A Bit Funked Up: 3 Steps to Finding Your Inner Peace

I was going to post this yesterday but I decided to take things easy; doing things to chill out and stop my brain taking me off to a place I don't want to be. I've had a bad case of the "what am I doing with my life" this last week, which has kept me in a bit of a funk

I'm not sure why I let this inner critical voice take over my thoughts as much as I do. Mostly I have it under control, but once in a while it shouts up louder than normal and catches me off guard or picks up on a topic that makes me feel vulnerable. Then begins the cycle of nasties. The self doubt, the self criticism, the you're not good enough... the list goes on, but you get the picture I'm sure

We all get this right? I know we do but, wow, sometimes I struggle to put those falsehoods and insecurities in their rightful place and carry on being ME. Sometimes I listen to them. Heck, sometimes I even believe them. It's not pretty and it makes me feel ashamed

So how do you break this cycle and how do you allay that inner nasty bitch?

1. Be Kind to Yourself

Why is it that we can say things to ourself that we would never dream of saying out loud to another person? Where does that meanness come from? Be kind to yourself - allow yourself some time to just BE without judging and criticising. Watch a favourite movie, read a book that captivates you, bake a cake, walk in the woods, nap. Whatever simple, no pressure activity you enjoy doing - allow yourself to do it GUILT FREE

2. Reach Out

A bad case of the nasties can make you feel so very alone. Isolation fuels the insecurities; it's a vicious circle. The truth is... everyone feels like this from time to time and everyone harbours some form of self criticism or insecurity. Reach out to your best friend and tell them how you feel. A true friend has the magic that is required to make you feel better about yourself - they point out the things about you that they love... the things you too easily forget about when all you have going round your head are the bad things. Friends have the ability to make the nasty bitch in your head shut up; they remind you of the fun you've had, they make you laugh and once they know you're in a funk - they keep a watchful eye on you so that you don't creep back into nastyville

3. Detox

I'm talking a mental and emotional detox here. Lighten the load of that baggage you're dragging around with you, clear some of that constant chatter in your head. It's so easy to get bogged down with negative thought patterns and overwhelmed by shame or guilt or fear. I find that spewing it all out on paper can help me identify what I'm really feeling funked up about. Seeing the words committed to paper both releases them from burdening my brain and gives them a more realistic perspective - somehow they seem less mean, less critical and less overwhelming in the harsh light of day. Sometimes writing in list form does the trick, other times it will take on a more narrative style which can release a lot of pent up emotion. I read it through and am often struck at how poetic this can be (which ironically triggers some good feelings toward myself!) and then I destroy the paper; acknowledging and then releasing an issue can have strong detox benefits

So there you have it. I am continuing the Be Kind for the rest of the week, I really feel like I need it. My mentor Christine Kane teaches that what you focus on grows and so I plan to focus on being kind to myself and remembering the positives that make me, me.

Lisa x

{You are Allowed mantra by Tara Gentile via Scoutie Girl - follow the link to download your own copy to print out & keep}