The other night, I bolted upright at 5AM. Way too early, and waytoo awake. My heart was pounding. I heard the voices of all my fears, whispering in my ear.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to fall back asleep. But you know as well as I do, that never works.
I got up and scrounged through my cupboards, pawing blindly for something to eat.
Finally, I sat on the couch, closed my eyes acknowledged in the depth of my heart:
I’m scared. So, so scared.
Of doing it wrong. Falling on my face. Following a dream with no guarantees.
Then, I reached for my favorite “medicine book”, Make Me Your Own by Tosha Silver. She writes about the Divine, who calls out insistently through billboards, random strangers and 90s pop songs, singing:
“Why waste your time / you know you’re gonna be mine / you know you’re gonna be mine / you know you’re gonna be mine…”
I laughed out loud.
Closed my eyes again. Ignored the mental chatter and focused on my breath. Found an utterly unexotic mantra that cleared my head. Wanna hear it?
“Mindfulness”
Over and over I said it silently. I reminded my mind that paying attention helps me catch mistakes, sometimes before I make them. Slows down time. Makes large projects easier to handle.
Then I wrote down the insights that tumbled out of the slowness.
Then, I slept.
In the morning, I shared this with trusted friends.
Then I reached out to my mentors.
Practiced procedures save lives. Pilots know this. Doctors know this.
And I want you to know this.
Because when the going gets tough, you need a plan that keeps you in the game.
Here’s mine:
- Acknowledge the pain. Name it plainly, like a five year old would.
- Surrender to the Divine. Meditate.
- Write – just for yourself. Not for public consumption.
- Seek out trusted mentors and doctors.
- Eat better – protein, vegetables, and good fat. Lots of water.
- Schedule a hike in the woods with a friend.
Need one on one support in creating your personal plan for getting through the rough times?
I have a few openings coming up in my naturopathic medicine and coaching practice in Berkeley.
If you’re interested in what an integrative, whole-person approach would look like for you, click this link to request a complimentary Happiness Assessment.
During your Happiness Assessment, we’ll talk about your life and health goals, and what’s holding you back from achieving them. We’ll explore your unique archetype for becoming deeply happy, and you’ll come away with a map that you can use to move forward on your healing path.
Sound good?
I look forward to speaking with you.
Shine your light,
Dr. Teray
Teray Garchitorena Kunishi, ND
Get in touch at http://www.deeplyhappy.com/contact/
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