Take a Break!
I think many times we are harder on ourselves than anyone else. This drive of self-inflicted perfection, striving to meet idealistic expectations, and raising the bar higher and higher creates an enormous amount of stress and anxiety.
I know after my accident I couldn’t perform as I used to. Even daily routines of meals, self-care, and simple tasks overwhelmed me. I berated myself again and again because I couldn’t accomplish the many things I used to do as a nurse, or fitness club owner, or minister.
It created frustration, anxiety, and depression.
Self-Compassion Helps You Gain Insight and Perspective
The driven, impulsive, uncompassionate self can only see struggle and leaves us no room to breathe. It gets in the way of seeing a way out or making change.
I have found that being compassionate with myself, being a mindful witness and supporting that part of me that is struggling really helped and changed my outlook. This included being empathetic to how I was struggling now and compassion for my future self.
Technique: Your Future Sage Avatar of Wisdom to Overcome Struggle
I’d like you to imagine yourself in the future accomplishing what you desire in the future. This could be in 1 year or 5, it doesn’t really matter.
I’d like you to imagine yourself as the sage, a version of yourself that is wiser and can look back at everything you have done to resolve the struggle you are feeling.
Visualize yourself standing there in the future. Your future self is compassionate, empathetic, and caring as she shares the wisdom she has learned with your present self.
Hear your sage avatar say “I understand what you are going through. I know why it is so difficult and why it is so important to aspire to what you truly want.”
Yes, change is difficult, but your sage avatar reminds you to have compassion for yourself.
You can, and you do get through this.
Your sage avatar can help you look at everything you have done to resolve this struggle. She shares how grateful you are to yourself for staying true to what you desire.
What will life be like? What will you care about?
Write it out in detail how it will look and feel.
Playfully allow her to show you what life is like as you pass out this time of struggle. Your future self can actually tell you what you had to do. She can pull ideas and advice from you to take action.
Allow her to show you support, encouragement, and wisdom.
Believe change is possible!
Experience the Emotions of coming through this time of struggle to joy, love, success, confidence, hope, and happiness again.
Engage your Senses taste, smell, touch, and hear what life is like through your sage avatar.
Allow Thoughts of possibility and triumph to flow through your mind.
Forgive yourself for “mistakes” that you feel you have made that have brought you to this place.
Always think back to your wise sage avatar and be compassionate with yourself.
You will get through this!
Selah – pause for a time and think on this.
I use this wise sage avatar reflection again and again within my meditation time and time again to remind myself that “this too shall pass” and to become unstuck from struggles and emotions.
You can do this too and Rise Again!
Until we meet again keep your dreams alive, your hopes high, and your outlooks positive!
Many blessings,
Sharon
