Calm at the center of the storm

Sometimes life has a comfortable familiar rhythm day in and day out that's easy to follow. Other times when big life changes are happening like the birth of a new baby, a move, an illness, the loss of a loved one or a job, or even starting your own business, the natural rhythm that sustains you can get lost. What do you do when that happens?

Do you float adrift in a stormy sea of changes or do you become the calm at the center of the storm?

For years, I was that person on a lifeboat in the middle of the storm trying not to drown and to just hang on until the storm finally passed. Each big life change felt like a force outside my control, and I felt like a victim of circumstance. Sometimes I could make the best of the situations, but often I complained, grumbled and resisted the changes the whole time.

Eventually though, I realized that there was another way to get through big life changes that was more empowering.

Instead of losing the rhythm of my self-care routines to the chaos of change - I made this my priority.

It was counterintuitive at first - how do you keep up with self-care habits like yoga, meditation, and exercise while you're tending to a newborn, sleeping on someone's couch, at the career center or in a hospital waiting room? But the more I practiced - in any and every environment I found myself in - the easier it became to do.

And the benefits were immeasurable.

Instead of anxious, I felt calm. Instead of a mind filled with worry, I felt focused and clear about what I needed to do next and where my priorities were. Instead of being tense and exhausted, I was peaceful, energized and relaxed. Amazingly, I felt able to respond in each changing moment to what came next instead of reacting from a place of fear. I felt empowered and confident. I had found the calm at the center of any storm that might hit my life and jolt me out of my comfortable place.

What do you do when big life changes interrupt the flow of your comfortable life?

Do you put off self-care until things "settle" down, or do you make it a priority, letting it nourish and sustain you through the changes and challenges?

Even if you feel too busy, too flustered, too overwhelmed to make self-care a priority today, I encourage you to do it anyways. At the very least, take 5 minutes and breath slowly. I'm positive you can find five minutes in your day to connect with your breath and your body and relax for a few moments. And do it again tomorrow and the day after.

Wondering how you can slip self-care into your day? Read this article about starting your day with self-care.