July’s Memo: Grounding in Your Truths during Uncertain Times
“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”
– Pema Chondron (Buddhist Nun, Author)
“The world is full of confusion and contradiction. We cannot expect to do anything that is absolutely right. We can only measure rightness by the truth within ourselves. And our own truth will never be quite the same as somebody else’s.”
– Jay Woodman (Author and Poet)
“What I know for sure is that you feel real joy in direct proportion to how connected you are to living your truth.”
– Oprah Winfrey (actress, producer & philanthropist)>
Today we live at a time when so much of which we learned about our world, our nation, our collective values, and perhaps even ourselves, is being dramatically shaken up and flipped around. Many of us have no idea how, where, or when the pieces are going to reconfigure and stabilize, if they ever do. At times like this, staying connected and grounded in your truths is essential for inner stability and directly supports your personal compass (how you show up in the world).
As humans, we are often directed during times of chaos to do our inner work by getting clear and grounding in our inherent truths, our intuition, and what we feel is just and right. It is important to be solid with ourselves, emotionally and physically, prior to entering the disorder and lightning speed of changes in the world today. Only once we are clear and rooted internally can we do our outer work and be of service to humanity and loved ones at this important time. Easier said than done, right?! Read on….
July’s short video comes from my own backyard, and how I ground in my own truth when chaos (in the form of a jack hammer) shows up during my early morning meditation – see it here!
In his book titled “How to Stay Grounded When You’re Overworked and Overwhelmed”, author Bob Rosen provides a five-step process to help anyone feel more grounded and connected to the body and the mind – particularly in times of high stress (definitely caused by uncertainty). These are:
- Start your day with time (at least 5 minutes) devoted completely to yourself, prior to turning on your devices. This includes meditation, stretch out on your yoga mat, or setting a quick but solid intention for the day in your journal. This will support you in feeling calm and focused during your day. I add – it reconnects you with your Being and intentions.
- Eat good food. Set the intention to nourish your body and mind, with good nutrients and kindness. Eat whole, unprocessed foods and aim for balance in what you eat, enjoying your food choices and practicing mindfulness regularly.
- Stay connected to your body throughout your day. Take breaks once an hour throughout your work day and move around, perhaps stepping outside. Tune into how you feel physically during this break, checking-in with your needs (noticing thirst, aches, a need to stretch).
- Use your commute home, or set aside regular time to decompress. Listen to music, a meditation app, or an audiobook. Simply taking a break from work and turning your attention to something unrelated gives you a pause to reconnect with yourself and your interests. I add – plug into nature regularly, in your garden, on a walk, or visiting a local park.
- Get as much sleep as you can, and create conditions for deep rest. Do not sacrifice sleep to accomplish what needs to be done. This will impact productivity, performance, and our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Adopt key strategies to wind down before bed, like a bed-time rituals. Turning off all devices and reading for 30 minutes prior to lights out eases you into rest, along with turning the lights low.
Are you in storms of stress, feeling overwhelmed or dealing with uncertainty? Which of these strategies can you add to your routine? Do you remember to honor yourself by being kind, taking time for self-care and self-nourishment?
ASK YOURSELF: How do I react to a circumstance or event going in an unanticipated direction? Can my reaction come from a solid and grounded place?
ABOUT NATURE-CONNECTED COACHING
Coaching is defined as a partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires clients to maximize their personal and professional potential. I use a coaching process that embraces sensory awareness and mindfulness routines in nature to assist my clients along their self-directed journey of change. A coach helps the client unpack what is going on, what has caused it, what to do, what success looks like, and the path forward. This approach honors the client as being creative, resourceful and whole.
Have you ever had someone deeply listen to you share your challenges, and ask powerful questions that bring you to a place, making a shift, that you never would have arrived at by yourself?
Each nature-connected coaching session offers you the opportunity to go deeper into your insights around challenges and/or concerns that are present in your life. You will be invited to take it to the next level in nature, where you can playfully explore your expanded options for change that will bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
Learn more about our Individualized Nature-connected Coaching
(https://awarenesswithnature.com/services/)
I am grateful for you, your ambitions to be the best person possible, and your desires to connect with nature! Be well, wise, and connected to Nature!
Mindy Schlimgen
Founder/Owner, Life & Nature-based Coach, Outdoor Enthusiast & Naturalist
