I feel like we’re all having a crash course in acceptance at the moment. There are things so outside of our control and on such a huge scale that we simply have no choice but to surrender and accept. And there’s something rather peaceful in that.
A few weeks back when the prospect of lockdown was looming I was indeed having a little freakout but, to my surprise, that episode lasted far less time than I thought it would. It was a few short days before the feelings of anxiety and hysteria left my body and I felt what I can only describe as a sense of peace wash over me. A sensation that I had not felt for a very long time.
The pace of our world has gathered exponentially over the years and our need for controlling whatever we can in order for us to keep balance has grown with it. We live in a world where spontaneity and moments of mindfulness have to be scheduled into our diaries and the immense amount of pressure to perform seems suffocating at times – burnout is real and it is on the regular.
We have no choice but to accept the way things are right now and so we have to recognise uncertainty and embrace it like an old friend – because that’s exactly what it is.
Nothing is ever for certain, it never has been.
We created certainty as a comfort blanket; to provide a sense of security for the lives that we poured so much effort into crafting for ourselves.
But I believe that in creating certainty in our lives we caged the freedom of our spirits.
We began focusing on all that we didn’t have instead of all that we did in order to grow bigger, get better and do more. But where really has this got us? Are we really any better? Are we truly any happier?
Yes, we have a whole digital world out there to e-learn from but if we are going to embark on any education right now then I strongly believe that this time would be best spent staying closer to home and looking within.
We are our own compass, we have our own blueprints and we don’t need to acquire one from anywhere or anyone else. Our current living situation is far more basic and simplistic than normal and with this change of lifestyle being thrust upon us so suddenly it’s naturally throwing up ‘stuff’ for all of us.
The way in which we are responding is something that we should be carefully watching and not immediately trying to change in the first instance. There are some big clues in what is coming up for each and every one of us at the moment that highlights areas of ourselves that we have perhaps neglected and need to pay attention to. So some questions to ask yourself right now are:
-
In what way are you responding and reacting at the moment?
-
Is your response positive or negative?
-
What particular elements of your change in circumstances are triggering the most feeling and emotion in you?
-
Does your response feel appropriate to you but not to others?
-
How are other people affecting your response?
-
Are you allowing yourself to respond freely, and fully? Or are you distracting yourself from allowing this to happen?
By not processing our true feelings and emotions we are not accepting them, and by not accepting them we are denying ourselves, and denying ourselves does not serve us in any way and if we don’t serve ourselves then we can’t serve others to our best ability.
We are unique creatures and we all feel and think differently. Managing ourselves can only be done with acceptance for ourselves and that means we need to allow our true feelings and emotions to come forward and be fully felt before we can process, accept, and then deal with them in the right way.
Never say never, but it is HIGHLY unlikely that we will ever get this time again, so please take this time for you, and use it wisely.
Tune in with yourself, notice what is coming up for you and pay attention to it. In order to sustain anything going forward you need to be in tune with yourself at all times, so nurture that relationship first, and when embarking on growth at this time, make it personal.
I’m always around for a chat – virtual cuppa on zoom or a text exchange, whatever you fancy – so feel free to drop me a private message, simply reply in the comments box below or just come and say hi on instagram.
Stay positive, Stay Safe.
Camilla x
