Emotional Triggers

I think we all have experienced getting emotionally overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes we act out. It’s not good for us or anyone else if we do that. So, what should we do? A deep dive into what triggers our emotional response is the first step. Some can do this alone and others may need professional help. We are not alone. There is always help.

Once the triggers are identified then set a plan to keep away from them, or more realistically, learn techniques to handle these emotional responses.  Some of these techniques could be creating some space by walking away even for a few minutes. Try concentrating on breathing and being mindful of how the body is feeling. Sometimes petting or cuddling an animal can bring calm feelings. I’ve heard putting your hands in water and focusing on the feeling is very relaxing. And taking a walk and connecting to nature is a great way to clear the head. Find what works for you. And don’t forget to get enough sleep. The body so needs that rest and escape from the world.

That deep dive into the mind of why we get emotionally triggered is the most important step we can do for our self care.  Don’t ignore negative feelings. They won’t go away without positive action. We all need a little help to live a balanced and happy life.

“Empty yourself of everything – let the mind become still.” ~ Lao Tzu

Embrace Your Tears

 

“Don’t ever discount the wonder of your tears. They can be healing waters and a stream of joy. Sometimes they are the best words the heart can speak.”  ~ Wm. Paul Young

We can get embarrassed when we tear up in public, but maybe we shouldn’t. Tears are the way of clearing our bodies of emotion and the stress we carry around. It’s a beautiful way of cleansing and setting our bodies back into balance.

Some people think it’s a sign of weakness, but it’s really a sign of being human and caring. There are tears of joy and tears of pain, but whatever the tears don’t hold them back, let them flow.

It’s true that there are times when you can’t just break down and sob, but you can tear a little bit and maybe sob later. When I’m working with a child in bereavement and he or she starts to cry, it breaks my heart and the tears start to fill my eyes. I can’t just lose it; I have to be there for the child. So I stay in command of my tears by concentrating on helping the child and only letting a few come into my eyes. I also have to get over my embarrassment, but we tell the kids that tears are always okay and maybe seeing tears in my eyes makes that really so.

Feeling joy or pain is part of our journey and so are the tears that accompany all of that. Don’t be afraid; feel what you feel and let yourself connect to the moment and to life itself. We are all just human, so let’s be that. Be a beautiful feeling human.

Change Your Thinking

“A negative mind will never give you a positive life.”   ~ Unknown

Have you ever noticed that when you are in a negative mood nothing seems to go right? Life is just crappy when you feel negative. But when you finally decide to be positive everything in your life starts to look up. And this new sparkle you now have in your life is there because you changed your thinking.

Being negative about one thing catches more negative feelings and clutters up your life. But thinking in a positive way just seems to clear all that mess out of your life and makes it flow so much better. Yes, it’s true, sometimes bad things just seem to happen for no apparent reason and it can put you in a very negative frame of mind. But don’t let your negative thinking stay with you too long because if you do, the normally happy you will be gone.

It can take a bit of work to keep positive during a storm when the dark clouds are closing in, but fighting for that happy positive feeling is worth so much more than you might even know. Your overall health will benefit greatly, and maybe even your longevity. Relationships and your job will go so much more smoothly, and this precious life of yours that you sometimes take for granted, well, it will become richer and just seem to have so much more meaning.

Get out that broom and clean up all the cobwebs of misery that have been accumulating in your head for decades, and then only invite the positive thoughts in to play. Hey, isn’t this the way life is meant to be?

“You are not a helpless victim of your own thoughts, but rather a master of your own mind.” ~ Louise Hay

Death

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” ~ From a headstone in Ireland

In living our busy crazy lives there is one thing that can bring it to a complete halt and that is the death of a loved one. It is also a time when we begin to think of our own mortality, and how we are living our day-to-day lives.

There is our birth, then our death, but in-between there is this life that we sometimes take for granted. We waste away years struggling for things that may or may not ever come our way. We waste time in worrying, regretting, and hold on to anger and the need to always be right.

In living in-between this birth and death, let’s really promise ourselves to live our lives deeply with passion, purpose and always laughter. This is a great way to honor our loved ones who have died.

Listen closely to the gentle whisper in your ear, “Live well, live strong, and most of all enjoy your life as it rolls along.”

When Your Spirit Meets

One night before bed, I was thinking about my loved ones that had passed on over the years, even the little animals I so cherished. I thought about my own death, and how I would feel and react if I saw my loved ones. I knew that of course, I would be filled with joy, and even sadness having missed them. Regret would be there too for the relationships that hadn’t been good when they were alive. I realized that a lot of the emotions I would feel would be negative because sadness, regret, tears, and maybe even tears of joy are negative emotions. We all know that little devil, ego, has a hand in all things negative.

I have finally figured out that the ego is a part of who we are, and it’s what makes us human. it’s impossible to get rid of it, but it is tamable. That being said, I wondered on this meeting with my loved ones what would happen if I met them with my Spirit instead of my ego? I knew that my Spirit would only feel love, acceptance, and peace. There would be no sadness, no regret, no tears, just this warm light that Spirit shines ever so bright. I could sense how wonderful that would feel. Taking this a bit further, what if we did this with those that are alive? Instead of egos meeting, Spirits would meet.

Meeting any circumstance, or fellow being with your Spirit instead of your ego makes your life flow so much more smoothly. You don’t have to enter a situation ready for a fight. You don’t have to feel bad about the past, or fearful of the future. There is only now and all you have to do is feel love, acceptance and peace, and then let your life glide naturally.

How amazing it would be if we could live our lives this way. How freeing and simple. As life on Earth becomes more hectic and we feel stressful, free and simple sounds pretty good to me.

“Let your mind start a journey thru a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be…Close your eyes let your Spirit start to soar, and you’ll live as you’ve never lived before.”

 ~ Erich Fromm

Stillness

Marvel into the stillness of your life. Let the silence envelop all of you, and feel the presentness of peace that is yours for all time.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

“Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

Broken Relationships

Relationships broken can never be fixed because they would only break again under the same old strain. But relationships can always start anew even though that’s a very difficult thing to do. Relationships starting anew only work under brand new rules of open minds and open hearts filled with love, acceptance, respect, and always compassion. Sprinkle in some humor and you got it made.

  

“Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.” ~ Rumi

Non-Judgment

We should all practice non-judgment and pickup acceptance instead. You don’t know me and I don’t know you, but we are all little beings flowing in the same sea. We all deal with pain that hides in the deep crevices of our soul, and we only show to the world what we want it to know.

 

“Judgments prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” ~ Wayne Dyer

Dissolving Expectations

Expectations high and low from you and others will always cause everything around to explode.

We come into the world and find expectations awaiting us from parents filled with hopes and dreams of what they think just should be. As our journey moves forward those expectations grow on and on from teachers, bosses, lovers, and even our own blessed young. Each expectation is always in danger of not measuring up leaving unhappiness, disappointment, anger and even disgust. And what about those we have of ourselves, and those low ones that cause us to self-destruct?

The best way to deal with expectations is to not have them in the first place, but this is a bit unreasonable even for me to believe. So I say, let’s be aware when they appear and dissolve them as quickly as can be. Make a conscious effort to practice Letting Go. “Nonresistance, non judgment, and nonattachment are the three aspects of true freedom and enlightened living.” ~ Eckhart Tolle.

The practice of “Letting Go” makes it possible for you to flow and concentrate on what’s really important. It gets rid of the petty things that keep you a prisoner. When your mind is open you are truly free, and pleasantly surprised how everything fits so perfectly. You are able to accept the people around you without preconceived ideas, and you become accepting of who you are. No more feeling worn out trying to fulfill someone else’s dreams. “Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.” ~ Eckhart Tolle.

Expectations are just something that you and everyone else just dug up and decide to make into some silly law. Practice dissolving them when they pop up and one day you’ll find them not. Stop hitting your head against that big brick wall and realize life doesn’t have to be so complicated after all.

Stop the Drama

“Open your eyes, look within.  Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” ~ Bob Marley

So much drama flying around; it’s here and there and just about everywhere! It invades your life, sucks your energy, steals away happiness, and leaves trinkets of despair. This is war, and you need to beat it down and kick the damn thing out the door!

You can stop the drama in your life if you do one simple thing–Stop Feeding It! But you have gotten so used to living in drama that you have become blinded to the truth. You think others barge right in bringing drama to your kitchen table when actually, my friends, you invited drama in and even offered the keys to your kingdom. Yes, I do believe it’s true, you just can’t stop feeding this beast and now he’s yours for keeps.

Wake up! Slam the door, put your foot down firmly on the floor. It’s time to take control of your life before life completely takes you over. Stay on point–you know you can. It’s time to start living a joyful, stress free life that’s right there standing in the wings. Don’t just exist–that’s not living. Meditate to connect to your Spirit, and push ego away telling it, “Don’t come back even on a different day.” Don’t be tempted to the dark side by unconscious people who cross your path, even if it means changing jobs, losing family, friends, and yes, lovers to achieve this task.

It may seem easier just to go on the way you always have, but realize your life is waiting in your hands. You, and only you, have the power to free yourself from the eating frenzy of the drama that won’t be silent in the stands.