Anyone else feeling on edge with the state of the world today?
Challenges abound, whether they be natural disasters, life changes, elderly parents, political instability or some other unwanted thing.
These can create a low-grade agitation of the nervous system - a buzz in the brain and body. Our resulting reaction frequently is overactive thoughts and an impulse to do something or find an escape mechanism.
This kind of stimulation can make it feel hard to be with what is present in the moment – which is where we have the power to meet our challenges with skill.
One of the best ways to release agitation and its negative impacts is to get out of your head and into your body.
And the way to do so can be as simple as taking 5 breaths.
When you notice yourself feeling a moment of stress or agitation, let go of need to take any action on your thoughts or emotions until you have taken 5 breaths.
Five full inhales and five full exhales.
Notice how you feel after simply being with what is for the space of 5 breaths. Do you feel calmer, clearer, more grounded? Do you need to take 5 more breaths?
This allows you to release your stress reaction and respond from a clearer space:
🍃 What is your intention?
🍃 What, if any, action is necessary?
🍃 What choice offers kindness to yourself and others?
By introducing this practice in the moments of your day when you feel agitated or stressed, you can increase your skill of self-regulation. From a more grounded place, you can make wiser choices.
This simple act of breaking the cycle of reactivity –getting out of your head and into your body – can shift everything.
Wishing you a week of grounded moments.
Let your wisdom lead,
Robin
PS. On El Camino we practice meeting challenges with this kind of embodied mindfulness, while developing skills that will enhance our every day life upon return.
We learn to be present with the beautiful landscape and people along our way rather than racing to the finish line. We choose to have an enjoyable journey to our intended destination.
Check out our upcoming Mindful Adventures and schedule a chat with me to see if one is right for you.
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