Embracing My Internal Autumn

 Autumn is well under way here in the southern hemisphere. Although I live in Coastal Central Queensland, I don't really get to see the physical effects of the leaves on the trees changing to their beautiful reds and browns and eventually falling off the tree to leave it bare and barren during the cold, frosty winter.

I have however, been experiencing my own internal season of autumn. I celebrated
my 41st birthday last week and have noticed a subtle, yet significant shift in my energy, focus and attention. I see things that are falling away and rather struggling to fight to hold onto them like I once would have, I am allowing myself to surrender to the universal flow. On so many levels, I am releasing what is no longer serving me.

The night of the full moon, I spent some time releasing people from my social media accounts, letting go of groups that I don't actively participate in any more, unsubscribing from a barrage of emails that clog my inbox on a daily basis, keeping my attention distracted and off-task. And it felt good. For way too long, I've felt distracted and overwhelmed with social media. My new plan is to simplify. I've made a promise to myself to not sign up for anything 'free' for the next month. I did a pretty good job of that in April and want to continue on that journey, because it feels good to me.

It's hard work. It's a challenge to unwire your brain from busy and constantly on the go. It's tiring. And yet I know the reward will be worth it. Once the untangling has happened and I can see all the bits clearly. I will know when the time is right to step forth and to step into my path wholly, completely and full of presence.

I've started saying 'no' to more things that once upon a time I would have felt obligated to say yes to in order to keep the status quo. That feels so freeing and liberating on so many levels. My wellbeing is currently my number one priority. And yes that may seem selfish to some, yet I see how greatly my life is affected when I am not this for myself.

I am accepting where I am currently at with my health and seeing this time of deep healing as a blessing rather than a curse. I am choosing to focus my attention on the present moment and on the day that I am in, rather than beating myself up and running an internal commentary that constantly berates myself for not doing more, being more or being someplace else other than where I am currently at.

I am choosing to see the joy in the moments and have allowed myself to achieve one thing a day - no more and if I am not up to that one thing, then I let go of it gently, knowing that tomorrow is a brand new day to get that thing done. No more unrealistic lists of things that appear to be life and death. I have proven to myself that life goes on regardless of what is or isn't ticked off my list that day.

My key takeaways from this internal autumn that I am currently undergoing:

* You are allowed to take the slow lane for as long as it takes to renew

* No is a completely acceptable and allowable response

* The hustle isn't for everyone, slow down and align with what fits right for you

* Things falling away is a natural progression, mother nature shows us that at least once a year. We can't keep holding onto all of the things forever - whether that be physically, emotionally or digitially

* Each day you open your eyes is a blessing. Choose to find joy in the moments.

I'm curious to know if you are also experiencing a season of shedding at the moment? Or if you are currently feeling overwhelmed in life, what could you allow to fall away?

Until next time,

Big Love

Shanelle

My happy place. My healing place. My grounding place.

 My happy place. My healing place. My grounding place.

Its fair to say the last couple of months have been a little shaky and nothing like I'd envisioned life 'post job' to be. Yet I understand everything happens for a reason and am choosing to see the blessings arising from really slowing my life down

Some days are good and others not so great. My body lets me know when I've overdone it and really need to rest. I've struggled with sharing openly this part of me. I've had a few realisations this morning that I'd like share, in case they resonate and give you permission to take the slow lane for a bit.

Firstly I feel a lot of shame around not functioning fully at 100% all of the time. I've felt defective because a fast-paced life just isn't my thing. Being able to put words around my feelings has been another challenge and I'm working through that at the moment.

My nervous system is currently recalibrating after too many years of being under constant stress and pressure to perform and achieve. This has been a constant theme for much of my life. I grew up in a home fuelled by anxiety and have had jobs that have been fast-paced, so my body is used to running on adrenaline pretty much as a norm. The fact that my health is showing me that things are not in balance shouldn't come as a surprise really. But it's been a major challenge to slow right down, to pause the achievement button for a bit, to allow myself to fully embrace the space of being in between, to become aware that the agenda I'd had for myself is not in alignment with my greater good at this present moment.

There's a lot of "undoing" happening right now on many levels. The greatest gift I can afford myself is time, space and patience to allow my body to come back into its natural balance, where it is thriving rather than merely surviving. I'll post again soon to share with you some of the ways and the processes I'm embracing to help me with this.

And here is your permission slip to slow down, to breathe, to recalibrate, to come back home to you.

Big love

Shanelle xxx