*The image above is Hanuman. Taking a leap of faith to conquer all that life throws! 

Hello Yogis.

In this modern world, life seems to be getting more complicated. Despite having more and more luxuries, we seem more stressed than ever. I have been on a disciplined spiritual journey for over 30 years now and I have gained a lot of understanding into what aspects of my personality, my life, my wants and desires, my regrets and my aversions; play a role in the overall feeling of peace and fulfilment I have in life.

As I talk to and support a lot of people; all of whom are at different stages of life, their spiritual journey and their family and work responsibilities, I have been able to see certain patterns that lead us towards, and some that lead us away from an overall sense of peace and empowerment within our own lives.

Below I have listed a few ways you may like to reflect on or make changes within your life and responses, in order to empower yourself into discovering and becoming the happiest and most fulfilled you can be.

When I feel overwhelmed, what should I do?

When life is overwhelming, for whatever reason, the first thing most of us do is overthink, overact, and deprive ourselves of decent down time and time to put those concerns aside, in order to relax and to gain a new perspective.

In this instance, if you are feeling overwhelmed with external circumstances, allow yourself time away, even if that is only an hour or so, watching a film or reading a book. Maybe you sit in silence or listen to a guided meditation. Perhaps you go out for a walk and let the breeze blow away your thoughts and soothe your body and mind.

Allow time and space for you to re-discover the you you recognise as happy and at peace again. One of the main reasons life feels like a burden, is because the sense of self we used to find playful, optimistic, outgoing, happy and creative seems to have been flattened by the events that are unfolding. So many people will deny themselves a day away from the situation, doing something that they used to enjoy doing, because they can’t relinquish the responsibility of everything they are holding. I have an inbuilt mechanism that is running throughout my body, that tells me when enough is enough. It will direct me into a place where I can be that ‘inner child’ again. Even for a few hours and I don’t feel guilty about allowing myself time to be there. Life will become joyless, unless you make your own joy!

Having clawed my way through numerous disastrous situations throughout my life, I am an expert in finding the joy in everything. My friends used to say that I was the only person they knew who could laugh while they were crying! I find joy in the simplest moments in life, such as the daft antics of my cats. I allow myself time to watch things that genuinely make me laugh out loud. I feel gratitude whenever I am listening to something that someone else has put their heart and soul into producing, whether that be an interesting book, an amazing song, or simply the birds or wind though the trees. Again, I am allowing myself time to notice these things.

How do I justify taking that time away when things are so pressing right now?

Although I am allowing myself time to let go, I am also aware that when I am present, I fully engaged with the situation and I keep my eye on the ball. I am actively holding the situation by making sure I spend time working with the situation in the best way possible, and in a timely manner. If things are beyond my help or control, I am not scared to ask for help and guidance. I am not afraid to put my hands up and say I need a hand. I used to find this hard to do but I soon realised that drowning in a situation I can’t get out of, and not ask for help was just condemning myself to more pain and hardship. The joy of knowing others have your back is something I have really allowed myself to embrace..

Everything I do, I do from a place of neutrality, where I can see without judgement the situations as they play out and call upon my higher understanding, rather than my fear based reactions, to guide me through. Some situations are short and sharp while others are more sustained and take a lot of ongoing tolerance to get through. I have recorded a podcast that may help you in doing this.

Getting a regular bed time routine and a basic routine in life also helps your body and mind to regulate itself. I would again go into autopilot and make sure the little things in life were covered. I would have food in the fridge so I wasn’t stressing about my next meal. I would keep the house at a standard that is comfortable but not obsessive so I could see I was coping. When things like that start to slip, it is time to ask for help and at least an ear to let you vent and to bring balance back into your life and mindset.

Insomnia can be a problem when you are going through tough times. If insomnia is an issue, I have recorded a special Insomnia rescue toolkit that will support you and help you to work through some of the most challenging moments, days or even weeks when sleep seems evasive.

For me the biggest hinderance to a feeling that I was or was not coping, was my level of guilt I’d have in a situation. While I felt that I should be able to do it all, to solve the problem or to see it through, I would be burdening myself. Guilt is a human emotion but it is rarely one that is beneficial in any way. It is a form of self punishment and in some instances one of manipulation if directed to someone by another. Guilt disempowers your feeling of self esteem and brings regret and a feeling of obligation that can, if not watched, be detrimental to your empowerment and ability to move forward in peace and happiness..

Learning to sit with emotions such a guilt and anger, anxiety and fear, can show you that they really do have nowhere to go, unless you give them the opportunity. I would love you to focus on the joy in your life instead. It is far better for you, any situation you are going through, or for anyone else concerned.

Kindness to yourself and for yourself and others will breed a connection to the infinite ability to be everything you need to be at any given time, in just the right quantity.

If you have any comments or concerns, please do get in touch. I am here. I offer spiritual and wellness coaching through my many years of training and personal journey.

I will be in touch soon with dates and times for the donation only community meditation evenings I mentioned in the last newsletter. If you haven't yet subscribed to receive the Yoga Freedom Newsletters directly to your inbox, you can do so here. (Do confirm your free subscription by checking your junk folder for the link.)

I look forward to seeing you at a class or event soon. 

Carrie-Anne. xx