| How do you handle the emotional pains of life? No one escapes them! I’d be outright lying to you if I said I haven’t been experiencing some really super tough emotions during May. I had some giant KICK IN THE GUT EXPERIENCES 😭 recently that once would have taken me into a flurry of very unhelpful self remedies and spiraling unconscious coping patterns. A past version of me would have automatically RACED around like crazy. I would have been unconsciously trying my best to FIX EVERYONE ELSES PROBLEMS, saying YES way too much, my head spinning while trying to CONTROL LIFE because I would have felt so OUT OF CONTROL on the inside. I would have turned my difficulties into MASSIVE DRAMAS and been so unkind to myself, creating more pain around me, beating myself with harsh criticism and judgements. My life would have been a LIVING HELL! My month of May would have been one long MAYDAY which could have easily taken me into a deep dark hole! Pain is our greatest teacher. Back then, I coped with difficulties very differently and had no idea how much I was stuck in auto pilot! Those old patterns of coping were running my life and I was simply too stressed out to notice! Sure, I had good days and bad days, highs and lows, but my lived experience was way different! The highs felt brilliant and I had great times. In this auto-racy state I would accomplish things, and life went on. I was working and hitting goals. But when I hit the down times I felt helpless and depressed, then ashamed, guilty and pathetic. Deep down I thought there was something wrong with me. I was unaware of how much I was actually nurturing this cycle and feeding an optional pattern that was keeping me stuck. Keeping me small and in a state of suffering. “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters” – commonly attributed to Epictetus These days I handle my difficulties very differently and I look for the lessons I can learn and what life is showing me. I actively choose responses that support my wellbeing. I practice what works for me and I am better equipped to welcome life rather than push against it. WHAT CHANGED you might be asking? In a nutshell, the biggest shift has been the continued growth in conscious awareness and learning to love myself, rather than pushing parts of me away (and I show people how to do this through the group work at CAHC). My old style of managing life is super common. Most people are caught on a hamster wheel of automatic thinking, unconscious responses and knee jerk reactions to pain and difficulties, amplifying suffering and drama. While our lives will continue to be painful and difficult at times, we can respond differently. I am here to tell you there is another way and I can teach you this experientially through the group work I offer.  All the groups I run at the Ceremonial Art Healing Centre are designed to nurture and expand conscious awareness and healing. Through the creative process we can grow in self awareness, gain new perspectives and alchemize emotional pain. The work is gentle and safe while being potent and deeply transformational (no art experience is required). Joining a group can feel daunting at first, but coming together with like minded people in this way can be life changing. BACK TO ME FOR A MOMENT! Yes, last month had plenty of really tough moments for me, but I was reminded that change is constant. Yes, I curled up in the fetal position and bawled, but the tears helped me to process the pain. Yes, I screamed and felt so many deeply painful emotions, but I didn’t avoid he pain. Yes I had some REALLY TOUGH days…….BUT I didn’t get stuck back inside of that HAMSTER WHEEL for hours, days or weeks. I created space between me and the overwhelm. I was able to make clear decisions. I experienced inner peace. I didn’t become the frantic pace of the fear, I didn’t get lost in the heaviness of it all. I was able to love myself and harness my mind in such a way that supported my wellbeing. I was able to hold joy and pain at the same time. These skills are teachable and I can guide you. My hand is outstretched. If you are reaching out for help, here I am. |
