(Featured article in Return to Balance Ezine: March 2014)
As we begin this new season, I encourage you to take some time to think about the seeds of possibility that you want to plant. What do you want your life to look like in the months to come? Another powerful question to consider is how do you want to show up in life? I personally like to ponder the later question. As I've previously expressed my intention for 2014 is to reveal the parts of me I like and don't like...to show up more fully. This core intention helps guide my actions and the seeds I choose to plant.
It is in the spirit of this intention that I share the pain and wisdom of a recent experience. When I decided to go back to school I knew it was going to be a big undertaking given my responsibilities as a wife, mom and business owner. Having the awareness that energetically I am a sprinter not a marathon runner and that this was going to be challenging, I enlisted additional support before the course even began. (I believe very strongly that the experience I had in Amsterdam that expanded my capacity to receive was instrumental to me being able to ask for and accept the additional support.) I am so grateful for the love and support I received from my husband, mom, mom-in-law, other family members, dear friends, my mentor and even my clients. These beautiful souls were my shoulder to cry on, helping hands, and my cheerleaders. They helped me remember who I am, and why I was taking on this craziness, when I lost sight of my vision and disconnected from the inspiration.
Despite all of the additional self care, the tasks had consumed more energy than the support and I had a total breakdown. It reminded me of that moment when a marathon runner crosses the finish line and just collapses. Initially I was devastated and even judged and kicked myself a bit while I was down. Then I felt grateful. Grateful at the timing of this "hard reset" of all systems shutting down. It occurred shortly after I had completed all of my training modules, my mom was here due to previous plans, and I didn't have clients scheduled. I think on some level my body, mind and spirit knew it was a safe time to shut down and so it did. This also brought me into a whole new level of surrender and being supported...once again expanding how much I allow myself to receive. I'm happy to say that now I'm able to go into final examinations at the end of the month in a more balanced and grounded state.
To summarize: if the energy you are putting out is greater than that which is fueling and sustaining you (i.e. healthy foods, sleep, exercise, downtime, bodywork, love from others), you will experience pain on some level maybe even on all levels.
Experiencing this pain of what I don't want also brought into greater clarity what I do want. I will do things differently in the future as I continue to step outside of my comfort zone to greater and greater degrees. I will also continue mastering the art of being aware of, acknowledging, accepting and embracing all that I am...including that my body sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the calling and drive of my heart.
Now perhaps you understand why in the last three months I've written about the importance of body awareness, receiving and incorporating resets throughout your day. These things are VITAL in empowering you to live your life to the fullest. What more is possible for you if you move through life with the clarity, support, confidence (and the list goes on and on) that these skills offer?
(Click here to see previous month's articles.)
As we begin this new season, I encourage you to take some time to think about the seeds of possibility that you want to plant. What do you want your life to look like in the months to come? Another powerful question to consider is how do you want to show up in life? I personally like to ponder the later question. As I've previously expressed my intention for 2014 is to reveal the parts of me I like and don't like...to show up more fully. This core intention helps guide my actions and the seeds I choose to plant.
It is in the spirit of this intention that I share the pain and wisdom of a recent experience. When I decided to go back to school I knew it was going to be a big undertaking given my responsibilities as a wife, mom and business owner. Having the awareness that energetically I am a sprinter not a marathon runner and that this was going to be challenging, I enlisted additional support before the course even began. (I believe very strongly that the experience I had in Amsterdam that expanded my capacity to receive was instrumental to me being able to ask for and accept the additional support.) I am so grateful for the love and support I received from my husband, mom, mom-in-law, other family members, dear friends, my mentor and even my clients. These beautiful souls were my shoulder to cry on, helping hands, and my cheerleaders. They helped me remember who I am, and why I was taking on this craziness, when I lost sight of my vision and disconnected from the inspiration.
Despite all of the additional self care, the tasks had consumed more energy than the support and I had a total breakdown. It reminded me of that moment when a marathon runner crosses the finish line and just collapses. Initially I was devastated and even judged and kicked myself a bit while I was down. Then I felt grateful. Grateful at the timing of this "hard reset" of all systems shutting down. It occurred shortly after I had completed all of my training modules, my mom was here due to previous plans, and I didn't have clients scheduled. I think on some level my body, mind and spirit knew it was a safe time to shut down and so it did. This also brought me into a whole new level of surrender and being supported...once again expanding how much I allow myself to receive. I'm happy to say that now I'm able to go into final examinations at the end of the month in a more balanced and grounded state.
To summarize: if the energy you are putting out is greater than that which is fueling and sustaining you (i.e. healthy foods, sleep, exercise, downtime, bodywork, love from others), you will experience pain on some level maybe even on all levels.
Experiencing this pain of what I don't want also brought into greater clarity what I do want. I will do things differently in the future as I continue to step outside of my comfort zone to greater and greater degrees. I will also continue mastering the art of being aware of, acknowledging, accepting and embracing all that I am...including that my body sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the calling and drive of my heart.
Now perhaps you understand why in the last three months I've written about the importance of body awareness, receiving and incorporating resets throughout your day. These things are VITAL in empowering you to live your life to the fullest. What more is possible for you if you move through life with the clarity, support, confidence (and the list goes on and on) that these skills offer?
(Click here to see previous month's articles.)