Moods. I know a lot about them. Here’s the bottom line: We do all have innate wellbeing and resilience — and in reality nothing can keep us down apart from our own thinking in the moment. BUT. It really doesn’t feel that way sometimes. In fact it can be a bit annoying when people say things like this when we are gripped in the experience of a low mood.
When we are buffeted by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune — when s**t goes down. It can feel like that feeling of ok-ness or wellbeing has gone away — and gone to stay.
It can feel like something is wrong with: other people, life, me. And it can feel real. And we can go down. Low.
I know. I really do. The past two years have been chilli-peppered with challenging life circumstances for us. Painful losses, deaths, uncertainties about the future, emotional upheavals — impending change and more losses. I could go into the details but in a way they don’t matter — it’s just life happening. Not what I hoped, expected or wanted — but you know, the stuff that knocks you down. Where you have a lot on your mind about it.
I think I’ve been getting a masterclass in ‘learning to dance on a shifting carpet’.
But you know what all that taught me? I also learned something — for sure. I have bounceback-ability — and so do you — we were ALL born with it. No matter what our circumstances are doing, what mood we are in or how we are feeling. I have learned so much in this last year about worry & feeling responsible. It is such an energy suck. And how much time I used to spend in that vortex.
Recently, I was so far from knowing what to do in a particular rather undesirable life circumstance — I had no choice but to let go. And be. I wondered if this was the lesson the universe had in mind for me?
I have really discovered worrying doesn’t make any difference and makes my experience crappy (and me so self-absorbed and shite for others to be with)
So I might as well let go, have faith and keep moving forward — and get in line with what the universe has in store — as somehow the universe always provides. It always has. It’s quite extraordinary how it does every time — even when it looks impossible (although not necessarily to my will or schedule)
I am proud of myself that this time — more often than not — I’ve just carried on and regularly found things to enjoy in the moment — little things — despite the easy and habitual temptation of letting my mind go to the various ‘disasters’ we have been navigating.
I have even found the capacity to dismiss negative thoughts without a second thought (hah) — such an interesting thing to reflect on — the power of letting go and letting ‘God’.
Quite a few sages have pointed me in this direction over the years — maybe this last experience was given to me to truly demonstrate that I can trust that I can. Control is overrated and totally illusory.
I know I am a traveller in my soul — and never happier than in the unknown and in the spontaneous moment of discovery — though in the day to day of life’s responsibilities that spirit seems quelled — I wonder if I could live even more of my life from that life traveller essence. From Inspired (in)action. From faith. From KNOWING that whatever happens it will be ok. Because ok-ness isn’t a function of what happens. It’s inside. It’s our true nature.
It’s so nice to feel and see and bathe in the beauty of the now, right now. And feel grateful.
It could seem that my gratitude is facilitated by the fact that today is going well because of X good thing (today it’s sunshine) and really I could be seduced into thinking it is — but you see — the truth is I have had X good thing (eg sunshine) — innumerable times and felt all sorts of crap moods. It’s always an inside job. Grateful that I can feel grateful this time.
Also interesting how different platitudes, cliches, sayings etc can come to have a deeper more visceral meaning when you have a personal, insightful and embodied experience of their truth.
‘Let go and let God, be in the now, control is an illusion, you are what you seek’
When we have the peace of acceptance/surrender available then gratitude is truly what is left. And gratitude is the access to joy — right now.
And enJOYment is the best game in town.
I’d also love to be a support to others in what I’ve been learning so you too can experience that resilience, wellbeing and enjoyment — no matter what’s going on for you — here’s how we could do that:
Are you a woman in business?
I am particularly interested in supporting other women to bring all their feminine gifts and be powerful in business.
Are you a leader?
Do you want to lead real change? Want to dive in and come up completely refreshed?
More info: www.leadershipwisdom.info
“ Life Changing” — Nicki Fisher Head of the Pret Foundation
Are you a manager interested in less stress and more wellbeing for your people?
Or would you like to have less stress and more wellbeing at work?
Check out our latest wisdom and wellbeing events for more Wellbeing at Work www.wisdomandwellbeing.co.uk
Got mental health challenges or want to help someone who does?
Check out my free interviews with the wonderful psychiatrist and Mental Health Pioneer — The Dr Bill Pettit Podcast series — there is only ONE Mental illness: Chronic mental stress https://soundcloud.com/user-880385600/sets/real-change-live-podcast
You will hear plenty of stories of hope for real change.