We hope you are well! So far this month we’ve already had some beautiful experiences outside, from walking in the parks with our Walking the Healing Path participants, to holding warm conversations with community members at Canopy Conversations. We hope you’ll brave the heat and mugginess and join us!
These experiences were needed as a balance, as we’ve also been living through some very chaotic times. Needing to know breaking news, making ourselves even more busy, or resisting taking time for restoration can be related to burnout. It is so important to find the balance between being informed and also knowing what information may bring back trauma cues in ourselves. Know that we are here to help with finding that balance.
Sometimes when we attempt to dull down all our unpleasant or painful emotions, we can create a sense of numbness that can close us off from positive vulnerability and connection. How do we protect ourselves in healthy ways while also being open to all the joy that we can receive?
We can bring a sense of mindfulness to our feelings, becoming aware of any painful emotions we are holding, and allow them to exist with less judgement and fear. It can be the thoughts that accompany the emotions that are harder than the emotions themselves. Invite in things that make you feel while noticing and letting go of thoughts around the feelings. What could you say to reassure yourself that you will not always feel this emotion with the same intensity and urgency?
Another thing we can do to help access our vulnerability is to connect with other people. Building community, growing relationships, and sharing our struggles and celebrations with others reminds us that the pain we carry doesn’t need to be carried alone, and that we can heal in community, rather than building walls around our hearts.
Finally, we hope you give yourselves permission to “check out” sometimes from certain activities without guilt. Obsessively watching the news, working to the point of exhaustion, or never taking restorative time for ourselves can leave us feeling both raw and disconnected at the same time. Taking a break from the things that trigger our distress or leave us feeling drained is essential in all our lives.
Of course, remaining open to all the good in the world and taking care of ourselves always sounds easier than it truly is! We hope that this month you take the next small steps to rejuvenate, bring mindfulness to your sorrow and to your joy, and connect with others. We will be there every step of the way with you.
As always, please visit, reach out, or connect with us anytime.
