So I ask you, “What creates this space for YOU in your life? Do you already know? Or are you curious about what might create this space that naturally leads you to guidance and relief from anxiety without having to work so hard to get there?”.
Guess whaaaat? Our trampoline is back in business after it’s wild, stormy adventure up a tree about 5-weeks into COVID! (If you missed the prior pics of its crazy travel up a tree, check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=718461212225991&set=pcb.718461475559298&type=1&theater.)
And do you know what trampolining can do for stress and anxiety? A LOT!
You know why? Because it gives the ole noggin a big, fat break!
Have you ever noticed how incredibly busy your mind gets when the volume of your anxiety or stress gets turned up? For most, this is when the mind starts spinning with worry, future tripping, and relentless searches for how to fix the uncomfortable situation or feeling you find yourself in.
I’ll bet you know this place.
And have you ever noticed that the more your mind spins, the worse you feel and the more complicated your experience feels? Yeah, I know, too.
As much as it can annoy me when my mind kicks into this mode, I always remember that it’s well-intentioned, as it’s simply trying to help me find relief. It just doesn’t realize it’s choosing the harder way to get there.
Our tough situations and emotions need space to breathe. This allows solutions to show up and relief to slip in with more ease and less work. The spinning mind tends to create the opposite, which ends up pinning those very feelings in place.
I’ve often thought of this during COVIDtime when I’ve been home with my kids AND trying to get work done. The more I try to work in their presence, the more they want to be with me. They sit against me on the couch. They climb on my lap at the desk. They sing to me. They chat at me. They fight with me or each other. They’ve even followed me into the bathroom and eagerly stood in the tiny crevice between the wall and the toilet to be near me! (We’ve put a stop to this. I mean, my God, a mom has GOT to have a break for the loo!!)
The harder I try to work, the more they want to be with me, and the less work I get done. And my mind only feels more stressed and anxious as I try to think in the middle of so much spinning, busy energy.
That’s metaphorically what happens when the mind tries to come to the rescue when you’re stressed, too. You suddenly have so many thoughts bombarding you and distracting you. It makes it hard to sift through it all and detect possible solutions with ease, right?
But things change when we create space. When I carve out time to do work at home in a way that eliminates interruptions from my kids, I feel space to create and work with more ease.
When we find ways to create space in our minds, this, too, makes room for more clarity and relief to slide in.
This is why I love trampolining. It’s very hard to maintain a spinning mind while you are flailing your body up and down in the air! And this gives my stressed brain a break every time.
Do you know what else can do this? Jogging. Exercising. Gardening. Writing in a journal (because it gets the busy thoughts out, which creates space). Dancing. Riding a bike. Swimming. Playing with kids (but NOT while you are trying to work!!). Arting, as my kids call it. The list goes on…
And do you know what you’re left with when you finish one of these activities? More inner space. And this space means you feel less gripped by whatever uncomfortable feelings or situations are present. It means there’s more room for your Higher Power, God, the Universe, Divine Intelligence, Allah, etc to more easily slip guidance into your awareness about the next steps that would be helpful to you.
So I ask you, “What creates this space for you in YOUR life? Do you already know? Or perhaps you’re curious about what might create this space for you? Maybe you’re looking for ways to more easily find guidance and relief from the grip of your anxiety and stress? What if creating this space allows you to do this without you and your mind having to work so hard to get there?”.
If you are already a fellow trampoliner, I’d love to hear! Sharing photo evidence will earn you extra points! 😊 If you already have other activities that create this kind of space for you, share them with us! It will help others, too. And if you’re just embarking on your journey to find what gives your mind a big, fat break, tell us about that, too. ❤️
P.S. If you’re ready to find an easier way to turn down the volume on your anxiety and stress without depending on your spinning mind to figure out all the answers, click here to schedule a free call with me and find out more. 😍
P.P.S. If you’ve been enjoying my weekly blogs and are itching for more daily inspiration, friend me on Facebook (Emily Colwell) or follow me on Instagram (dr.emily_colwell). I post frequently and humor leaks into most of my posts!
Warmly,
Emily Colwell, MSSW, ND
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