Finding Balance in These Times

I know I don’t have to tell you that things have gotten pretty crazy and are changing by the minute. 

It’s so easy to get caught up in fear and worry right now and it can feel paralyzing, can’t it?  I had a few days of getting sucked into my Twitter feed of coronavirus news while devouring half a bag of Kit Kat minis myself.

It may be hard to focus and it feels out of control. 

How can we find balance during all of this? 

On Saturday, I went into the woods in search of balance and to let the anxiety created from thoughts about the virus fade away. In the woods, everything is peaceful and feels steady. 

As I sat among the trees, they gave me two messages that I want to share with you…

Here is the first…

The world is shifting and changing rapidly. Reset is the word I kept hearing. We are in the midst of a giant reset and the image the trees showed me is the ocean during a violent storm. As the sea rises and the waves sweep us away, we can hold onto the anchor of our old ways, our old thoughts and beliefs, but if we do, we will be battered by the storm surge. Instead, this is a time to let go of our anchor, trust, and float. Follow the ebb and flow, ride the waves until we find our footing again.

The trees gently reminded me... Everything is alright. It always is. Even in the most extreme circumstances, the principle remains the same...You are supported.

The second message…

There is life and there is death. At no one time do we know when the cycle will shift. But there is life again from death. It’s a cycle. Never ending. 

When in life, be in life. No need to fear death. Be in the uncertainty because every moment is uncertain.

As I was receiving the message, I noticed a squirrel hopping around at the base of a nearby tree. The squirrel was doing what a squirrel does in the moment, digging holes, whatever it is squirrels do. It wasn’t spending its time worrying that my dog could be lurking around the corner ready for the kill. The squirrel was being in life, being in the moment.

Nature is filled with uncertainty. Life is uncertain. The truth is we live in uncertainty all the time. Even with the best laid plans, there is no way to be sure of what tomorrow will bring. In fact, tomorrow isn’t even promised. Our minds like to think it is. Our minds like to plan and visualize the future which gives us a sense of security, but in reality, it’s a false sense. The only certain thing is the present moment. That applies in nature and that applies to us. 

When we are able to be in the present moment space, our minds are clear and we act and make decisions from a space of deeper wisdom. In challenging times, the inner wisdom space is the place I want to hang out in. Don’t you?  

When the news cycle gets too overwhelming and I feel fear and worry coming on, I take a breath and center myself to find this space of presence. Then, I remind myself that at this very moment...I am safe, I am well, I am supported.  I also make sure I get outside once, if not twice, a day. And it is helping. Fear and worry are going to come up and that’s ok. But spending all our time there doesn’t serve us. 

Those are the messages from the trees and now here is one from me…

Feel. 

Feel all the emotions. Anger. Disappointment. Sadness. Anxiety. Whatever is coming up for you at the moment. 

My daughter is a senior in high school and there is a really good chance she’s not going to have a prom and maybe even a graduation. She is sad, angry, and frustrated and I’m heartbroken for her. It’s totally natural to feel this way. Negative emotions are going to come up. Humans are not meant to be 100% happy and positive all the time. 

Feeling emotions is processing them. That’s the beauty of emotions. They pass like clouds in the sky when you feel them. Stuffing them down doesn’t serve us because they just make their way out eventually and usually in more destructive ways. So, treat yourself with kindness and compassion as they move through you. Lean on friends if you have to. You will get through it. 

Tending to our thoughts and feeling our feelings is super important right now. So is getting out in nature. Unfortunately, my March 26th forest bathing walk held in the town of Davidson has been cancelled by direction of the town’s Park and Recreation department. I’m working on a way to offer some virtual forest bathing to support you. Stay tuned for more details on that coming soon. 

Lastly, I’ve been asking myself how else I can be of service during this challenge and what I’ve come up with is a free 30 minute virtual “walk and talk” session. A “walk and talk” session looks like you and I getting outside for a 30 minute walk in nature while we connect on the phone or by Zoom video conferencing. During our time together, we will work through your thoughts and we’ll get some fresh air. If you are struggling with fear, anxiety, loneliness or even boredom right now and you need some help tending to your thoughts and/or feeling your feelings, please contact me and we can set it up.

Be present and be well. 

Forest Love, 

Julie

When you step into the Now, you step out of the content of your mind. The incessant stream of thinking slows down. Thoughts don’t absorb all your attention anymore, don’t draw you in totally. Gaps arise in between thoughts---spaciousness, stillness. You begin to realize how much vaster and deeper you are than your thoughts. -- Eckhart Tolle