Change is life and yet when change, subtle or dramatic, comes into our lives personally, we all react or respond differently. In our world today, there are so many changes occurring that a certain sense of unrest is common. In order for us to accept change and know how to manage it for our greatest level of comfort and movement in life, we need to know how to reference this change and our direction in it.
Socially throughout history there has been a lot of training to use “outside influence” as a reference point for our being safe or OK; other people, approval from our peers, religious and cultural traditions, family guidelines etc. With the present technology, we are not separated and removed from each other in the way we imagined we were for centuries. We truly are a global family influencing the quality of life for 6 billion people by every choice we make. This necessitates a change in responsibility in referencing the choices we make in life. We now must measure change from the “inside out”, because of the instability and magnitude of global change.
Imagine a canoe at sea, on a stormy night - no land in sight, the stars are clouded over and there is no real sense of direction which way to go to shore. The outside reference points have not disappeared, they are invisible at the moment, unavailable for charting your direction. We are born with an inner sense of direction that can provide unlimited support if we give ourselves permission to “listen” to that inner power. Without a lighthouse visible on the shore, we have to be present with where we are, make choices one at a time and be willing to reevaluate and change direction as more information comes to us, from the inside or the outside.
At this time in life, each one is their own canoe on this tremendous sea of life and we are being given the opportunity to learn trust and faith in our inner guidance more than ever before.
In the book, Leadership And The New Science, Margaret Wheatley suggests that we participate in life by :
- Self referencing
- Share visions
- Share values
- Have on-going dialogue
The Toltec guidelines in the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz suggest:
- Be impeccable with your word, with your self and others
- Don’t take anything in life personally
- Don’t make any assumptions
- Do your best
I would like to offer some guidelines on a more personal basis - how to support your body when the stress level in life seems “over the top”. The first reference point you want to pay attention to is your body - where is the tension in your body? Does your head have pressure in it? Is your neck tight? Is your stomach tense? Are you feeling highly agitated, frustrated or depressed? Listen to your body, this is your number one messenger to your “inside” guidelines in life. Remember that no one else lives in your body except you, so how you read your body messages may be different than how anyone else is reading their body messages.
Drink more water. The higher the stress level the more your body needs water to manage the natural clearing that must take place all of the time to keep your body healthy. By the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. Water is water - not tea, soda, or coffee - these are fluids.
BREATHE, lengthen and deepen your breath. Your body must have more oxygen to begin to relax. Stress constricts and degenerates, breath expands and regenerates.
Move - stand up and move your body, stretch, walk, jog, swim, dance anything that will allow your body to release tension.
Rest - tension and stress cause constriction in your body and this is exhausting to your neurological system. Rest has tremendous regenerative powers.
Manage your thinking. Do not let your mind ‘push your body around’. Listen to your body and its needs and do not allow your mind to dictate how you “should” be performing nor denying how you really are feeling.
Accept your emotions as pure energy moving through your life, just as the tradewinds move through the islands. Everything in your life feels more alive with the movement of your emotions. Take the judgement off your emotions and support your self to feel safe with what you are feeling in the moment. Manage the moment - that is all that is necessary emotionally. Emotions are continuous movement and soon you will have another experience in another moment with another feeling.
The Lone Ranger is dead. . . .it is time to work in teams and partnership and cooperate so we can all learn and evolve together.
Listen to your heart and soul. You are created from infinite Love and in your heart is your soul purpose agreements and visions. Trust what you know innately to guide and direct you in these times of change.
Live joyously. . . .life is a gift and you are a gift to life.