Heart of the Matter
From the heart of compassion, the more we acknowledge what we don’t know, the fewer conclusions we draw about others as a space to project our unprocessed pain.
From the heart of compassion, the more we acknowledge what we don’t know, the fewer conclusions we draw about others as a space to project our unprocessed pain.
Next time you are “mindlessly” taking a shower, washing dishes or driving, ask yourself: What are you thinking? Are you grinding old thoughts, or contemplating your life in new rewarding productive ways?
There are countless books and blogs that outline the path to success. Yet, the internal work required to turn success and happiness into a packaged deal is under-acknowledged.
Self-care isn’t a goal you strive for. And it’s not about becoming YOU Version 2.0. It’s about meeting yourself where you are with a soft and open heart. It’s believing “my ordinary self is enough.” It’s feeling safe enough to show up in the world 100% you and inherently giving others permission to do the same.
Stress can interfere with cognition, focus, problem-solving, memory and mood. When we reach the point of complete overwhelm we need to pause, breathe, get out of our heads and re-set.
While a few of us are re-imagining our lives, creating new businesses and launching creative projects as a result of this global crisis, most of us are still licking our wounds or are in survival mode. And almost all of us are grieving from profound loss.
Many of us feel discomfort when we’re required to take a stand, speak our truth or let others see our brilliance and unique talents. Why is this?
Sometimes life just feels like it wears us down. This has especially been true for 2021. Covid vaccines are rolling out, and some HSPs are ambivalent or confused about what it all means for them personally and for the world…Will I have a strong reaction to the vaccine? Should I even get it? Are we all going back to the frenetic life that was before? Sometimes we start to feel burned out with all the stress and decision fatigue. Sometimes, the ground feels shaky beneath our feet.
A student of mine, a freelance writer named Georgia, recently told me about her journey to self-love. As is the case for many freelancers, Georgia’s workload ebbed and flowed, and flowed particularly high when she felt the fear of financial pressure. A few years ago, Georgia explained to me, she took on too much work as a way to pay her bills and fend off acute future anxiety about money troubles. As soon as the work piled up, Georgia’s life became much less healthy — and it took her some time to notice the cycle she was caught in.
We only get one body in this life, the one we are each endowed with right this moment. Please begin by giving yours the respect it deserves. Did you realize every atom in it is 14.5 billion years old? All bodies are part of matter, created at the big bang, 10 billion years before the earth appeared.