Often when discomfort descends we miss the quiet warning whispers and find ourselves in an alarm-scream city of the big I NEEDS. Interestingly these big NEEDS are often things we can't possibly facilitate for ourselves right now, they're often ferociously future-based. It's like we do it on purpose: another thing to hang over ourselves or whip ourselves with while we perspire on, changing nothing.
But what if we don't wait for the big I NEED scream?
What if we tune in, as soon as we clock feeling stressed or sad or angry?
What if right then we stop, close our eyes, release all muscle tension from top-to-toe, take one deep breath into our belly, slowly let it out and ask:
“What do I need right now?”
What whisper would come back?
Perhaps, when we tune in, it's not a big holiday we need, it's turning off our phone for an hour.
Perhaps it's not a new strict diet, it's a glass of water and a gulp of self-compassion.
Perhaps it's not moving to another bigger house... right now, it's moving to another room.
Perhaps it's not sorting the sleep problem, it's sitting with eyes closed for two minutes.
Bizarrely this isn't easy. For some reason it requires putting our big girl/boy pants on and owning our shizzle; putting our own oxygen mask on first and digging for the courage and permission to be happier right now. But what if we did? And we did regularly?
Could it be we're just a cup of tea, a hug, a call with a friend, a breath of fresh air, a piece of toast away from what we need?
It may sound so small, but given it's only ever right now (and life is just a series of right-nows), could it actually be powerful?
“What do I need right now?”
Can you let go, breathe deep and listen? Can you allow yourself the whisper that comes back?
Love, Jo x
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