Ever feel like your inner world has gone all topsy turvy and you aren’t sure why? Well, if you have, then you will relate to this post!
Check out the photo below. My husband brought it to my attention. It’s a photo taken of a local arboretum where a tornado hit. Notice the plaque… “Nancy’s Tranquil Haven.” As I was just recovering from a mini meltdown, he found this very funny…I on the other hand just felt vindicated! No wonder I’ve been feeling out of whack!
As most of the work I do involves metaphors, I took a closer look at the gift of this photo. As a metaphor, a tornado represents a destructive stirring that picks things up and throws them back down in random order. It is a great leveler…taking down the old and leaving new ground to rebuild on. As I thought about my own situation, I pondered what had caused my own inner tornado. Could I have done something to prevent it (can you really stop a tornado??)? What can I do to be sure it doesn’t come back again? What gift did it leave in its wake?
As with real tornadoes, changing weather conditions bring on storms. Too much heat (in my case activity) conflicting with rapidly cooling air (need to just be), impacts and high, rotating winds develop. These winds send the world “spinning” causing everything to be off kilter for the time that it moves through. During these storms, there isn’t much that one can do except seek shelter and hide out until it passes.
When the storm is over, it is time to take a look at the damage. A tranquil haven thrown into uproar is unsettling to say the least. Yet, I’ve learned that even tornadoes bring gifts (though I know we’d all rather they came in much different packages). In the case of this arboretum, scientists are learning a lot about the health of trees and how this health affects their ability to survive storms. Hopefully, it will lead to better care of our natural resources, so that the next tornado leaves more trees standing. This is a good lesson for me as well.
As a person with a highly sensitive nervous system, I’ve learned that there are certain things I need to do to maintain my health and well-being. Exercise, sleep, eating right, balancing my work and family time, being in nature every day, and having time to meditate are all crucial to my well-being. If any of these gets out of balance, it doesn’t take long for the whole apple cart to collapse. This latest tornado helped me to see some places where my own inner “tree” needs strengthening. Below are some areas that I’m focusing on, so that the next tornado doesn’t throw me so hard. I hope you find them helpful as well.
Tips to Rebuild Your Inner Tranquil Haven
Nutrition: I started seeing a Naturopath Physician recently. I’d come to realize that it was time for me to learn some new tools to keep my system in balance. If you are looking for a more holistic approach to wellness, consider contacting a Naturopath Physician locally or call our Sanctuary and Crossroads Wellness Coach, Buddy Ann Ross (www.holisticwellnessbuddy.com), for a wellness program designed specifically for you.
Breathing: Once our systems experience stress, the body releases hormones preparing for fight or flight. Usually, we aren’t in a situation that requires intense physical activity which means the hormones just hang around. Breathing is one of two ways to clear these hormones from our systems (exercise is the other). Try using a breathing pattern to bring your system back into balance. I like to breathe in for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale for six counts through the mouth (my naturopath physician recommends imagining you are breathing out through a straw). Do these for a few minutes and you will notice an immediate improvement.
Control Fear: Fear is one of those things that if you let it in just a little bit, you are soon overrun with it. Restoring tranquility means that we need to stop rebooting the flight or flight system and that means the “problem” mentality needs to shift. A good tool to help overcome fear is to turn around and look it in the eye. What exactly are you afraid of? Why are you afraid of it? What is the worst thing that could happen? Is it realistic that it will? If you have more than one fear, then write them all out. After you have exhausted all your fears (this can get lengthy if you’ve left the “fear door” open for too long), then come up with two or three actions you can take right now to improve the situation. Sometimes the action is simply getting some exercise or doing something fun to get your mind off the situation.
Acceptance: I’m a big one for trying to understand why unpleasant things occur (mostly because I don’t want them to happen again), but sometimes I’ve found that acceptance is what is really needed. The one thing we can count on in this lifetime is that things always change. If you are in the middle of a frightening or unsettled time, be kind to yourself, and remember that “This too shall pass!” It will…it always does…
Nancy Nicholas is an intuitive life coach. She offers empowerment readings, clubs, and products combining practical coaching strategies with spiritual insight. For a free Empowerment Kit, visit her website: www.EmpoweringLightworkers.com.
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