What happens when life throws you a curveball? An unexpected twist or turn?
You know, the times when you find yourself needing to deal with something or someone you hadn’t planned on. Maybe it’s getting stood up for a date, waking up with the flu, getting results to a blood test that were far from ideal, or your kids needing to stay home sick from school and you have a HUGE deadline approaching?
Do you:
react?
resist?
pout?
point fingers?
and blame others?
find yourself kicking and screaming?
play the role of the victim?
ask, “why is this happening to ME?”
It’s likely at some point in your life you can relate to some version of the above responses to when the @#$% really hits the fan and you have to turn your proverbial life ship 180 degrees in a matter of moments. When we play the role of the victim it disintegrates our deep integrity and creates even more anxiety, chaos, and disconnect to what is really at the core of the situation.
In my early twenties, I had an unconscious habit of blaming others for my unhappiness, discomfort, and life’s curveballs. It didn’t fully surface until I got married. And then, it was loud and clear that was one of my coping mechanisms. I’m not proud of it, but the more I worked on it with therapy, meditation, and a conscious yearning to change it, I started to pay more and more attention to how I respond to EVERYTHING.
I’ve shifted this unconscious habit, mindset and reactionary inner story to one of spaciousness, embrace, and opportunity. AND wow it’s a helluva lot easier to point fingers, wipe my hands clean of it all than it is to own it all myself, which is why I think this topic is so important.
As a coach, mother, and wife it’s SUPER important to me to role model and discuss the ways in which we navigate deep and deep disappointment, and also superficial moments when things don’t go our way. Here are three approaches to keep you rooted, grounded and owning your life as you navigate the unexpected.
Here are my top 3 Tips for easeful living when life throws you a curveball:
- Take a deep breath.
- Own your life circumstances.
- Reach out – don’t freak out.
Take a deep breath
Slow down. The difference between stressful and easeful living is a few breaths away. By slowing down your breathing and creating space you can start to see the situation more clearly. Steadying the breath helps calm the mind to activate a sense of wellbeing and groundedness to make clear decisions.
Own your life circumstances
This is being accountable for who you are and the life you’ve created for yourself. Owning the situation will make it much easier to take action. There is a great level of humility in this practice. Consider what the opportunity might be in the situation?
Reach out – Don’t freak out
Reach out to a friend, family, neighbor, or community member and ask for help. So many of life’s challenges dissipate to some degree when we reach out and realize we aren’t meant to do everything on our own. While no one can do the work for us, we can’t do it alone.
Know you don’t have to do any of this alone. These are topics we cover in the yearlong lifestyle mastery program, Embody Ease. Learn more about it today.
All my best,
-----
Rachel Peters is a yoga teacher, yoga health coach, lifestyle and habits expert, easeful living advocate, and lover of wild places. She leads others towards Embodying Ease through a yearlong wellness & lifestyle journey to dissolve perfectionism, embody daily habits that promote mental clarity, overall ease, and deeper connection to life on this wild ride of modern living. Learn MORE today!