User:212018825 Elana/sandbox

Bounce Back!!!

We all hit bumps in the road of life. I am a big believer that it's not how hard you fall, but how high you bounce back.

I have written a lot (because it's SO important) about how the only thing we can really control in our lives is our perception of the events of our lives. We have influence over some things in our lives, but mostly we are powerless to control much. That is why attitude and perception is everything.

So when you hit a road bump, when you get thrown off, when you get depressed - what do we do? HOW do we bounce back?

Well, some of us don't want to bounce back. Some of us would rather keep suppressing our emotions and working on ourselves, so these folks keep stuffing down parts of themselves that are dying to be seen, recognized and expressed.

The path to self-destruction is filled with avoidance of yourself. That's what addiction really is - avoidance of ourselves to our own detriment. There are LOTS of ways to be addicted. You can be addicted to substances, alcohol, people, work, fame, success, attention, flirting with people, sugar, food and lots of other things.

When we hit a rough patch in life, instead of just letting ourselves feel, we can choose one of the above addictions and keep avoiding what's within us. This is not what God has in mind for you. No amount of chocolate, sex, alcohol, success, people or drugs can silence the Whisper of God within you OR your emotions.

So, today, instead of running, I have another suggestion. My suggestion is that it's time to stop running from your emotions and just face them. Be still. Get quiet and listen. Let yourself get angry, let yourself get sad. Face the truth; go through the eye of the needle; feel the pain and know that it will slowly fade. The short term pain of facing a truth FAR outweighs the long-term pain of believing a lie.

I have found a system that has helped me truly face my emotions and feelings instead of running from them. So I am going to give you some tips on HOW to feel your feelings and remain sane through the process:

1. 	Go 100% sober from your distraction of choice. For 30 days give up the cigarettes, the alcohol, the lover, the sugar and the chase.

2. 	Breathe - our bodies need breath in a major way. Most of us don't breathe properly and deprive our body from this life giving source.

3. 	Drink up - hydrate. Dehydration can lead to all kinds of negative side effects, including depression and low energy. Drink 1 liter of water for every 40 kg’s you weigh.

4. 	Exercise - Move your body 3-4 days a week for at least 30 minutes.

5. 	Eat a well-balanced diet. This is a great way to bring your body back into alignment.

6. 	Write your feelings down every morning. Journal for 10-30 minutes in the AM and just let out how you feel on the page. Daily purging really helps.

7. 	Get a therapist, mentor or coach to help guide you through this process. It REALLY helps to have someone be an outside observer.

8.	If you are addicted to drugs, food, alcohol or sex - get to a 12 step meeting for your addiction. Shared experience helps.

9. 	Only hang out with friends who uplift you. Take a break from any negative people in your life.

10. 	Write your goals down. Imagine your best life and write down what you really want your life to be like. Many of us have no clear vision of the kind of life we want to create and as a result, don't create it.

11.	When you start to have anxiety, sadness or any "negative" emotion, instead of reaching for the pills, the sugar or the drink, just let yourself feel your feelings. Love yourself through that process. Let yourself feel. It's not a bad thing to get angry, sad or to cry. It's NORMAL and human. When we don't let ourselves feel, we cut ourselves off from our core. It's VITAL that you let yourself feel your feelings and not run. Remember when you're in the middle of those gnarly feelings - this too will pass - it gets better. Be brave and feel - no more running.

12.	Hang in places of high vibrations - sacred spaces, yoga/fitness studios, nature, with awesome friends, bible studies, churches, etc. Go where the Love is.

I hope these tips help you break through. These are some of the most powerful tools I know to connect back to who you really are, to be able to hear Gods voice and stay sane in the process.

Love,

Elana