Now
This pandemic has literally rocked our world and now that we are starting to see our lives slowing getting more back to the old lifestyles we used to have. It’s time to accept that there will now be a new normal that we will need to adjust to. I think it’s important that we choose to learn through these times and challenge ourselves to be the best versions of ourselves. Life experiences are often the best way for us to see the world through new eyes and over the last few months, many of us have had the opportunity to have challenging life experiences. These challenges are not often pleasant but life isn’t always a bed of roses so the importance of learning as much as we can, will only help us further down the line in our lives. If we choose to grow through challenge then when things become hard as inevitably, they will, we will be better equipped to deal with them. We have to accept this would never be our first choice but we sometimes in life we don’t have a choice we just have to deal with the cards we have been dealt with.
If we don’t take the time to grow and evolve through the hard times, we will often find that we will end up shrinking back and hiding instead. This is very detrimental for our minds as it will just be sending those messages of fear as we did as cavemen when we ran back into the cave to hide from the lion. Because we live in a different type of world it has transformed from those caveman times, our caves have become our homes but also, we can be hiding in our minds. If we hiding in our homes then that can be seen quite easily as we will just not be going out much and we will do our upmost to live our lives in our bubble of safety. The other cave can be our minds where we can hide from ourselves and the world by living in denial to how we truly feel, making excuses that we don’t feel this way and doing everything we can to pretend that we are all ok.
I know at times we do have to put on a brave face for our children and loved ones, that’s fine, but if we are stuck in the cycle of denial, building walls up around us this is only going to lead to every increasing fears and anxiety. I say this lots but is it very true our minds only know black and white, if we pretend, we are ok and we’re not, our minds won’t be fooled. We may be good at fooling our wider circle of friends and family but our mind will know how we truly feel about things and if we are hiding due to fear then we will start the circles of fear breading bigger fear circles within us. So, going forward for all of us we have to face those fears, don’t get me wrong this is not about being reckless and breaking rules this is about be strong and secure as we come out of the lockdown and pandemic. If we are fearing the end of lockdown then this is a sign that we have been hiding in our homes and coming out again is triggering our anxiety levels.
We don’t need to rush out tomorrow and do everything we have been avoiding but we do need to start to take steps to move our lives forward by taking steady steps. It’s the perfect time to start to challenge ourselves to push those comfort zone or fear zones as I like to call them, this will start to send new messages of strength not fear to our minds. The first steps are often the most challenging but after we have done something a few times it will for most people start to feel a little easier. A good way is to pick one area and focus your efforts on just that one area, until it starts to feel more comfortable. Practise makes perfect so keep pushing yourself over time will reap the rewards you’re looking for and the old fears apprehensions and anxieties will be reducing. Once this area is starting to feel more comfortable then it is the time to explore another area that is bothering you.
Our minds are one of the biggest muscles in our body and like any muscles, if you don’t use it you lose it. But just like going to the gym or working out if you consistently focus on certain muscles, they will become stronger. It’s time that is needed to gain the strength and that’s what your mind needs to, so if you start to challenge yourself and it doesn’t feel great do give it time to change, don’t just give up at the first hurdle. As you push yourself it will get better and your mind will start thinking and feeling in these new ways.
Making a list of areas to challenge yourself in is a good way to move forward, asking for support from friends and family will help too. You’re not on your own so don’t feel that you can’t reach out for support to get you moving forward. As it starts to get easier you will then be able to rely less on the on the support and you can start to wean yourself off, of it. Write down the positives times and see your list of achievement grow, this is a great message to your mind and will defo help your mind to see the future through these more positive and secure feelings. Each step is another step forward so just keep stepping and you may even surprise yourself about how far you move forward.
Thanks for dropping by Sara x
