I don’t know about you, but I am feeling a heaviness this week. Some sort of funk. Some sort of uncomfortable stillness.
It doesn’t feel like much is moving in my world, even though it is.
Really lots of things are great right now. I am entering my second trimester as a first time momma, my biggest dream ever is coming true! And I finally announced the news and shared it with the world! We saw our little baby for the second time yesterday and I can not stop staring at the tiny lips and nose! My partner and I feel closer and more in love than ever. He makes me laugh all day and night long, which is the best thing ever.
I launched Be Your Own Joyologist. The Program. And already have many very excited participants signed up. And I am so so so so so excited to be sharing all of the tools I use daily that have shaped my entire life and it made it possible for me to make so many dreams come true with the participants.
But, yet I feel this heaviness. And even a little like escaping. Like I could just vanish to a tropical island soaking up the sun, swimming in warm water, and really doing nothing but existing. (And I know it’s not just the early pregnancy exhaustion as that is finally starting to turn around).
Does this worry me or frighten me, this heaviness? No. I know that this happens. Cycles happen. Freaking out about it won’t make it better it will only make it worse. Our energy around our energy dictates a lot. I take notice of what is going on, what I am feeling, how I am feeling and take steps to allow space for it and allow space for it to clear up, but I don’t make myself wrong, or necessarily set out a plan to”fix” it.
So, what do I do?
Clean up my spaces and clear out things that do not serve me. When ever I feel a bit off, down, or heavy cleaning up my space and thus my life helps me to feel lighter.
When ever I do get into clean up phase, it immediately turns into a clear out phase. Will I ever use this sample? NO. Do I really need this piece of art that was given to me years ago and isn’t my style at all? NO. Do I really need to hang on to this birthday card? NO. Letting go always feels fucking good!
Write. Journal. Doodle. Getting out of my head is key and sometimes the best way to get out is to go IN.
My favorite way to journal is to just vent onto the page with no rhyme or reason. Spit out thoughts that have nothing to do with each other. It is incredibly freeing and cathartic. By doing it this way, I create a space for things to pour out that I didn’t even know were floating around in there. Fears, doubts, worries and all that icky stuff show up and I am actually happy to greet them. Because I can’t face them if I am ignoring them and sometimes that is what out minds naturally do. They file away the ickiness thinking they are protecting us from pain, but we really need to see those fears, doubts and worries so we can take them on.
And sometimes I just take doodle breaks and doodle an affirmation or the like. Taking that time to play and put attention into an intention really does help.
Get moving. Any type of physical activity lifts my spirits and somehow allows me to process what I am feeling even when I don’t fully know what it is that I am feeling.
I love to take walks/hikes with friends and have heart to hearts. But often when I am in this heavy/odd/ick space I know that I need solo time. I put on some head phones and instead of calling a friend or my mom to catch up, I blast some tunes and let myself flow.
I also have great results when I go to a yoga class or spin class, even though I am with other people. I think because I am still not talking, so I am much more inside myself. When I walk and talk with friends it can be very healing too, but at these times there is something about moving my body without moving my mouth that really heals me.
Bring on the Self Care! I never try to push myself too much when I am in this space. Instead I show myself eve more love.
I will allow myself to get lost in a good book for hours. I will take an epsom salt bath and just allow myself to be still. I will cook myself my favorite meal and maybe even make a special treat. I will treat myself to a massage, or a pedicure.
And most importantly, I will remember to acknowledge myself. It is so easy to jump into the what is wrong with me mindset. Instead of diving into that murky water, love yourself up! Acknowledge yourself for who you are, for what you have done, for the very simplest of things.
It can be easy to feel like you are slacking or just plain not being seen when heaviness shows up, take it easy on yourself, though.
I mean if your most treasured loved one ( your child, your best friend, your mentor) came to you and said that they were feeling like everything was heavy right now what would you say? You would likely comfort them and remind them that everything was going to be okay. You would tell them that they are loved and remind them that they are amazing, naming all the reasons why. So, remember to do that to yourself.
Treat yourself like your most treasured loved one. (Tweet it!)
Life cycles. Some days just feel harder, even when all is the same. Tomorrow will likely bring the best day ever. You just never know what is going to show up!
For more tips and the inside scoop to ALL of my tools for living a life that I love day in and day out sign up for the Spring Session (the final live session) of Be Your Own Joyologist. The Program. I promise you it’s worth it. I promise you, you’re worth it.
