I’m guessing you might be feeling a twinge of overwhelm as we sit in the center of a pandemic? Me too! First of all, you aren’t alone. So many of us are feeling the push/pull of overwhelm as we question the small things like what’s for lunch and the big things like what is our world going to look like in the coming months?
It might not feel like it right now, but you are actually in some good company of other empathetic, loving souls who also just want to make it through this. So you might also be wondering, how do I stay authentic when the world feels like it is spinning out of control? How can I tap into my true self when I can’t even remember to drink water before noon some days?
Here’s a couple of thoughts to noodle on if you feel this way:
Noticing is key! Congratulations, you have just noticed you feel out of orbit. Why am I celebrating that? Because it means we can now take steps to make changes. If we don’t notice we can’t shift because we don’t know what we don’t know! Now that you know, you can start to experiment with ways to feel or act differently.
Get in touch with your body. Maybe this feels like a blanket response, but it truly works. Find a few minutes today to let the mind rest and start to deepen the awareness in your chest, feet, fingers, etc. Be gentle, but be present. Closed eyes, deeper breathing and your full attention will be your greatest assets here.
Notice what happens. Here we go again with the noticing - but stick with me! While you are deepening the breath and being in the body, emotions or thoughts may surface. Don’t ask them to change, just notice what is happening. Maybe there is an old wound that needs attention, or a fear that needs to be heard. Listen and breathe. It’s ok to be here right now.
Take some notes. Grab a journal and a pen or record an audio memo for yourself of what bubbled up while you tuned in. Give yourself the gift of full expression, no censoring or judging.
Continuing with a pen and paper or an audio memo, ask yourself what being authentic means to you? Give yourself a few minutes to respond, again no judgment! We want to establish a baseline that we can return to, not force ourselves to fit into a mold of what we think “we should be.” What does it look and feel like for you to be authentically you?
Give yourself space. Now that we have our idea of authenticity, give yourself some breathing room. Give yourself some grieving room too, because being in quarantine might mean you physically can’t experience some of your truths of authenticity. It’s ok to grieve and feel upset right now. Things are challenging. You are allowed to feel your feelings.
Return to the self. When you want to tune back into your authentic self, it’s available to you- you just made yourself a tool! [animal crossing woohoo] You can always tap back into your body or review the list you made when you feel off track. Maybe a new challenge offers you the opportunity to ask yourself, “What would my authentic self do?” or “How would my most authentic self respond?”. The answers are right inside.
I hope this post helps bring a little centering to your world right now and a place to return to when times seem tough. You are truly your own greatest asset. Don’t forget to tap in to your personal well of resources!