Recently, I had an interaction with another person that rattled me and left my nervous system feeling shaken. I calmed and centered myself afterwards but a shakiness and depressive feelings kept returning. I noticed that I had added another piece – feeling disappointed in myself for not recovering quicker. It seemed that my mind was gathering more reasons to feel sad. It was time for some self compassion.
There are parts of ourselves that don’t care so much about being powerful and managing our energy to achieve great things in the world.
These parts of us just want to feel safe and loved. Especially when our nervous system is jangled.
I put on some soft piano music by Peter Kater – an old favorite aptly named Compassion. I laid out my yoga mat and did the child’s pose. I luxuriated in soothing deep breaths and felt relaxation entering deep inside me.
Slowing down and giving yourself plenty of space to unwind and feel good is a self compassionate way to be with yourself in times of stress and overwhelm. My heart felt open and peaceful after my brief time stretching out on the mat.
When I got up, I felt a genuine desire to follow through with my intentions for the rest of the day. I felt waves of spontaneous gratitude that I was able to stretch out my body in such a nurturing way.
Even if you’re in a public place or at work, you can still slow down and give yourself some space for self compassion. Take a break, do some slow stretches, or go for a walk where you focus on appreciating what you see around you.
Above all, give yourself a break from expecting yourself or life to be a certain way. Embrace what is and be kind to yourself.
Just as people appreciate kindness, your heart and soul also appreciates kindness from you! When you release self judgement and expectations, and take the time to soothe and be kind to yourself, your passion will reignite. You will feel refreshed and re-empowered to guide yourself and your mind through anything that life throws at you as you keep creating your dream life.
Nicola Walker has been an inner freedom coach and hypnotherapist for over 20 years, and is the creator of The Ease Experiment. Nicola supports people to navigate transitions and follow their calling — consciously creating their dream career and life with ease and joy. Her transformational approach combines strengthening mindset, empowerment and inner guidance.
She is the author of the forthcoming book, Joy in the Middle of the Mess: An Evolutionary Adventure on the Quest for Success. One of her greatest joys is to walk and hike in the hills and along the beautiful California beaches, near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.
