Posted on January 22, 2020 by dragonspitapothecary
There is no doubt that 2020 will come with some storms. Those storms will beat against our windows and thunder over our roofs. The skies will grow dark and you will feel the pressure building. It will feel wild and powerful, demanding our attention, response and strength. It will feel as though that storm is here to stay. Yes 2020 will have it’s fair share of storms we will need to seek shelter from.
Like the storms of nature there will be storms in our lives that will threaten to overcome us. They will stir up things once settled, beat against our will and test our endurance. These storms will wear us down, make it feel we are breaking down and push against our faces with their strong winds. We will become weathered by these storms and shaped by their experiences. They will one day be memories that once form our courage and eventually carved out our strength that we once didn’t believe we possessed.
We all know the feelings of these storms in our lives. We all know how overwhelming, exhausting and frightening they can be. We too also know the victory of what it is like to walk on the other side of the storm, battle worn and tired yet newly strengthened, accomplished and surviving. We pray for the good times to last but know all good things must end as life is ever changing and those changes can mean storms are on the horizon. So we adorn ourselves with the armor of our skills like courage, strength, endurance and determination and prepare.
Life Storm Preparations
When you live more natural you become more alert and aware of the changes in nature. You see changes as a fact of life and adapt to a flow that makes them easier to absorb and support in our very own lives. We don’t necessarily feel more in control per se but we can perceive the finickiness of life and be ready for response when needed. We also can hone our skills to better prepare for future storms and build the right types of barriers to better protect ourselves next time. Sometimes these skills are healthy and sometimes they are battle wounds that resist healing and harden us.
As you think about how to prepare for the storms that will come in your life I’m sure you know the areas they are most likely to occur. Perhaps this year it will be a hard hit to your family’s finances through a job loss or increase in expenses. Maybe it will be a health scare or other unforeseen change that needs our response and reaction. Or maybe it will be relationship challenges in our family, friends or community that threaten to detach us. All of these types of storms have physical, emotional and spiritual impacts to us and can influence how we respond, react and overcome these challenges.
Physical Responses
In all things that happen in our life there will be physical responses in our body that occur. Our blood pressure and heart beat will quicken, our pulse will increase, we will feel warm and highly alert. We will feel tingles in our gut letting us know instinctively what to do. Our minds will process different scenarios to help predict outcomes. There will be an energy that overtakes us in moving through motions in response. We will feel tired but able to keep moving in an almost trance of urgency, need and reaction.
There will be physical responses we feel and others we don’t. For instance we may feel flush from increases in our pulse but not realize our blood pressure is increasing. We may notice our stomach being upset fro the stress of the moment but not immediately notice the rampant thoughts swirling in our head. All of these responses trigger deeply in our body and long term can start to wear down our body’s protective barriers like immunity, skin and digestive systems. Here’s some ways that looks like on your body:
You start to notice feeling like you’re coming down with a cold or sinus infection
You have recurring colds or infections
Skin breakouts “for no reason” or “out of the blue”
Upset stomach
Diarrhea
Indigestion
Heartburn
Cramping
Too often we can miss key messages of these symptoms for what our body is really trying to tell us. Is is really a virus just being passed about the office or is it the result of our immune system being weakened from chronic stress? Is our face breaking out because of that sugary dessert we had or is it because we are eating lots of sugar as an emotional protection from hurtful situations? Your body is telling you what it needs and where systems are weakened.
Supporting our physical needs year-round is important so we are at our best level of protection when storms of stress, pain, emotions and situations arise. Natural support protection includes reducing toxic exposures and preservatives in our foods and environment and building our natural defenses through diet, exercise and sleep.
Emotional Responses
Our emotions are complex feelings that can trigger physical and spiritual responses. Our emotions also influence our mind’s thoughts. Feelings can compound especially in stressful situations to make us feel overwhelmed too. It can be extremely hard to sort out feelings to get down to the root of the matter and left unaddressed can lead to more determintal conditions like depression and anxiety.
Our emotions are constantly changing and influencing our well-being and health. Managing our emotions can be challenging when we are in stressful situations and reacting to what is occurring. Rather than wait for these stressful situations to wreck havoc on our emotions I highly recommend daily support. This means intentionally making time to check in to how we feel and making sure our body has what it needs to respond and protect us physically and emotionally.
How this looks is taking care of ourselves regularly through good healthy foods, adequate sleep, moderate exercise and self-care. Keep in mind self-care is not just pampering spa appointments either but rather it is intentionally taking time to honor what your body and heart need. That could be taking a nap, learning to meditate, journaling or learning a new skill. Supporting your body and mind with healthy elements gives us the clarity to deal with complex feelings and emotions that come up in life storms.
So while the storms of our lives may seem like it is a crashing wave after crashing wave sensation that won’t ever let up we can stand stronger, more confidently and assured we are protected. We can navigate these storms successfully and perhaps even less the brutality we feel when they come directly at us. To get what I use to help in preparing and protecting myself against life’s storms, simply click here: dragonspitapothecary.com/lifes-storms
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