What do you do? What do you do when life gets in the way? Do you run and hide? Do you throw your hands in the air and give up? Do you scream it out? Or do you dig deep and pull your big girl panties up and keep going?
While I love this time of the year with all the decorations and the hustle and bustle, I truly understand that it is not always a joyous time for all of us. I understand there are many challenges out there that can make this time of year anything but joyous. You know what I’m talking about…grief, lack of resources and depression just to name a few. So how are you going to conquer these emotions and feelings when everyone else around you are happy and joyful? What are you going to do?
First of all, you are going to be you!! You are going to acknowledge your feelings and you are not going to be ashamed of them. You are going to stand tall and do the very best you can and not let anyone judge you for the person you are right now! You are doing the best you can…and that my friend is enough in each moment. As long as you are truly doing the best you can in each moment you will get through this.
The best #lifetrick I have to share with you is to write out your feelings. For real? Yes for real!! Write that $hit down! (Hopefully I didn’t offend you here, but this is serious stuff!) Write down how you feel. Write down how what you are feeling makes you feel. There are so many feelings built up that you have probably never told anyone. You may cry or scream, and that may temporarily make you feel better, but that is not a long-term answer. Writing down your feelings is.
So how do you get started? Grab a notebook, or a journal or a piece of paper. Do not type it out on your computer. There is something powerful about actually writing out the words you are about to unleash. Grab a pen, close your eyes and start writing…just start writing whatever comes into your head. The first few minutes may be a little weird if you haven’t done this before. But once you start writing even if the first sentences are just nonsense, you will find the words you have been keeping inside. Keep writing. And this isn’t a one and done!! This is a daily ritual that will help you over time to release the feelings you have kept inside.
If you really want to make this powerful…let’s start it all with gratitude!! Yes gratitude! Each and every day I spend about 20 minutes first thing in the morning before I get my day started with a journal and a pen. I start by writing the date and then this sentence…Today I am grateful for…
And then list all of the things that you are grateful for. Even on the days where finding something to be grateful for is really hard, find something! Be grateful for the pen in your hand, the paper on your table, the coffee you are drinking. Once you start you will find yourself looking around and being grateful for more and more. This simple step every morning will help you with your mindset and you will feel more comfortable unleashing the rest of your words. By starting your day with gratitude, you are making room in your day for more things to be grateful for. Make sense? It might not yet, but I promise if you do this every day you will feel the shift. You will feel your emotions feel a little bit lighter and you feel it a little easier to go about your day.
After I write out my gratitude, I start writing about what is on my mind. Now just like you, this changes for me every day. I literally just write out what is on my mind. What is bothering me or what is weighing me down. Some days it’s hard to write it out, but when I’m done I feel so much better. Ask the questions on paper!! Write out the question that is bothering you. It may be hard to do this at first. Just like anything else, this is also not easy but will be life changing if you give it a chance.
So can you try this? Will you try this? Are you willing to go out of your comfort zone and do the work for 20 minutes every morning in order to feel better every day?
Do the very best you can every day. You will get through this! I promise…you’ve got this!!
Teri Brauer 