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Do you ever take the time you need to get reacquainted with yourself?

• I am away right now on a retreat to address some of the imbalances I have physically.
• I am learning about eating mindfully, recognizing hunger, tasting food, keeping my body fueled so I don’t make destructive, rash decisions that intensify to an out of control cycle of stress and regret.
• I am learning about mindful exercise and what my body enjoys, and what it doesn’t.
• I am learning self-care is not a luxury it is a requirement.
• I am spending time connecting my physical self with my soul and I will never be the same again.

Yesterday I took a walk in the woods, I was reminded of how much I love the forest. It took me back to when I was a little girl before I knew about the dangers of snakes and ticks. As I’ve grown, I’ve allowed fears to mandate some of my activities.  I’ve created a safe haven inside, but I have lost touch with the girl who loved to swing on vines and climb trees. Yesterday that little girl came out. I let her know it is safe. I let her know God is a marvelous protector and reminded her of all He’s provided for her. Being in the forest was no more dangerous than driving a car or having radiation for my cancer.
The pinnacle of my hike was when I saw a snake slither away through the crunching, fallen, Vermont maple leaves that God embellished my path with. In the mindfulness classes that I am in, I’m learning about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. I got to mindfully experience fear. I froze and wanted to flee.  A little snake might not be a big deal to some people, but snakes are the objects that have lurked in my dreams for 40 something years. Snakes have posed perceivably life-threatening scenarios, no matter how irrational my fear has been.

My gut reaction was to run back as fast as I could get to safety.

Instead, I stopped and practiced my new skills. For the first time in my life, I thought about what real threat was posed from that little bitty snake slithering away from me. I realized it is a pretty irrational fear that has kept me distanced from my love of the woods. I reminded myself about God’s omnipresence. I took a few deep breaths and I talked myself into finishing my hike. It was possibly one of the best days I can remember.
I had my camera and a lens I never take time to use. I talked to myself and I talked to God, I smiled and even did a little of the Tai Chi I’ve been learning and found I really love.
How about you? Are you reading this wishing you could take time to connect with yourself? Do you realize you have a fear that might not be as rational as you’ve let yourself believe?

Soul Work is about paying attention to your soul and letting it integrate with your body and your life.

If you need help I am available to coach you. I can offer space for you to discover what sets your soul on fire and how to manage it with your unique schedule and limitations.

Get my SOUL WORK JOURNAL- charlottessoul.com/writing
Finding a safe space where you can rest and reveal the lies and truths you are believing is imperative to your healing and finding wholeness.

Here’s a sneak peak at a few of the things I’ve been learning on my retreat this week:

I am identifying why I want to lose weight. Is it just to lose weight so I can be the weight we used to weigh? Is it because we want to feel good in my clothes? Am I aiming to feel better physically, have more energy and be availaible for more opprotunities in life?
I am learing to pay attention.
As I am being mindful of what I am doing and why, my energy shifts the focus from ‘having to’ to ‘getting to.’
“I should really go for a hike.” Why? Becuase its what people do…
OR “It’s beautiful outside, I’m going to go enjoy the gift of this time to hike around.”
Many people like me have seen physical activity as a chore, a have to. That changed a bit for me with my lack of mobility with cancer, but I want to be mindful enough to embrace opportunities instead of treating my physical self like its a burden.
My physical self is a blessing and no it doesn’t look perfect but it looks good and I need to show my body some love, with my mind and my actions. Its ok to love and care for my self; actually, it’s a good thing for everyone.

I hope these things speak to your heart and will encourage you to spend time caring for yourself.

Reach out to me to get started coaching and begin a life with wholeness through balance!