Even though I knew all too well the phrase,
"Put your own oxygen mask on first,"
and it made perfect sense in theory, I was desperately falling short in putting this into action and had no idea that this was the case until I found myself with a GI bleed mid pandemic followed by what I call "the rug being pulled out from under me" with another rather eye opening event that I won't go into detail about here, but you get the picture......I was yet again at a crossroads in life with an opportunity to use this grief for growth.
We all have a growth through grief story. I would love to hear yours.
The thing is, prior to this, I would have told you that I should be doing more.....and honestly, I would have continued to aim for MORE MORE MORE on the "hustle rat race to success" if these situations hadn't been a wake up call for me.
Sure I was working 36-48 hours in the ICU during a crazy pandemic (in New York & Baltimore to add), running my holistic wellness coaching practice full time, and coming home from work many days to a few delightfully chilled craft beers with my fabulous husband.
I was living survival mode. Vacilating between sympathetic overdrive being a Busy Bee, only to be followed by checking out with more work (flight mode), local beers, and other avoidant antics.
That's when the power of nervous system regulation became one of my deepest passions! What I am about to share with you is a formula that you can use to prioritize your health and wellbeing plus elevate your relationships, business, career, and finances.
Let's break down the ABC's of elevated wellbeing.
A: Awareness. Without awareness we remain in the dark and on autopilot when we could be enjoying and connecting with life more fully. But not just any kind of awareness will do. Mindful awareness is key. Mindful awareness is a practice of being in the present moment, as it is, without judgement. Mindful awareness is the intention to be present through loving, kind, compassionate, and curious awareness. It allows us to be in our experience of life, without disconnecting or disassociating and also without getting caught up in the mental tape or drama loop.
Some of the ways we can cultivate awareness include connecting with our breath, the 4 check-ins, and asking ourselves frequently one of those most self compassionate questions, "What do I really need right now?" and then answering this in the most supportive nourishing way.
The 4 check-ins: What am I experiencing physically? What am I experiencing mentally? What am I experiencing emotionally? What am I experiencing spiritually? This is a process of really getting to know yourself so that you are in tune with what you really need and from there you have the choice to prioritize your wellbeing.
B: Beliefs: Your beliefs have the ability to build you up or break you down. Beliefs are thought patterns that have occurred on repeat so many times that they are now a habit (and oftentimes subconscious). They influence your actions and even your quality of life. Sometimes we are acting out of a belief system that isn't even truly ours.....we picked it up in childhood and from society.
In order to elevate your wellbeing, it's important to get curious and questions your thoughts.
Do you ever find yourself saying, "I don't have time to (fill in the blank; rest, cook healthy meals, exercise, etc)" or "It's just who I am (lazy, sensitive, anxious, incapable)."
When did you first learn this? Who else in your life has this belief? Is this belief supporting you? Is it supporting those who love you most? What would it be like to create a more empowering belief such as,
"I always have time for what is most important to me," or "Even though I feel anxious sometimes, I know I can create whatever I truly desire."
Just because a belief is in the culture, does not mean that it is authentic and in alignment for you.
C: Clarity. After practicing mindful awareness and exploring if your beliefs are building you up or breaking you down, it is time to create clarity on where you are with your health, what's working and what's not working, what do you value most and is your life reflecting that, and what is your vision for your wellbeing? Once you've gotten clarity on that, it's important to connect with "why" prioritizing your wellbeing matters to you.
Initially your response might be something like, "Because I want to feel good." Yes!!! Ok, now go deeper with that question to gain greater clarity. Why do you want to feel good? Ask yourself why this matters to you at least 5 times
C: Co-Create. It's all good to practice loving awareness, explore your beliefs, and gain clarity on what you truly desire for your life but these ABC's of Elevated WellBeing require inspired action.
What's your plan to create your vision? Who can you collaborate with? What support do you need?
Who can you serve and support?
You're never alone on this journey and when you truly connect with that, it can alleviate some of the pressure and worry about the how to make this happen subside.
How can you set up your environment to align with your goals? What systems need to be in place to make this work?
If you're looking for support in stressing less, enjoying life more, and prioritizing your wellbeing, then consider scheduling a Discover Elevated WellBeing session with me where you'll share with me where you're facing challenges & your goals for your mental, physical, emotional, relationships, and career, I will take through my holistic wellness session and make recommendations.
If my 1:1 Holistic WellBeing Coaching Program or Reset & Recharge Retreat are a good fit for you, I can share more about that with you too if you'd like.
I would love to hear from you. What are you learning about yourself right now? What do YOU really need to support your wellbeing? How is grief or a challenge pointing you in the direction of growth & healing?
with love & gratitude,
Brittany
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