Written and posted by Jackie Olmstead, April 21, 2022 – What do you do? Because these times truly test you for when you’re either all out of balance yourself or your world around you is spinning super out of balance itself. And guess what? You need to grasp onto your own central point so that the winds, storms or people around you that are far from grounded will not thwart your own ability to function today. Yep and that’s it, just for today, because that is all we can grapple with.
Sometimes I find myself in those moments (like today) where I am using old stuff to get myself connected. Like scrolling through social media, checking email over and over, talking to people at work when I don’t have much to actually talk about, shopping when I don’t need to, driving on fast roads like freeways when I truly don’t feel like it’s the best path.
Today I had to just take the longer road home from one of my destinations so that I was sure of my “stepping”. I scheduled myself to do exercise that I would normally be doing anyway by blocking out the time on my calendar. It’s an all-encompassing inner search for what can help me get my shit together (“get grounded” everyone says, but I like to throw in swear words to keep it real for myself, somehow grounding doesn’t have the potency that getting my shit together has).
The main thing is stopping in your tracks. Can you do that today? For real, sometimes it’s going into the bathroom (wherever you are) and looking at yourself in the mirror and saying out loud, “what can I do right now to help me get my shit together?” and say out loud what you “hear” if you do hear or see anything in your brain. I know you have the ability to sense what’s the best thing for you right now.
You can ask yourself some pointed questions like, “What would someone who has all their shit together do right now in my situation?” or “What would someone who really loves themselves do right now?” (a la Teal Swan’s teachings, have you read her book?)
What about “What could I do right now to get myself out of this funky wonkiness?” and really listen. I think that sometimes just taking this time to talk to yourself alone can help remember what you need to do.
Do you need to drink water? I forgot my water bottle today when I left the house… I live in Phoenix, Arizona, so it’s not a good thing to do (especially when it’s over 90 degrees). So one thing I did when I got home was to find that said water bottle, fill it out and begin drinking some water. By the way, in case you didn’t know, your body doesn’t just absorb all the water at once (sounds silly I know but I think inside we often think that things process fast like our brains think they should.)
Me writing today was one of the things I had to do for myself. I feel disconnected when I am not writing to and for you out there. My guides and my internal higher self (or however you need to define your divinity) need to speak through me and also help me on my own path and if I’m not writing, I am more disconnected to them.
The world is totally wonky right now, I know that you know. And so, seeing that we have this “condition” and in this very moment we cannot change it, we have got to get our shit together one day at a time.
What’s it going to take for you, my friend, to find your groove? Get your head back on? Be the mom you are needing to be in this moment instead of the inner 6 year old who is annoyed because the day didn’t go like you wanted it to? Hmmmm? I know you know. You’ve got to because in case you don’t then let’s get a list going here of ideas!
Ideas to help get your head screwed back on:
- Take several long deep breaths in and out. Do that off and on for the rest of the day.
- Drink good quality, filtered water slowly and all throughout the rest of your day.
- Have some herbal tea and take your time sipping it (no gulping!).
- Go exercise. Walk, lift weights, ride your bike, stretch, use that foam roller you have stashed away, do some yoga moves (search online videos if you need to).
- Sit somewhere in your home where you don’t normally sit and look around and look for something that you never noticed before and ponder that.
- Go to your room. (LOL) Read, no internet please when you do that. Give yourself a time out. Remember when our parents did that for us? Do that to yourself, make yourself go to a safer calm area of your home.
- Take a bath or long shower.
- Go for a scenic drive (no freeways if possible) and come back home after you feel a shift.
- Listen to some quiet music (and that’s all.)
- Meditate if you have patience at the moment for it. This is for when you can be more calm and sit still. If you’re already doing meditation, do another session. You know how and if you don’t actually, then talk to me down in the comments below and I’ll guide you to be able to. You might want to listen to my podcasts where I do short guided meditations (Apple, Google, Spotify, Anchor).
- Spend time with your pets if you have any. Remember how you used to play with them a lot when they were babies (if you had them then)? If you don’t have pets, do you have any potted plants or a garden outside or anything from the Earth you can devote a little attention to? If you don’t have any of that, what about…. Try #12.
- What’s YOUR way? Do what you know that you know separates out the stuff of the world and you are able to compartmentalize your own world into a manageable bite size thing. What can you do? How about pick a spot on the floor in your home and lay down with arms and legs all outstretched (if you can) and stare at your ceiling and just BREATHE.
Tell me how it goes today. I gathered up my shit today and feel much better. Now when I encounter more people or news or other SCHTUFF it won’t knock me off of my balanced space. I appreciate you all out there for what you’re going through. Tell me what you did today if you needed it to gather up yourself and be with yourself and love on yourself. Did you do it?
Namaste. Peace to you, my friends!
Earth Momma
