I fell into a discouragement sinkhole, filled with quicksand. I was tra-la-ing along through my weekend and BOOM, before I knew it I was awash in a deep pool of discouragement.
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I am one of those eyes wide open sort of people. I may take a news fast for a morning or an evening. But to go a full day or intentionally avoiding the news doesn’t feel like self-care to me. It feels like avoidance. No judgment, you do you.
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I avoided reading about Kenosha and Portland for a while. Just glancing at the headlines, I wasn’t looking where I was going and then it hit me as I scrolled Twitter. Threads of despair and discouragement unraveled before my eyes and pulled me in. Discouragement and despair are real even if I spend a few bits of time pretending otherwise.
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Discouragement is so sticky. It doesn’t readily respond to putting on a happy face and pretense. It can start to feel like quicksand. And if you journey with a mood disorder or are in the midst of grief, that quicksand can suck you in quick.
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I gave myself some time with it. I even announced, “I’m pissy and discouraged and I’m just going to be that way for a minute. Ok, maybe five.”
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Several hours later, I realized, I’d lost some precious time. My normal time for practice is in the morning. This didn’t feel like it could wait. So I gathered myself and sat down to my personal embodiment practice.
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Feeling the discouragement, I asked, “what would I rather feel?” Some part of me responded, optimistic. Discouragement just laughed. Who knew discouragement could laugh?
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I asked myself, “what is the opposite of discouraged?” I immediately felt the force of determined. Perfect. Alternately diving into the deep pools of discouragement and determination gave the grace and strength I need to move through these challenging times with a bit more ease. It got me out the quicksand.
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For those inquiring minds, I used Pair a Day. Other options include Deep PEAT 4, Universal Process, and even End of Words. You can find the instructions for End of Words here: www.tinyurl.com/aaiteow
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Being able to restore our own state is one of the most satisfying aspects of AAIT. Of course, we want to help our clients, but what if we knew how to keep ourselves in an easeful state of being even in challenging times?
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What difference would that make to our friends and family?
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What difference would that make to our clients?
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Register now for AAIT Foundations. Invite a friend to join you. It’s much more fun to learn with a friend.
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Foundations is just around the corner and can give you what you need to meet these challenging times with grace and strength while helping your clients do the same. 22.5 CEUs.
