It All Starts with You!
We all know “experts” who recommend laser like focus in many areas of life. Even I have often discussed how in order to look and feel good, eating healthy and exercise (building muscles) are focused habits that contribute to creating success. However, while strong focus and determination on the physical contribute to success, they do not guarantee it. We have also come to realize the importance of building emotional muscles. In fact, sometimes it is better to soften your focus so you can see what is in the periphery.
As has been discussed in prior blogs, balance is critical to the process. What is going on in the fringe of your life? If your mind goes to a negative or stressful situation, how do you keep your sanity? One way is to have high expectations for yourself, those you love and all others, while affording everyone wide margins for error. Combining the two sides of the scale allows the opposite factors to work together toward the best outcome for everyone and to help maintain “your” sanity. Balance!
Additional help is “building muscles” of all kinds that are ready to use in any situation. Just as pain lets you know where a physical muscle needs tweaking, tension and tightness lets you know when an emotional muscle needs a tweak. The physical muscles developed can assist in moving and maintaining a healthy body, while building emotional muscles can assist you in desired behaviors such as remaining calm in stressful moments. This of course starts with personal awareness.
So, how do you know if you have the muscle strength to deliver a desired outcome? Well, if you walk a mile and struggle to finish, you know you have some work to do. Then on the emotional side, if you want to remain calm in stressful situations and find yourself tense and overreacting, work on the emotional muscles could be helpful. As you practice in both areas, you are creating muscle memory, making the body brain connection stronger and ready when needed.
Most of us have favorite exercises. You want individual “go to’s” to match your desired beliefs and conditioned reactions. In emotional muscle building, there are many choices in positive “go to” wording and phrases. My all-time favorite phrase (or reminder in this case) for crazy stressful moments is, “I am always in the right place at the right time!”.
While shelter, self-inquiry, and self-therapy during the past month (it happened whether you realized it or not) has taught us to recognize some of our own patterns of thinking and being, only relationships can teach us about the ways we connect with others. The key is keeping your focus on how you communicate, react, and respond; noting when you feel comfortable expressing yourself freely and when you feel the need to be on guard. Resist the urge to make things perfect, keep going; you will build on what you have. The effort in building strong physical and emotional muscles will come in handy and reminds us that with consistent action in any direction, change is manageable.
Love to all,
Cindi
It All Starts with You!
