Navigating Helplessly Cynical Times + PDF for Hope and Strength

The universe has to fall apart into fine dust. To become its majestic, incredible, infinite self. What makes you think this breaking, this trauma, this destruction, won’t be the making of you too? ~ The Making of You, Nikita Gill

To say that we are living through tough times would be a huge understatement. This second wave has been a whirlwind. Either you or someone you know of or someone close to people you know are suffering. Even if you distance yourself from the news you still keep hearing these stories from real people in your life. Not to mention social media. Even when you go online to watch a funny meme/reel you will still have to swim through dozens of appeals for medicines, beds and a bunch covid protocol updates. The anxiety and stress only increases when you see friends or influencers from other countries where the covid precautions are becoming more relaxed. Ughh. This list is really endless. But that’s not what this article is about.

It’s about navigating, surviving and living through such uncertain and brutal circumstances. Here are some strategies you already probably know of:

1. Reduce screen time

2. Spend time in nature

3. Talk to loved ones

4. Improve your diet

5. Exercise daily

6. Drink more water

7. Regular sleep schedule

8. Meditate

However as you all know, Smile Over Spilled Milk is all about taking action. Also let’s be honest these are easier said than done and are the end result we all desire to achieve but don’t know where to begin this journey. To help you get started here are a few things that are tried and tested by real ordinary folks like you and me.

1. Embracing stillness

What I mean by this is just sitting staring at the sky/ceiling or your houseplant when you feel a rush of overwhelm. Just allow yourself the time and space to simply exist. Just simply be. Don’t force anything, allow life and breath to pass through you and just simply be. It’s difficult to explain how it works but try it for yourself and let me know

2. Accepting yourself where you are

Irrespective of how long your to-do list is, how unorganized your house, how messy your hair or how lazy you feel. Just accept yourself. Say this out loud if you must “I accept myself just the way I am and I believe that I have the power and resources to become a better version of me”. Radical self-acceptance is the first step to transformation, healing and hope. By meeting yourself where you are currently, you open up endless possibilities to guide yourself to a higher state of well being. Think of it as explaining a complex process to a kid. You will break it down into tiny easy to understand sentences so the child understands. What you are technically doing here is you are accepting the child as they are and you are meeting the child where they are at. So why can’t you do this for yourself.

3. Social Media Boundaries

This is the tricky one and probably the easiest one to relapse into very easily. But here are a few things you can do to make your social media experience more empowering.

1. Go through your following list and mute/unfollow accounts that don’t match your vibe and really bring you down.

2. Try limiting your time going through stories as they often end up with you subconsciously comparing your situation to that of others

3. Use the explore page instead. Save posts that empower you and make you feel better. Like for instance if you save posts that have affirmations and poetry. The algorithm will show you more of these. So save posts that leave you feeling better and calm.

4. Tiny mindful acts

The simplest way to do this is to check in with yourself at different times throughout the day. Do a quick body scan and see if you need to pee, need more water, maybe stretch a little, sit still for a while or talk to a friend. Just ask yourself if you are okay and if there’s anything you can do to feel better. During the body scan if you feel like there is tension in part of your body do simple stretches or if you feel there is tension in your jaw try relieving it and do some deep belly breaths. These small acts will essentially help you stay in the present moment.

5. Bring your water bottle around

You probably know you have to drink more water but fail to drink enough. The simplest way to ensure that you drink more water is to carry your water bottle with you no matter where in the house you go to. And ensure to drink a quarter of a one liter bottle as soon as you wake up.

6. Poetry and music and humor

Good music, poetry and humor fuel your soul and energize your spirit. So let yourself. indulge in some good soul food from time to time. Maybe you can try playing soft but uplifting tunes in the morning while you go about your morning routine.

7. Shinrin-yoku

It is a Japanese word for what roughly translates to “forest bathing”. Spending some time with nature is crucial. These are living breathing healing systems that will raise your frequency and make you feel better instantly. They are instant mood boosters and also make your space look vibrant and lively. So try spending some time tending to your house plants and if you don’t have one yet invest in one.

8. Journaling

There are literally dozens of ways to journal from morning pages to art journaling. There is so much to explore and try. There is honestly something for everyone. Journalling is a fun and easy way to let out your thoughts and emotions and enable you to process and organize them better. Try searching journaling prompts and journal away.

9. Magic of stretching

When you stretch your body you are essentially stretching out and soothing the fascia. These are basically sheets of connective tissue present beneath our skin and attach, stabilize, enclose and separate muscles and internal organs. You’ve probably heard people saying things like emotional pain, stress and trauma can manifest as physical ailments and conditions. They are referring to the fascia. It remembers trauma and stress. By stretching daily you are essentially helping the fascia heal and let go of these traumatic experiences and learnt stressors. Not to mention the rush of endorphins after a good stretch. It also helps balance your circadian rhythms that help you sleep better.

10 .Explore your spirituality

This looks different for everyone. For some learning about the roots of their culture feels spiritual while for others it could be connecting with the cycles of nature. Whatever your version of spirituality is, work on it. Having a spiritual practice will ensure that you maintain good mind body soul harmony.

At the end of the day, we all have to do the work to make it through the day. Regardless of who you are, where you are in life, no matter what you believe in and what you don’t. We still have to do work to survive. For some it may look like getting out of bed daily, for others it might be meditating, reading, and so on. How big or how small these acts are, their size doesn’t make a difference. What you feel and how you manage it are both valid. Comparing your coping strategy to others is the biggest mistake we tend to make. So I just want to remind y’all that – You are valid. Your feelings are valid. Your pain is valid. Your living grace is valid.

Embrace your unique quirks and create a life that serves you.

Click here to download the PDF For Hope and Strength. It is a compilation of reminders and quick tips to help you navigate these times. Use it to help yourself or share it with someone you know 🙂

#synchronicity #Nutrition #plant #mentalhealthmatters #personaldevelopment #covid #selfdevelopment #resilience #Lifestyle #lawofattraction #covidhelp #healthylife #positiveselftalk #selfhelpguide #Selflove #powerofnow #selfdiscovery #initiative #guideforlife #mentalhealth #spirituality #meditation #manifestation #love #Wellness #selfhelp #mindfulness #life #evolution #magic #slowliving #coincidences #productivity #healing #Idealhealth #goals