My mom died in March 2019. Over the past 2 years, MULTIPLE people have encouraged me to share my story – a story of deep healing + resilience.
It took me a while to find the courage to share my story…
It’s easy to want to suppress emotions or close yourself off from the world when you experience a major loss or big change. However, I’ve learned that ignoring, suppressing or glossing over how you feel, leads to more pain and suffering.
Change is a part of life – whether we enjoy it or not. Everything vibrates, moves, shifts and evolves. As painful as change may be, the pain and suffering we experience is often created by our own attachment to a person or situation… followed by resisting the change that has already occurred.
In April I found the courage to get my story out into the world. I applied to submit an article for an interview series by Pirie Grossman, that was published in Medium Magazine and Thrive Global! I was selected and put my story into writing… it is now LIVE and PUBLISHED. To read the full article, click HERE.
For a quick scan or listen to the 5 tips that have helped me navigate big life changes – from moving + career changes – to the death of my mother – to shattering my left ankle while skiing that resulted in 2 surgeries and 1.5 years of rehab and healing – see the following:
For the YouTube video – click HERE.
- DON’T NUMB. FEEL YOUR EMOTIONS + MOVE YOUR BODY
Be brave – don’t suppress them. Emotions are energy in motion. When you suppress them they get stored in the tissues of your body. This can lead to feeling stiff, sore, tense, more angry or exhausted AND it can create various types of illness and mental health challenges. Feel them and release them. Movement helps to process and release emotions. Walking, Yoga, dance and hiking are great forms of movement that help me process and move energy.
- TAKE TIME TO BREATHE
Take time to connect with your breath. Slow, deep breaths help to calm the body + mind. When you direct your breath into the low belly, you tone the vagal nerve (that runs from the base of the brain to the low belly), communicating to the nervous system that it can relax – that it can shift from the sympathetic nervous system (stress response and defense) to the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and reset). Healing takes place when you are in the parasympathetic nervous system.
- GET INTO NATURE
If you can, go to a park, a forest, sit near a river, lake, pond or the ocean. Nature is so peaceful, grounding, energizing, cleansing and healing. You can learn so much when you unplug, slow down and spend time in nature. I find it helps me see the bigger picture and the interconnectedness of everything. It helps me get out of my head and back into my body and the world around me. - SPEAK UP, GET SUPPORT
You are not alone in your experience. Your story matters. Talking about it might be painful and it will also be healing and freeing. There are many experienced professionals who can help you navigate a big loss or life change. Some modalities include: therapy, psychotherapy, counseling, phoenix rising yoga therapy, sound healing, generational healing, reiki, other types of body work. - PRACTICE GRATITUDE
It brings you back to your heart and the present moment. It helps you shift from a scarcity, fear-based and defensive mindset, to one of love, abundance and contentment. Gratitude helps to reframe your perspective so you remember and celebrate all the beauty, triumphs and good in your life. Gratitude helps you feel grounded and connected. It helps you stay open to your healing and helps you cultivate more empathy + compassion towards yourself and others.
There’s the saying “time heals”. It really does when you connect with courage, look inward + do the work. Self-awareness, acceptance, forgiveness, compassion and grace are key parts of healing and deeping your resilience. There is so much beauty within life – even when changes occur. So whatever you are going throough – Keep showing up for you. Keep learning + growing. And keep enjoying life.