As the seasons change it’s easy to withdraw from the busy chaotic world and slip into old patterns, sometimes that’s not a bad thing, we all need to rest and recharge sometimes. I was inspired to write this blog after hitting what felt like a huge brick wall of writer’s block, not only that, I began to avoid working on my online business and my once abundant flow of ideas had all but fizzled out. I thought it would be helpful for me to share my own journey, and how I was finally able to move past it, helping me to find my spark again. Hopefully this will give you some much needed guidance and support in knowing you’re not alone, there is always a way to find yourself again. We all go through this at one time or other, even those who teach this stuff!
How energy changes with the seasons
I always feel excited when one season ends and another one begins. I feel my energy levels change too and love the different perspective it gives me. Autumn is cosy, the light night’s closing in. I just love drawing my curtains and winding down with my cocoa and a good book. Winter is electrical with the excitement of Christmas, twinkling lights on every corner, and seeing jack frost on a sunny crisp morning gives me goosebumps. Spring always gives me a bounce in my step, lighter nights, the first flowers of spring emerging. It gives me that refreshed kind of feeling, after the long hibernating months of winter. And Summer…. well, time for beaches, nature, walking, socialising, and really connecting with the world again. However, this year as we headed into spring, I felt different, I had no bounce, no motivation, and no focus. I decided to just go with it, I thought my body must be telling me something, but the days ran into weeks and then months. Before I knew it summer was over, I hadn’t really noticed how long I had been stuck in this rut. Finally, I realised I had to take action. I’ve even heard myself saying to my clients in the past, INACTION IS ACTION…. Wow I needed to start taking my own advice! I sat with it for a few days, I wrote down all my beliefs about my work, relationships, my life, my success and my failures. Were these thoughts and beliefs creating my lack of motivation, my low mood, my fatigue? They absolutely were. Until I changed the way I saw things this was going to continue as my reality.
How to get started
The first thing I did was get some structure back, by planning my day, which gave me more of a purpose. I made a commitment to myself that whatever happened, I could overcome my challenges, I told myself, everything in temporary, this will pass. I would hold my focus and know that I can create this change in my thoughts. Breaking things down piece by piece allowed me to make small achievable steps, avoiding getting overwhelmed with the mountain I thought I had to climb. I got up early and went to bed early, ate well, and exercised. I prioritised the most important things, then as each day passed, I got stronger and more focused.
SMARTSmall – Measurable – Achievable – Relevant -TasksDaily Tasks: |  | |
Meditation:
I started with 10 minutes a day, then increased this as the days passed. Every morning I decided that the best version of myself was going to show up today. In order to raise my vibe, I visualised scenarios that made me happy, i have to say i got really into it and could feel the emotions stirring in my body. Meditation is a skill and takes practice and for some this may be too long, but stay with it, be consistent you will start to feel better.
Shower:
Always have a refreshing shower, finished off by a burst of cold water, there are many benefits to taking a cold shower and holy crap this really wakens you up!! This helped to lift my mood and gave me some much-needed energy.
Journaling:
I wrote down five things that I was grateful for, now I know this is tough if you’re not feeling good about life, but there’s always things to be grateful for, your home, your family, the very breath you take, your sight, your health, thank your body for all that it does for you.
Breakfast:
Your body needs fuel, I’m not a huge fan of eating in the morning, but love juicing, so I made myself some delicious invigorating drinks to nourish my body. Freshly squeezed lemon in water first thing will cleanse your body and really waken you up. I would take this through a straw though to protect your teeth.
Plan your day:
I decided I would only work on my website for a few hours each day and then focus on other things that were a priority. I made a list and noted down the most important things I had to do, then ticked them off one by one. I made sure not to get ahead of myself and focused on staying in the moment.
Boundaries:
This one was tougher than I thought and was met by some surprised looks, but I reminded myself, Its okay to say no, and disappoint others. You can’t be there for others if your own cup isn’t full.
Healing:
There are lots of resources for healing, I’m lucky that I have an array of tools I can access, so I ran some healing for myself, you can access my 101 positive affirmations to help you on your way. Just check out my freebies section. If you make this plan your daily routine you can begin to rewire your brain, and this new positive mindset begins to feel like normality.
Journaling:
At the end of the night write down how grateful you are to have got through your day and any small goals you achieved. Even being kind to yourself is an achievement. I’m sure that doesn’t happen very often when you’re going through tough times. Set your intention for a great day tomorrow, give yourself a pat on the back. This really helps you to re-focus, I began to feel really positive.
Bedtime Routine:
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential. I would pop on my meditation and get cosied in, if you wake in the night just put your meditation on again, it helps to get you into the theta brainwave state of relaxation or read a book, and get an early night. There are many health benefits to going to bed early, your body repairs itself at certain times of night, and restoration for your body is important.
And finally…
My message is, don’t be too hard on yourself, give yourself permission not to be okay, nourish, nurture, and accept yourself whatever you may be feeling. It’s ok to withdraw for a while, it’s ok to rest when you need to, remember nothing stays the same, not even the challenging times. So here I am sitting on the shores of Loch Ness, the sun is shining, I’ve switched off my phone, it’s me time! And for the first time in months,