, have a yoga session, workout, clean, or go for a walk. Physical flow will get your mind focused on something else and release a little bit of tension in the body. Think of this as peeling back the first layer of frustration so that we can get to the meat of the problem.
Take Inventory & Release: Ok, the first layer is gone. We are closer to getting to the core. Take a moment to take inventory of what you are feeling in your mind, body, and soul. Take a deep breath, unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders, ground yourself in your seat, and relax your fingers and toes. Now, where do you still feel the tension? Focus on that area. Why is there tension there? What can be released to relieve that tension? Take some time to release it. Continue until all your tension is gone.
Refill with Positivity: It is not over once you release whatever it was that kept you in the funk. After you release, it is time to refill the space that was holding tension with positive energy. Before you start rolling your eyes, hear me out. Picture a full cup of water. You pour out a little bit of water. Now, there is some space in the cup for more. You can pour more water, or someone can pour something else into the cup. It is the same with energy. Either you can intentionally overfill your cup with positivity, or you can keep that space open for someone else to pour unwanted energy into your cup. Be intentional about overflowing your cup with self-love and positive energy, so there is no room for negative or stagnant energy.
Spread the wealth: Spread the positive energy. Be a light. You never know who you will inspire.
Maintaining Peace:
Now that you are back to center, maintain your peace by keeping up your soul-care and self-care practices. In the first episode of PLANTED, Mama Paige and I discuss our soul-care and self-care journeys. We highlight the importance of setting boundaries and showing up for yourself. Listen here!
