STAYING CALM EVEN WHEN LIFE IS ANYTHING BUT

Mama. Question for you. Would you like to be able to feel calm and create calm, even when life is anything but?
Life is chaotic and uncertain right now. We're in month six of this pandemic, we’re still trying to navigate working from home while creating some sort of summer for our kids, and now we've got school coming down the pike in three short weeks.

Life can feel anything but calm these days, am I right?

I want to share with you, 3 tools and tips that will help you begin to create calm, and feel calmer, especially when life feels anything but.

First, the number line. I LOVE this tool. This is a fantastic visual, if you will, that I often use with the Mamas I work with that really helps them identify and become more attuned to where they are and how they are feeling at any given time. The way the number line works is to imagine the number 0, placed on the left-hand side of the line. Zero indicates everything's cool, you are feeling really good. The number 5, is placed at the far right-hand side of the line and it indicates you are not so great as in imagining the mind-blowing emoji you see on your phone? Number 5 says, “I'm off the ledge, I am out!”

If I were to ask you, “Where are you at?” What number would you give yourself right now? Are you at a zero/one, or are you around a four approaching a five? Or maybe you're hovering around a three at the moment. Where are you?

This is a fantastic way to get in touch with how you are feeling, emotionally, and discern how your body is feeling as well; is it tense or relaxed? So often we go throughout our day without really knowing what is going on within us.

Tip #2: Using the number line; it’s not a one and done deal. Don't use this just once a day, or once a week, but use it throughout the day.

Staying in touch with where you’re at throughout the day is important because, how often you go throughout your days without even really being fully aware of how you are doing? Maybe you know you are feeling stressed, but are you aware of how stressed you actually are at this moment? Or how much you are potentially staying and residing in a high level of stress throughout your days or weeks? Remind yourself to use this number line by posting notes up throughout your house and in your car that asks, "What number are you at?" You could put a timer on your phone at 9/12/3/6 using a mindful bell as a reminder for you to check-in with you.

These are really useful reminders for frequent check-ins which will create a really good habit to get into, helping you gain knowledge, awareness, and identifying when you’re creeping really high up on that number line. The information that will indicate you need to do something that brings it down a couple of notches.

Which leads me to tip #3: Creating space.

Creating space is a place for you to figure out what is it that you need, how you meet those needs in order to bring yourself down from a potential four to a three, or three to two, whether it be in a particular moment or throughout your days and your week.

What that might look like for you; Imagine - You check-in and you realize you are at a 4 and you are really close to blowing your top; aka a #5. It is at this time you would then ask yourself,

“What do I need to do, right now, to bring myself down from a 4/4.5 to a 3?”

~Maybe that looks like taking a breath. When was the last time you took a breath?

~Or maybe you need something to eat, have you ever eaten today?

~Maybe it's literally creating a space, taking a break, and stepping outside for a moment.

What can you do, at that moment, to bring yourself down a notch or two to create more calm for you right then and there?

Another way this could look is, imagine you’re finding that you are residing in the higher numbers of the number line; you can then ask yourself,

“What do I need to do for myself, regularly, to help me bring that number down? And how do I take better care of me?” What would that be and look like for you?

Often times I will hear mamas say, "It’s been so long, I don't even know what would work or what would bring me joy anymore."

Mama, if that’s you, start by asking yourself; “What used to bring me joy? What used to make me feel calmer?” Even if you have to go as far back as before kids, find out.

For some it's dancing, for others it's reading, and for others, it’s cooking. Perhaps for you, it might be journaling, meditating, prayer, or exercising. There are all kinds of things that you can do to help you bring your stress levels down on a regular basis, even when life is crazy.

Next, I may hear Mamas say, "Who has time for that? I don't have time, let alone for any of those things and now on top of the pandemic, there is no time!"

Mama. I hear you. I really, really do. Times are really tough right now and time is tight.

However, creating space for yourself, figuring out what you need, and meeting those needs?

It’s not a luxury. It's a necessity.

You need to find the time. You must find a way to create space, even if it's just five minutes per day. Five minutes. That's all it takes. Truly. To begin to feel and be more calm, even when life isn’t.

I challenge you, when you're looking to create this space and trying to find a way to meet your needs and do some self-care, but keep coming up against a wall; take a visual five steps back and look at your entire day. Still having a hard time seeing something? Look at your entire week.

Where can you find five minutes a day? I'm thinking you can. You can find five minutes and what can you do during those five minutes for you, to help you feel better, calmer bringing those numbers down the line a few notches?

I promise you, Mama, if you really create that space and do something for yourself, even just five minutes a day; that meets your needs, you will eventually feel calmer and bring more calm into your life. It will dramatically reduce the stress level that you're feeling and increase the calm that you experience, even when life is chaotic.

Do this for you!

I think you’re amazing.

💗

xx

Claire

For more help email me at [email protected]

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