3 Things to do when you've lost steam

I know that there's a bunch of you out there hanging on by your fingernails and/or struggling to get a grip on something slippery - I feel you!  

If you've lost steam and wondering "what the....?" here's a little pick-me-up.  

1. Look after your essentials

These are the things you need to sustain life, in order of how long you can last without it.

Review the list and tend to your essentials.  After all - dying slowly from dehydration isn't sexy at all!

Air - okay I know, you're breathing.  Just consider this: Stress causes breathing to be rapid, high, short and shallow.  Breathing rapid, high, short and shallow sends the body into a stress state.  How long has it been since you did some slow, low, deep breathing?  

Water - you might like chugging diuretics (think coffee) and flirt with dehydration by not drinking enough of the right stuff.  But everything works better when you have enough water in it - you can't make steam without water!

Sleep - it takes only 11 days without sleep before the brain "breaks".  It takes much less time to come across as unhinged. There is no such thing as "catching up" on sleep - only returning to a healthy state of rest.  

Food - If you don't know what to eat, try something wholesome.  A simple orange.  Something from the garden.  Ditch the junk and bring it back to basics with uncomplicated food.

Shelter / Environment - is it safe?  Does it nurture you?  Does it let you spread your wings to fly...? Your "things" have energy: That pile of unread magazines on the stairs. The swampy mix of clean and dirty clothes covering your floor. The stack of unopened mail littering the kitchen bench. Free yourself of the burden of bad feng shui and get your stuff in order. Even just one corner. Water the plant. Wipe the surfaces. Throw out the rubbish.

Connection - this one can be tricky, especially if you live alone or you get anxiety.  Remember though, that pets give valuable connection and there are so many ways to find people who might be your cuppa tea.  What I know, is that social anxiety doesn't get better when you live like a crayfish in your hidey-hole. Online forums can be a less-scary way to connect with people.

Passion / Creative Expression - last on the list but it's still on the list, which means a life without passion or creative expression will lead to virtual pruning of your soul.  How do you make steam?  Water & FIRE. Neuroscience tells us that just being in nature is a form of creativity, so there's no excuse.

2. Reframe the situation that's demanding your resources.

Demanding situations can feel unrelenting, which can become a slippery slope bringing feelings of resentment, entrapment and doom... But what if you were to choose radical ownership of your situation all over again?  What would happen if you listed all the good things about the situation?

These types of activities are all ways that you can choose another way - a better feeling way - that you look at a situation.  It might not change the situation itself, rather the way you experience it.  Once you're in a better state of mind, you might find that you have better ideas and that the things you need to do are a little (or a lot) less of a drag.  

3. Fill yourself up - The natural law, is for you to look after yourself FIRST. That is, before anyone else. Why? Because you're no good to anybody if you're stretched so thin. Repeat after me: "I am enough".  Now repeat it ten more times to yourself.  You can't give what you don't have.  Whether it's something that's outside your current skillset, or that the demand is greater than what you can provide, these challenges will always stretch you further.  A stretch can be good but if you're running out of steam, maybe pause for a beat to feel gratitude for the progress you've already made.  The "you" of a little while ago would probably be amazed at how you're going now!

HERE'S THE SQUEEZE

No circumstance or situation can last forever - that's the impermanent nature of all things.  If you're wondering "how much longer", remember that eventually something will change.  

In the meantime, let off some of the pressure and use the moment to give yourself the caring that you need, want and deserve.

Arohanui / much love to you,