Category Archives: Self Care

This Too Shall Pass

 

“This Too Shall Pass”

 

I heard this from a dear friend of mine some years ago when I was really struggling to make sense of my story and I must admit, it’s been one of my go to phrases when situations have started to cause overwhelm.

When the going gets tough, there’s one important point to appreciate.  That although what we’re experiencing at that moment is particularly unknown and tough to digest, that it’s our thoughts about the situation that keep us stuck in a negative state.  

And as valid as those thoughts and emotions are at that particular moment in time, we are able to choose our response to the situation.  A simple statement like “this too shall pass” will remind us that the difficulty we’re experiencing is temporary.  It will divert our unconscious mind in a future positive direction.

I’m curious to find out how you’re feeling today? How are you finding the positives in the somewhat alien world we find ourselves in?

Remember, we’re not in control of this situation, but we are in control of the way we respond to it.  We still have a choice!  That liberty hasn’t been removed from us.

We’re in control of the meaning we give to our thoughts and feelings.  It’s kind to honour the feelings we have, but it’s pointless to get lost in the vicious circle of negative thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

I too, have struggled with the real threats out there, but I’ve fallen in the more optimistic camp. Perhaps because of my NLP training and the ability to look at the threats with a different perspective.  Or perhaps the war child in me tells me “this too, shall pass”.

To keep my sanity, I’m choosing to be acutely aware of simple pleasures in life, all the things I took for granted previously. I’m choosing to stay even more connected in times of social and physical distancing.  I’m choosing to invest in my personal development.

How are you keeping your sanity?  Reach out when you need a chat.

 

Love and strong coffee

Vafa

Have You Defined Your Boundaries?

 

“Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal and necessary” D Virtue

Defining your boundaries is about loving and respecting yourself enough to take care of yourself.

Having been a “yes” and a giving person most of my life, setting the right boundaries haven’t come easy to me.  So I’d love to hear from you and how effective you are at setting yours.

Are you amongst the people who are having to work from home?  Are you having to homeschool your children?  Are you finding yourself in close and constant proximity to your spouse or life partner?

Like me, have you found your boundaries blurred in the last two weeks or so?

Where have you drawn the line between being a parent, a partner, a teacher and a professional working from home? How have you felt if you’ve had to excuse yourself and attend to the needs of your children if you’ve been in the middle of a team or client meeting?

How have you defined your boundaries with respect to the space you’ve co-existed within?  I hear the despair in clients’ and friends’ conversations because they haven’t had time to reflect on their working day on their commute home.  Some are missing that time to “down-tools” and process the working day they’ve had.

They haven’t had the time to switch the world off, listen to the music or book of their choice or call a friend before getting home and stepping into the shoes of a parent and partner.

Have you been kind enough to yourself to find your mute button when you’ve been saturated with wearing different hats in the same space? If so, how?  What’s your self care routine these days?

 

Love and strong coffee

Vafa