[ Hey there! If you stumbled upon this uber-awesome list, may I suggest that you mosey on over to Part I and Part II and read those first? Remember, check back often to see what’s been added to this post. And keep an eye out for The Phoenix Forum,where I will be offering up interviews, articles and videos to inspire + inform your unshakable soul! ]
Part III of The Collapse of Your Economy (wherein I share with you a big ol’ long list in no particular order of importance):
Sleep – Well, actually there’s a reason this is first on the list. This is imperative. Study after study, year after year, speaks to how crucial a well-rested mind, brain and body are. This is number one for helping your body to renew and recharge during stressful times. (Not to mention dreams are a powerful way to unlock what you really need deep within. Your body and mind have an uncanny knack for sending vital messages about your well being through your dreams.)
Nutrition – Watch what you’re eating. Stuffing yourself full of processed, sugar-laden or ‘white’ foods (think white breads, crackers, flour, etc) is contributing to the overload and stress in your body, and can greatly contribute to fatigue and depression as well as lowering your immune system. Especially for those of you who may be depression-prone (you know who you are, and I salute you, having been tempered in the fires of depression m’self), this is crucial. Get away from anyone who tells you there is one true and best way to eat. The diet that is best for you has to do with heritage, genetics, and a host of factors. One key aspect many agree on, however, is organic whole foods. We live in a time with unprecedented levels of chemicals, GMO’s, sugars, soys and other unnecessary additives and inflammatories in our food. Pay attention to what you put into your body.
Speaking of food: how’s your tummy, pardner? Look into probiotics, but also consider digestive bitters or other forms of support for your digestive system. When we are stressed, our body tends to go into flight or flight mode, which means our digestive juices stop producing temporarily as the body prepares to run from the outlaws on the Rio Grande. When this happens chronically, we begin to see signs that we are not digesting well, and therefore we are not getting the nutrients we need from the food we do eat (even though now you’re eating a great diet filled with wonderful organic, whole foods, yes?), as well as then accumulating waste in the body (‘dirty blood’), which makes us lethargic, depressed and compromises our immune system even more.
Herbal medicinals and supplements – Herbs are a wonderful, natural, synergistic way to support your well-being during difficult times (yes, as an herbalist, I am utterly and completely biased). A common issue when under chronic stress is adrenal fatigue (AKA adrenal ‘burn out’. This link takes you to a handy test, focused for women but will still convey symptoms, etc.) that can cascade into a host of other issues in the body, supporting the perfect environment for diseases such as cancer and immune disorders. During chronic stress, consider using adrenal support such as tinctures and supplements. Look for herbs which are adrenal adaptogens, and yes, I’ll be sharing a lot of info around this as well, so check back weekly. As a side note, please be mindful when choosing your herbal info. Herbs can be gentle, but also are powerful — it is best to seek the advice of a trained herbalist who can help you assess your constitution and needs.
Gatekeeping – Be fierce about what and who you let into your mind and heart. The buck stops with you. When we are stressed that little inner primal child starts looking for someone to stop the ride so we can get off (and I mean that in many colorful ways, my friend: how do you numb and hide?). No one will stop the ride for you. YOU are in control.
Limit what you read that is negative and enforces doom n’gloom at the OK corral. Don’t hide your head in the sand, you need to know what is up with the game in order to change the rules (remember, if I’m anything I’m a realist). But don’t fester and feed on it. Give yourself only 3x a week you will have 15 minutes to check up on world news. Stick to it. Set a timer and get up and walk away. Counter balance every ‘news session’ with an article or book that speaks to fostering a positive mindset: try Gay Hendricks or Richard Moss, two of my favs. If someone is constantly critical and negative, step aside and let them get on with their Bad Self. Family member or co-worker you can’t get away from? You’ll need to be creative and commit to seeing them as a powerful teacher + gift. What can you learn from them? (Powerful medicine, that.)
Meditation – Create space. Wha? Yes, space. When you’re in the trenches the ego folds in on itself and the mind begins to follow, making things cramped and freakin’ grumpy. Meditation not only is proven to lower blood pressure and offer a host of benefits to the body physically, it literally creates space in the heart and mind. So you can see beyond the trenches, compadre. (And, yes, I will be sharing some awesome meditations for this as well!). Even our hero, Clint Eastwood knows the benefits.
Mindfulness – This arguably could be first on the list, or the Dark Sparkly Horse of Wonder, the turtle that wins the race. I include quite a few things under this heading such as attitude, accountability, mindset, perspective, presence, being here now. In the now, you can respond and not react when there is so much indecision tempting You. Not feeling it? Fake it til you make it, my friend. You’re perspective, coupled with accountability, is IMPERATIVE.
I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it’s going to rain, it will. – Clint Eastwood
Don’t think you create your world through your thoughts and words? Have I got a story for you…but first, watch the videos below. (And here’s a little hint: this is the most important tool for makin’ lemons into lemonade. I’ve just given you the keys to the castle, where the Cosmic Goodness Par-tay is going on all day, all night!). Also, about control: when you are struggling to control events around you, you begin to see the world as happening to you, instead of being a responsive agent in your own creation… . I know this sounds woo-woo at first blush, but seriously, this is a Big Deal and I want you to GET IT. When you are struggling to control, you are not in a mode of flow, and that’s when things get stuck and go South.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCmGjD9j9bU&feature=related
Refuge – what do you escape in? Buddhists have a core belief that deeply informs every aspect of their perspective and actions: taking refuge. No, I’m not saying you have to seek refuge with the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (unless that speaks to you), but that unshakable belief, that channels into informed action of taking refuge is a powerful and transformational one. Where do you seek refuge, with whom? And is it .. or are they worthy?
Energy Level –Your vibration, y’all. Yeah, I’m talking Kung Fu Woo. You are an energy system, whether you see it from the mystical lens of Woo or from the Dr’s observation through the EKG (did you know that your heart can communicate with the brain of others? Wild, I know). Stress deeply depletes our energy resources. Raise energy every day, and ground it out. Not sure how that looks or even what I mean? No worries, we’re going to cover that as well.
Fitness – Whatever this looks like for you, from that running that 5k marathon to jazzercise, yoga or hiking, get moving. Raise those endorphins, keep your body and heart supple and primed for life. At lease 20 minutes of every day, do your body and soul a favor and give it some lovin’. The opportunities are endless: walk up the stairs, take a hike, ride a bike, do some sit-ups, or even better… run and play with your kids!
Creation – How do you long to express yourself? How do you feed your soul; what makes you dance inside or whistle a happy tune? Painting? Reading? Hiking? Writing? (And no, sitting in front of the computer for hours on end does not count. Don’t poke the Honey Badger!). Check out artist and coach Whitney Ferre’s wonderful efforts to inspire + support your creative side.
Alternative/Holistic Healing – More than ever, people are finding that modern allopathatic medicine alone is not able to answer what ails them. Don’t get me wrong – if you break a leg, you need a Doc to fix it. But more and more, the tried and true methods of reaching and maintaining a state of dynamic well-being is being found through alternative methods and/or in tandem with Western medicine. Look for answers through a holistic framework, which addresses the mind, body + soul. There are wonderful healers out there and we are dedicated to being of service to you!
There is a reason that many traditional forms of healing are having a renaissance – because they are time-tested in many cases of hundreds of years, and they work. Ancient medicine is still, and always will be, for the modern soul! (Heads up: Check back soon for The Phoenix Forum here at unshakable soul, which will provide all kinds of interviews and videos so you can see for yourself just how Reiki works, how to create a Dream Archetype vision board, why you may want to try out the Lifeline technique or why shamanic healing may be exactly what you did not know you need!).
Encouragement – Friends and family can be a huge boon in this case. Sometimes, they can also be struggling just as much as you, or invested subconsciously in maintaining that view from the trenches. Only you can answer that for yourself, and that speaks yet again to stepping aside, to gatekeeping — but if you find resources low in this department with friends and family, there is a secret cache of books and videos hidden everywhere (it’s called the internet)! I’ll be sharing lots of my favorites in a separate post. And there are always coaches and mentors…
Coaches and Mentors – Yup; there are spiritual confidantes + mentors (yes, such as myself), and there are wonderful life coaches out there as well. A mentor or coach is invested in your Highest Potential. This is not a time to be the lone wolf. We need each other in hard times and to share good times; it’s smart, resourceful and empowering to connect with others who have gone up the road ahead. They know where the snakes hide out and may see the ambush long before you do, compadre.
You and I know that money is a challenge and that stuff costs money, including a good coach. But the difference between Courage and Failure is the person who doesn’t just say “…can’t do it, no money” but starts to look at all the benefits and offers out there that can help, support and inspire until you CAN afford it (by the by, don’t let “I have no money” be an excuse. Easiest trap in the world to keep you stuck in the trenches. Don’t fall for it! Did I hit a nerve? Yeah, it hits mine, too. I’m not being flip, and we’ll dig into the saddlebag on this topic a lot… listen, my husband tells me all the time “I can’t hear your silent screams.” In other words, cowboy (or girl): ask for help!).
Back to the point, here: there are many coaches who offer up fantastic FREE advice on a regular basis (just like what you’re reading, right now). Take advantage of that. Comment to them in the posts and see what personal advice you may get. Take advantage of their complimentary consults! REACH OUT and grab whatever you can. This gets motion and flow into your life, sending out a clear message in a bottle to the Universe that you are able and willing to receive abundance in your life, and that can’t hurt on your journey out of the trenches.
And last but not least: SEX. The first round of this article neglected what is reallly a crucial element to any healthy, balanced life (!? Apparently I was getting more than enough when I wrote it, so it wasn’t on my mind!). Look — ever have a friend who was just downright a bummer to be around, in general a real cranky pants, frustrated as hell? And you found yourself thinking “Geeez, they need to get laid!” Don’t be the Cranky Pants.
Sex in it’s shadow form is not what I’m advocating here (when you wake up next to someone and wonder with deep regret how you got there, for instance? Not good. not serving your Highest Potential, my friend). But sex in it’s highest form is both self-love and a mutual sharing of Love: the creation of joy + goodness, possibility + potential. When done right, it can carry many of the elements above, all rolled into one: fitness, meditation, mindfulness, creation (or creativity ;>), even refuge. It is one of, if not THE most valuable and powerful forms of raising energy known in Nature. And it’s literally right at your fingertips. Why not harness that?
Single? So what — you know where I’m headed with that, right? When we adore ourselves our cup runneth over and we adore others. And when there is more adoring and love in the air, the world goes ’round with a smile on it’s face. And you may just find all the previous elements on this list that much easier to embrace when you have released some of that tension there, compadre.
Listen up: none of this works, not one wee bit of it, if you don’t step up and take the reins of your life. It really is up to You.
Remember: You can if You will.
UPDATES:
Here’s an excellent article on fear + money, from Terri Cole. What is the blueprint you bought into?
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Whew! That was a lot to cover, and we’ve barely called the cows home. I’m headin’ over to the campfire here to rest and recover, maybe share some wild tales with my compadres. So step up and speak out in the comments below: What kind of lemons are coming at you? What would you add to the above list? What are you needing for tools + encouragement? Got a question for me? Have at it!
Check back next week: for updated links and info, and we’ll talk about the CORE 4 that you need to keep on keepin’ on.
Are you looking to saddle up and ride into the sunrise of your life, to cultivate your unshakable soul during unstable times? Are you feeling stuck in the trenches, find yourself living through the same lessons over and over and wondering what the heck? I can help with that. Set up a complimentary A Wake Up call today. We’ll talk about what’s most pressing in your life right now — where you are and where you want to BE.
