how self-love eases change.

Oh, change.
You truly rock my world time and time again.
You show up in my life when I don’t think I need you.
And suddenly challenge me to let go of what I know
to make room for something better, I suppose.
I feel you creeping into my day and part of me wants to resist you, to run away.
But then I see a speck of goodness in your presence and know I should allow it to grow.
Ok, fine. I’ll let you tear my current experience into something more beautiful.
Something that compels me to expand and understand that more lies within me.

Life is so funny. Oftentimes, we can find ourselves coasting along, feeling great, totally happy with how things are. And then BAM! Change lands straight in our lap with no warning. Suddenly, we’re frazzled, scared, and vulnerable.

I’m no stranger to those feelings and know there’s an ebb and flow in all areas of life.  At the moment, life is throwing me some change at work. Priorities are shifting, new people are starting, and others are departing. The details are not important, but if you’ve ever worked anywhere, you know how unsettling these shifts can feel and I think that’s the point. Change is a chance to up our game, to move through fear, and to find out something new about ourselves. Naturally, it takes time to adjust and embrace  the circumstances.  But above all, I’ve realized it is an opportunity to fully lay down the ego and release any attachment to the outcome. Detaching from however things eventually unfold allows you to go about your day and do your best without worrying about the future. You make peace with what is and freaking relax. In my experience lately, it’s been a much healthier mindset to live in.

Another practice that’s also helped me along the way is really simple and something I very often forget: Being kind to yourself. Change usually ignites a serious amount of stress, so much so that you forget to make yourself dinner or realize that you’ve been sitting with tense shoulders up near your ears for an hour.

This week I decided to take extra special care of myself so that I felt fully nurtured by me. Here’s how:

1. Acupunture. I used to get this soothing needle treatment twice a month to help balance my energy centers and relieve stress. But once Spring came around, I dropped the ball and stopped going. On Wednesday, I brought myself back to my favorite acupuncturist and have been feeling much more calm and grounded ever since. My body is seriously thanking me.

2. Pedi/Massage. I’m the kind of girl who always turns down the extra 10 minute deluxe pedicure. I think it’s silly to spend an additional $12 on a foot rub. But this week, when my sweet pedicurist said “Do you want the 10 minute massage? You look tired,” I said “Yes! I deserve it.” And it was the best decision ever.

3. Sweet self-talk. If you’re a human like me, you’re probably not that nice to yourself mentally. Negative thoughts are the biggest reason stress sticks around for even longer than we’d like. We tell ourselves, “You did a bad job” or “Everyone hates you” or “I’m not good enough” over and over (and these things are rarely even true!). This week, I made a point to think “I’m proud of myself” or “I handled that situation like an all-star” or “You’re an amazing leader.” It has seriously made a world of difference and lifted my spirits big time.

So if you’re experiencing some shifts and changes in your life, be gentle and forgive yourself often, and consider that the Universe is about to deliver something awesome if you allow it. To help yourself along the way, be kind to you and simply do your best. If I can do it, so can you.

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