5 steps that will help you to move smoothly through difficult times. Or: What to do when the world is just going crazy
I wrote this blog post back in 2017.
The world felt really unstable back then, with the refugee crisis, a crazy orange president, and quite some natural disasters.
How could I have known what 2020 would look like?!
I hope you find these techniques helpful to find calmness and confidence in this crazy year!
Having strategies to maneuver safely through uncertain times is an important skill for a balanced and happy life.
Here are tips on how to take good care of yourself and get back on track even when things are a bit shaky.
I don't know how you are doing but I feel really unbalanced at the moment.
It seems that the world is going crazy and there is not a single day without bad news about conflicts, wars, crazy politicians, or natural disasters.
I am a very sensitive person so this leaves me with an unsettled state of mind and affects my mood, my overall energy level, and my general well-being.
Despite being a Life Coach and knowing a broad range of tools and techniques to get back on track and to feel centered and balanced again, I struggle as well. Just like everyone else.
The thing is: struggling is ok. It is ok to feel lost, to be afraid, to be without direction and to feel overwhelmed.
We are all humans. This is part of our nature.
What is important though is to get back on track.
No matter how bad you might feel and how much a situation might leave you with confusion and turmoil, after a period of stagnation you need to get back up and do the work. Take responsibility for your life and make sure that you regain your inner strength so you can counterbalance all the outer circumstances that shake you around.
Key to maneuver safely through rough times is to establish a self-care routine that will give you strength and stability in moments of uncertainty and doubt.
So today I want to share with you the tools that are part of my self-care routine and that helps me tremendously in moments when I feel lost, unstable, and overwhelmed.
#1 - Pause & breathe
Particularly in moments when you feel like things are going upside down, it's important to just pause. Pausing and breathing re-calibrates the body and makes new energy accessible.
Breathing from your belly will reduce your stress level almost immediately and give you a chance to reconnect with yourself. Stop everything that you are doing for a moment, close your eyes, and take a couple of deep breaths. Relax and just breathe for a while. Feeling better already?
#2 Meditate
Probably the most effective tool I´ve discovered to get me through moments of confusion and exhaustion is meditation.
Establishing a meditation practice will contribute significantly to your ability to deal with challenging situations. It gives you a break, mentally zooms you out of your current environment, and provides new clarity and direction.Even just 10 minutes a day will already make a difference.
If you are just starting with meditation don’t worry too much about the “right” technique.Just turning inwards for a few minutes will already have a calming effect on your nervous system. If you want some guidance in your meditation practice but don’t have meditation classes in your area you can also make use of apps that walk you through your meditation. I particularly like these three:
Headspace - introduced me to meditation and I still love it. 10 days free trial, easy & down to earth introduction to meditation
Insight Timer - A broad variety of meditations you can choose from. Free and easy to use
Calm - A beautiful and simple to use meditation app. No costs for the basic version.
#3 - Nourish your soul
When you feel like nothing is working out, then it's the right moment to introduce beauty and grace into your life. This can be a bouquet of your favorite flowers, a cup of delicious tea, meeting some friends over dinner, or wearing your favorite sweater. Whatever makes your heart feel alive and brings a smile to your face is what you need to do most now. Also, try to limit distractions like social media or TV. Chose wisely what you want to let go close to yourself and watch carefully whether things withdraw energy from you or add pleasure to your life. Be kind to yourself and nourish your soul with thoughts, actions, and moments of beauty and joy!
#4 Be kind to your body
Equally important to nourish your soul is to take care of your physical body. We tend to neglect our bodies when things get stressy. Eating junk food, not exercising, and not getting enough rest are typical reactions to difficult times. Therefore, particularly in phases where things are not running so smoothly make sure that you be kind to yourself. Spoil yourself with a massage or go to a Yoga class to stretch everything away. Take a bath or go for a long walk. Do whatever feels good to your body. Also, make sure that you eat healty and get enough sleep. That’s the first thing we tend to let slide when we are facing challenges but there is almost nothing more important than fuelling your body with the right nutrition and making sure that you get enough rest.
#5 Stick to your routines
And most importantly: execute what we've just discussed. Particularly when things get rough we tend to skip our feel-good rituals and start eating unhealthy, watch too much TV, and don't take enough care of ourselves anymore.
But especially when we don’t feel at our best we should focus on keeping up our routine. Don't skip your meditation practice because you want to watch this TV show, don’t eat junk food just because you don’t have the energy to cook a healthy meal. If you start to loosen your self-care routines things will start to chip away quickly. But more than ever stay committed and do your homework. It will have a positive effect not only on the current situation but will also build the foundation for potential challenges in the future.
It’s not about perfection but about staying on track. It’s not about delivering 100% all the time, but doing the right thing most of the time. So maybe it’s just a five minutes meditation that you will do today, or it’s simply eating a salad to your burger. Just make sure to take care of yourself and trust that this will not only help you to stay strong at this moment but also to build a resilience skill set in the long run.
Let me know what your strategies are when things are not running smoothly.
I’d love to hear!
Love, Laura