Never before has humankind ever experienced anything like this and I’m sure you’ll agree that the last couple of weeks in particular, have felt completely surreal.

It’s interesting to note that in my previous newsletter, I was talking about it being the  Year of the Rat  and considering the attributes such as a rat’s intelligence, its ability to solve problems and focus on priorities, resourcefulness and adaptability qualities, as a metaphor, it’s a great reminder that this is the ideal Universal Energy for us to align ourselves with, to help deal with such an extraordinary global situation.

So let’s just have a quick reality check whilst you’re here…

How are you actually doing at this time of uncertainty and upheaval?

Have you been massively affected at home, in your business?

Are you feeling a little out of control and unsure about how to manage this unexpected situation?

Has your world been turned upside down and you don’t know what to do for the best?

Reflecting on my own circumstances…

I can see how that having pets in the household maintains our routines and gives us reason to get up and get going with the day, plus, my husband and I have been ‘home-workers’ for a number of years, so we’ve already got an established routine, with agreed roles.

The most major change that we’ve had to deal with is accommodating our youngest son working from home too. We know that we are very fortunate; blessed with space both inside the home and outside, which has made the transition a lot easier.

How quickly things change too, with the announcement yesterday of my son now having been ‘furloughed’ along with the majority of his colleagues and this has highlighted further, the need for us to quickly adapt within our household and formulate a timetable to help us all respect each other’s needs and private space, so that everyone is in agreement with the latest developments to ensure a robust family infrastructure, which has the flexibility to change.

I like the analogy of us being in a ‘Life Boat’

…and the importance of caring and maintaining it to withstand choppy waters (especially stormy spells), helping ourselves and each other to stay safe and protected. It needs a proper plan in place to avoid causing any unnecessary rocking (or even the possibility of capsizing) of the ‘Gardner Life Boat’ and also, to include a contingency element for emergencies.

Yet for many people I’ve spoken with over the last few days, there’s an underlying apathy and helplessness which appears to be causing all sorts of disruptions, especially to wellbeing that seems to come from an overall lack of direction and purpose.  This is to be expected, as so many people are going through a type of ‘loss’ and consequently are experiencing some level of grief where there is a natural cycle of emotions which typically have to be expressed.

See the illustration to help you identify where you, or someone you know maybe in this process AND please note, that it too will pass AND there are some excellent techniques to help people move through the stages quickly and safely.

Let’s be clear… We have been directed to ‘physically distance’ ourselves for quarantine purposes and yet, we are more ‘socially connected’ than ever! 

The words we use are key to whether they amplify in a positive or negative way, so if it doesn’t feel right, check the wording, because that is what can send you into a spiral either in a good way or the opposite.

Things have taken on a rather strange feel though, it’s like we’re all having the same awful dream which doesn’t make any sense and especially when relying on a variety of ‘news sources’ for the latest ‘tid-bits’ of information, unsure what is hype and sifting through potential conspiracy theories in an effort to find out the truth; ratified and upheld by confirmed proven data, scientific or otherwise.

YES, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant monitoring of internet newsfeeds, so as to get the most ‘up-to-date’ news, which is a typical survival strategy to stay safe and that in itself, can generate unnatural levels of stress with the constant streaming of news which tends to be presented in a sensationalised manner and often without the full background details which can be misleading and at the very worse, downright scary.

My recommendation

…is to be discerning and select a couple of trustworthy sources that you resonate with and are factual with a positive bias.

Limit the number of times you view them throughout a day and don’t read or view at bedtime!

Already though we are seeing wonderful acts of kindness and community spirit, as we pull together and check on each other and do the things that really matter, with selfless acts of caring and compassion more locally.

What’s truly inspiring is the creativity being evoked and the ability to use humour for lightening the oppression, finding and learning new ways of doing things which are meaningful providing that much needed sense of connection and unity.

In my line of work I’ve been developing ‘tried and tested’ systems for maintaining my own personal and professional wellbeing, it’s as though I’ve been preparing for this exceptional period all of my life and NOW all my learned knowledge and life experience combined, has positioned me with a future-proofing of my health and wellness in ways that I could never have anticipated until now.

“With an ongoing passion to share an important message about focused attention to SELF-CARE and an aim for BALANCE in all areas of life; taking responsibility for your own HEALTH and WELLBEING. When this is done, we are EMPOWERED and we are more able to THINK, FEEL and ACT from a place of LOVE (as opposed to FEAR) which provides a naturally strong platform and framework for HARMONY.”

HELP IS HERE AT THIS TIME OF FLUX – BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM GUIDE JUST FOR YOU – CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE COPY   

This may help you to feel a little more in control of your health and wellbeing by paying attention to what you CAN do…

SO… HOW IS IT POSITIVELY AFFECTING YOU? 

What changes have you had to deal with which have been a test of your mental strength, that surprisingly then turned out better than expected?

What have you learned from this?

Keep looking for the ‘silver lining’, whatever is happening there’s always a blessing, even if you can’t see it at the time!

HERE’S MY ‘META’ PERSPECTIVE – THE BIGGER PICTURE 

I’m truly grateful for being able to walk our 2 dogs along by the river and as I gaze around me appreciating the beautiful Derbyshire and Staffordshire landscape, it occurs to me that nothing here is any different. Mother Earth continues to reliably go through the natural cycles of the season with new bright green buds appearing in the hedgerows now. Whilst walking, I realised that the only thing that connects us to the Coronavirus situation going on ‘out there’ is my thoughts and so I choose to look for the positives and think about the good things that are coming out of all this… AND THERE ARE MANY! 

The world as we knew it, is threatened to be radically changed and that is a good thing surely, as previously faced with problems which appeared insurmountable and yet as a race, we were on a cataclysmic trajectory that was likely to have sealed the fate of humanity, with the mounting evidence of continued negligence towards a healthy balance in particular throughout global industry markets.

The unrelenting greed for financial power and wealth was continually being justified over the simple needs of basic human rights and consequently, the Earth, our planet, our home, was being abused on all levels.

So, the Coronavirus is here, specifically Covid19, a novel virus which scientists had little knowledge about at the beginning, yet are working quickly on learning as much as possible through tests to prevent the spread. An excellent and balanced resource I can recommend for you is: a Q & A Special with Gregg Braden, Scientist via YouTube; Coronavirus Truth & Fiction

We’ve seen all sorts of different viruses over millennia, what we might need to be more alert to is other new viruses being released as the ice caps continue melt AND these are potentially thousands if not millions of years old. We could be significantly more at risk with that scenario than with COVID19 which is tragically affecting the vulnerable; elderly, already compromised immune system, underlying health challenge(s).

Yet following just a relatively short period of ‘lockdown’ in the UK, we are already witnessing beautiful bright clear night skies, free from the usual filmy smudginess of pollutants. Stars and planets are literally bursting out into view in the inky indigo sky – it is hugely noticeable that having a significantly reduced number of aircraft flying around the world, is directly impacting upon the atmosphere, which demonstrates that when global action takes place at this level of commitment, it really does make a difference and just maybe, we can HALT the demise of melting snowcaps and the dire consequences of the human race collectively having ignored and justified continued devastating practices over common sense.

Lots of ‘old and outmoded’ systems (including Belief Systems on all levels) needed to be stirred up and shaken up, to expose the myths and reveal the truths. Universal Law and natural cycles are always in alignment with balance, ensuring the stability of cosmic continuation, it’s simply ‘natural order’ whether the human race is aligned or not.

“A ‘new world order’ of more loving kindness towards one another, with an appreciation of what we already have available to us naturally, honouring our lands, seas and the air we breathe, conducting business in collaborative respect, is one new paradigm that I truly welcome and well, just maybe…?” 

In summary, there’s been BIG lessons for us all to learn and sometimes unless we are taken to the edge, the easiest option is to continue doing what we’ve always done… but we know what happens when we keep doing that! 😉

Please share; these ideas just might be what someone, somewhere needs to read, to help recover their peace of mind.

#CoronaVirus #Covid19Positives #HealthMatters #Wellbeing #ImmuneSystem #LifeBalance #BodyMindHeart #Wellness

Susan  X

Mind Matters

Thoughts… ‘hmmm’ what are they really?

Where do they come from?

Is it possible to even stop thinking?

These are some of the curious questions which are often pondered.

For a lot of people over-thinking with a head full of whirling, confusing, repetitive thoughts is a problem faced daily affecting many areas of life, in particular sleep; leading to overwhelm and even depression.

The thing is, the human IS a ‘thinking being’ and each person has an individual unique world paradigm, which is created through their thoughts.

Take a moment to consider what your life would be like, if you didn’t have the capacity to think?  

It’s almost unimaginable!  Yes, perception of everything is derived through our thoughts AND there’s only YOU inside of YOU!  Which means that your thoughts can only ever be created by you and no-one else.  Of course, it is true that we may be influenced by other people in some way or other, however, it is still a choice as to the nature of our response in the way we think about what is being experienced at any time, in all situations and circumstances.

This is GOOD NEWS!  

What do I mean by this?  Well, when you recognise that something doesn’t ‘feel’ ok, this is a sign, a clue, that maybe what you are thinking about is unhelpful, or there’s a conflict not being addressed and just maybe now that a connection has been identified, intervention can take place by interrupting these dominating and habitual thoughts, which when ignored, eventually manifests into worry and anxiety about the future, with over analysis being a debilitating consequence.  Many people, are completely unaware of the beliefs that they have unwittingly allowed to develop – a belief is a collection of thoughts.

“Mental Health is a topic and a reality which affects everyone in some way, shape or form and the sooner the stigma is removed the better, so that it becomes universally accepted and is acknowledged as an integral part of a human’s life, equal to the importance of the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects.”  

HELPING YOURSELF

Helping yourself with conscious thinking, becoming aware of what thoughts are arising is the first step to recognising knee jerk auto responses and going down a familiar path of negative thinking. Over time, these can become obtrusive and destructive patterns which are deeply rooted in the psyche.  For example, picture a garden which has daily work done on it, now imagine its neighbour who rarely tends to their garden and in your mind’s eye you will have already conjured up two gardens of stark contrast; one looking very pretty, with form and symmetry, whilst the other overgrown with masses of tangled weeds.  The thinking mind is similar, the more consistent attention it is given, to provide it with the ideal conditions for nurturing and nourishing, yields beautiful and bountiful minds of creativity and clarity.

THE BIGGER PICTURE – THE META PERSPECTIVE

As science demonstrates, everything (and I mean EVERY thing) in the Universe is a form of ‘energy’; every atom, every molecule, even every thought has an energetic field, value, resonance, a vibration.  The lower and heavier a thought, the lower and heavier is the feeling directly interlinked in the physical body.

“A weird and wonderful fact: Neither thoughts or feelings can be held, or touched, or grasped, yet they are very real and there to enhance the human experience; truly a force to be reckoned with.”  

Nature is absolutely amazing, it has provided each human being with its very own inner sat-nav, to sense in every moment where you are, compared to where you want to be.

“Are you feeling on track (content, happy, peaceful etc)?  Or is there a feeling which indicates you are off-course (frustration, sad, angry etc)? “

So is your ‘mind full’ filled with ‘mind less’ thoughts, or are you being ‘mindful’ about the thoughts you think, choosing better feeling thoughts each time you notice old patterns of thoughts and behaviour; dissolving emotional tension around unresolved hurts, for peace of mind and life-long transformation!?

MORE GOOD NEWS!

Every moment offers us a brand-new opportunity to think something different, to create welcome and desired change to get you back on track; feeling good about yourself and life as a whole without further self-induced pressure. NOW is a good time to let go of the old stuff, old programmes which no longer work and just keep repeating unwanted trails of thought.

HELPING THE PROCESS OF MINDFUL AWARENESS…

STEP ONE 

>     Recognise what is happening and specifically what are your thoughts

STEP TWO

>     Acknowledge each troubling thought as you notice and make peace with them

STEP THREE

>     Find a soothing thought which is more relaxed and build on that

“Be mindful of what you think about most, for that, is what expands;

Conscious choices = +Fulfilment!”

Here’s a great proven ‘self-help exercise’ which is quick, simple and very effective.

Creating space, time to pause, check in and evaluate.  Enables a better-chosen feeling/thought and be able to choose to do something different, a conscious action of change results in a different outcome.

“Consciously interrupting a cycle by taking a ‘Rescue Breath’: a calm, s l o w, deep inhale through the nose, hold for a moment and then breathe out calmly, s l o w l y, deeply, either through the mouth or the nose.”  

This can be done anywhere, anytime and is one of the first mindfulness tools shared with my clients as an appropriate intervention to provide instant relief calming and soothing the nervous system sufficiently, reassuring the mind that all is well.  As with many newly introduced techniques, they take practice to become a great source of consistent success; noticing and embedding positive results which in turn create strong and healthy thoughts.

EXERCISE FOR HELPING THE PROCESS OF LETTING GO…

STEP ONE 

>          Get a blank piece of paper plus pen/pencils/paints

STEP TWO

>          Offload everything that is a concern to you; write/draw express it as it is, use expletives in other words just say it as it is

STEP THREE

>          When it’s all out and there’s nothing more to offload – get rid of it; tear it up/burn it

Has this been useful?  Would you like more?  YES!?  

Please share these tips, they just might be what someone, somewhere needs to read, to help recover their peace of mind.

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MindMatters #ChimpBrain #SelfCare #Wellness #Wellbeing

Susan  X