Freedom!!! have you ever sat there and realized that the freedom you thought you lacked was there all along? After a weekend of sisterhood of allowing myself the freedom to just be me, I reflected on how stuck and tied up I have been feeling. Truthfully, just irritated, for I created these feelings for myself. Yes! I said “created for myself.” Now, I wish the “fix” is to be able to snap my fingers and I am free. No more negative, irritated, and uncomfortable emotions.
Unfortunately, situations that have causecausedcaused us to feel negative emotions about ourselves require some other measures to feel unstuck. So I am going to share 3 STRATEGIES to help. Are the permanent fixes? Not always but they are a great place to start and improve your mood and focus.
3 Strategies:
Breathing: Totally cliche (right?) for a counselor and coach to say but really it works. The simplest to describe is something called 4 Square. This is when you breath in for a count of 4, hold (yes your breath) for a count of 4, release your breath for a count of 4, and hold for a count of 4 again. Do this 4 times. FYI: you want to make sure you are holding your breath or you will hyperventilate. This also allows your body to rest in between and absorb fresh air.
Ho’oPonoPono: Recognize how distressing the negative thoughts make you feel (i.e. fearful, self-conscious, angry, etc.) and then repeating “I am Sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you and I love you” for allowing things to distress you. This can be done at anytime and however many times you need to do it. Say it out loud, in your mind, or write it down and then rip it up! (I teach a great full course on Ho’oPonoPono if you are interested.) If you can’t forgive yourself how can you forgive others???
Talk it out: Soooooo on a Counselor/Coach’s blog you knew this one was coming, :).
A counselor or a coach?? That depends on what your needs are. Are there thoughts, feelings, and emotions you need to sort through in order the identify and remove the blockages and stuck emotions? You may want to consider working with a professional counselor who is trained to assist you. However, do you know what your blockages are and where you want to be and just need guidance and accountability to get there? Find a coach why specializes in the area of growth you are looking for.