Maybe… Maybe not
Today I’m going to drawback the curtain on my own thoughts. Never underestimate the courage it takes for me to share and be so open about my own journey…
A while back, I had a reflexology session and the therapist told me how she travelled 60 minutes every month to have reflexology. She said, “How can I ask clients to pay for something, if I’m not willing to invest in it myself.”
It’s the same for me. This is why every 3 weeks I have 1:1 coaching. Over the last 5 years I have shed the really big stuff but having a coach challenges me, helps me see blind spots and supports me when things are overwhelming. As I always tell my coach, it is by far the most useful hour of my life. This week was one of those profound sessions.
As I’ve watched the news stories of covid-19 unfold, I’ve imagine what it might be like to get the disease. I’ve seen images of nightingale being built and tried my hardest not to think what that would be like but…I couldn’t stop my brain going there in the moment. I could of course apply the tools to bring myself back to the present.
Visualising myself healthier and stronger than ever.
Doing something that actively has me immersed in the present.
It wasn’t overwhelming, more of a niggle and I wanted to learn how I could switch those thoughts instantly.
My coach is one of those people that doesn’t worry at all about getting the disease, let alone imaging the worst. She said, “I’ve had A LOT of practice over the years turning thoughts around. Whenever I’m faced with a negative I say to myself.
“Maybe…maybe not.”
This stops me in my tracks. Gives me time to consider the story that I’m telling myself and separate it from the facts.
Because we know that what we focus on we create and 99% of the time those worries never materialise. And if they do…
“I’ll handle it.”
So simple yet so profound. A new mantra.
Maybe…maybe not. Either way, I’ll handle it.
I don’t know about you, but it instantly eased something inside.
We delved a little deeper into something that I’ve not taken much time to consider before…death.
Two years ago I took a personal development course on finances and part of that work was to create a will. With that came some difficult decisions and conversations but with that brought relief.
Having thought about the practicalities, what I hadn’t taken the time to consider was what else I was worried about. For me, this isn’t about me but about my children and how they would cope.
What I discovered was that to ease my anxiety what I need to do is prepare my children with the right mindset and skills to literally handle anything that life throws at them. This is what will bring me peace of mind.
Within 30 seconds of that conversation I clicked buy on 3 happiness journals for kids which I had left in my saved items for the last 3 weeks as I deemed them too expensive. Suddenly, it became very clear to me that if I can succeed in anything in home school then this will be the most impactful. Not only for them but for my own peace of mind too.
I am reminded that I ask so much of my clients. To confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and their lives. There is little growth without some form of discomfort. This session reminded me of that.
Even though I could rationalise the statistics, get myself out of it by visualising myself healthier and stronger than ever and knowing that I am keeping myself fighting fit.