For many, it’s been a tough year, and I know many are ready for fresh energy, new hopes and a clean slate. So as we enter one of our busiest (and often stressful) seasons I invite you back to yourself.
Whether you have thrived this year, or have been hit with illness, lay-offs, job uncertainty or other life stressors, in this moment, return to your breath – the place where inner peace can be found and cultivated. The place where regardless of your circumstances or any holiday chaos, you can return to reclaim your grounding and inner peace.
The ‘Your Great Story’ coaching process I have been studying and which I offer in my coaching practice takes a fascinating look at the soul’s journey, the themes of struggles and triumphs throughout our lives. The main overcoming story we continue to face invites a thrilling triumph of being at the deepest level of being.
And in order to receive and achieve this, we are provided all the opportunities to grow and to embrace our graces, strengths, powers and talents, we need to fully step into our potential and into our Great Story.
However, the soul’s journey is not an easy ride.
- How could we ever know courage, if we never faced fear?
- How could we ever learn compassion, if we never experienced suffering?
- How could we ever gain true confidence, if we never experienced rising back up from failure?
- How could we know the preciousness of life, if it wasn’t temporary?
The Soul’s journey involves struggle, but for the sake of expansion, discovering love, healing and forgiveness, joy and growth.
The invite that awaits is our divine triumph – the triumph at the level of being where we break through struggle and perceived limitations, core lies and limiting beliefs and step into our authentic selves – the space where we know deep in our bones that we are enough, and we are becoming more.
This Great Story is not based on achievements, but a resonance of being. It’s based on HOW we are living our life, WHO we are being in it (both the highs and the lows), and how we FEEL in it.
We often believe we need particular circumstances to be a certain way in order to achieve inner peace. Although outside circumstances sure can make it easier to feel at peace, they aren’t required.
Right now as you read this, I invite you to take a long, deep breath in through your nose. That’s right… fill your lungs, expand your ribcage and breathe deep into the base of your lungs, the back of your lungs, the sides of your ribcage, and down into your belly.
Then exhale slowly through the mouth, feeling your breastbone relax done and your shoulders, face, eyelids and facial muscles soften. Exhale until you’ve release all your air. Repeat this a few times. Ahhhhh….
Maybe it feels so good, you take a couple more (really, take a couple more).
What is happening in this moment:
- As you breathe in through the nose, you inhale nitric oxide (NO) through your sinuses. NO has countless health benefits including cardiovascular, heart rate, blood pressure and inflammation lowering benefits.
- Deep belly breaths (rather than chest breathing) also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system promoting a relaxation response that impacts heart rate, digestion, sleep quality and other factors that reduce stress and promote well-being.
So go ahead and take a few more belly breaths. Notice the mind softening, as you return to yourself, to your body, to your breath, to stillness, peace and freedom.
Again, take your time here.
With this breath you are creating a calmer, more joyous, vibrant and loving state. A state in tune with embracing the season in your highest power, despite circumstances.
Return to this anytime, anytime you can remember to do so, and especially anytime you need a little peace-boost “time-out”. This state of relaxation and calmness not only supports a calmer, more joyous and loving state, but also invites greater creative flow and powerful insights for problem solving and clearer decision making.
Whatever hardships you may have faced this year, I know you have it in you to overcome, thrive and triumph. Trust yourself and know there is both a solution AND a luminous, soul-inspired future still available to you.
If you’d like to learn more about Your Great Story coaching, I will be accepting new coaching clients.