Thoughts from Michelle
Fall is a time of transition. You can feel it in the
air, in people’s energy, and see it on your calendar. Some people are excited to get back to work
after a summer of relaxing with friends and family, and welcoming the change in
seasons, and kids back in school. Others
are saddened the dog days of summer are over, the house is quiet, and frankly a
little depressed summer fun has come and gone.
I know many parents of college freshmen really struggling, missing their
teen, drama and all, as they have left the nest to begin a new chapter in their
life.
As we shift from summer to fall, it is good to be aware of
changing energies, not only in your body, but around you. How is your energy? Are sleeping more or
less? How is your mood? Is your stress level up or down? Also notice the change around you, such as
daylight, temperature, activity, moisture, the people around you. Are you welcoming the cooler temperatures?
How is the reduction in daylight affecting you?
Are you hanging out with different people than you were over the summer?
Are you taking time for yourself?
In times of transition, our energy can drop. We get distracted. Our routine changes. We forget
some our self-care activities, or decide other things are more important. While it is important to go with the flow and
be flexible, it is also important to have boundaries, goals, and priorities. As I say all the time, and I will say again,
the better care you take of yourself, the happier you will be, the more energy
you will have for relationships, career, recreation, and personal growth, and
the better you will be able to handle with stress. There will always be challenges. Some stress is actually good for us, keeping
us motivated. When our energy is low,
our ability to handle the stress is compromised. Molehills become mountains. What we could
deal with yesterday, today seems insurmountable. Our thinking becomes clouded. We move into the dreaded state of overwhelm.
If this is you, take a moment to BREATHE. Take three deep breaths, inhaling for four
seconds and exhaling for six. Just doing
this begins to switch your body from nervous energy, to a calmer state. One where we can think more clearly, make
decisions more easily, move more freely, and create mental space.
Transitions can be hard, and they can be good. Major life transitions such as divorce,
marriage, death, moving, career change or job loss, starting school,
graduating, a health crises or injury, empty nest, change in financial
situation – all are stressful situations.
There is no doubt about it. Being
in excellent physical, mental and emotional health when these things happen,
helps you navigate the waters more smoothly, weather the storms more strongly,
and maybe even be the rock others need at the same time or in their time of
need. Being strong doesn’t mean you don’t cry, don’t have a bad day, or don’t
break down. It means your lows aren’t as
low or as long, your highs are longer and broader. It means you have the energy to rise up and
face the challenges you are faced with.
Hiding won’t make them go away. Neither will getting drunk, sleeping all
day, or complaining. You use your
intuition to guide you. Our feelings ARE
important, for they are signs. No one
has the right to tell you how you should or should not feel. How you feel is how you feel. If you are feeling bad, something is not
right in your world, and you know it.
Something needs to change. Your feelings are telling you that. Feeling
good is the goal. If we can feel good,
even when things are hard and times may be bad, we are winning. My mother and grandmother told me when I was
16 that I was not put on this earth to have fun. I vehemently disagreed (with all the passion
and drama a 16 year old girl has).
Having fun raises our energy. Higher energy attracts like energy. When
we have more energy, we have more give the world – our gifts, our love, our
money, and our hearts.
Start with treating yourself well. You deserve it. Eat well. Move. Rest.
Give. Connect. Meditate.
Do something that brings you joy.
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