Stopping the Spin Cycle

“The hardest thing to navigate is the not knowing.”

This was a common sentiment in the workshop I led for 200 librarians around the globe a couple of weeks ago. They are not alone. When I ask people what they struggle with, uncertainty is always at the top.  

As much as one can 'plan for the worst and hope for the best,' at the end of the day, the future remains murky to every one of us.

For those of us who like to be in control, uncertainty can elicit feelings of unwieldy anxiety. The mind starts spinning, trying to solve the unsolvable puzzle of knowing how today's actions will impact the future.

I often think of these ruminations as trying to solve a Rubix cube, except this puzzle doesn't have an algorithmic solution. Instead, the mind keeps turning the tiles, but it can't settle anywhere because the future is too foggy.

All that ruminating is exhausting.

The mind's job is to think and solve problems. It races into the past for information and then sprints into the future, trying to use that knowledge to foresee what is ahead. When the future is murky, the mind will spin and spin and spin, trying to find a solution.

But the mind is not the only part of you that can solve problems. Your body also holds tremendous wisdom. When you get grounded and centered, you often find surprisingly effective answers.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with uncertainty, this is one of my favorite processes to get back to center. 

• Place a hand on your heart and breathe. Feel into your toes.

• Give your mind a job to do in the present moment, like focusing on your breath and bodily sensations.

• Remind your mind that the past is in the past, and the future is not yet here. See if you can expand the present moment.

• Tune into the sensations of sound, touch, and smell.

• Allow your mind to notice the body and the breath, even if it is only for 20 seconds.

If this is hard for you, that's OK. In the beginning, the inner critic can get really loud. This is quite normal and one of the reasons why it's really hard to do this work alone.

 This is where the work of Align steps in. 

Align helps you get out of your own way, calming the inner critic who can get noisy and pushy when you try to get a handle on your life. This Fall Session helps you stay grounded and centered so you can be responsive instead of reactive. 

Essentially, Align can help you get your brain back. 

 This work puts you in the driver's seat of your life, returning you to your power while strengthening your intuition and knowing. I can't promise you life won't throw you curve balls, but I can promise a toolbox that can help you respond to whatever life brings. 

There are 2 weeks until Align starts. If you've been curious about this program, reply to this email with, “I'm curious,” and I'll reach out to you.

Life's too short to be this stressed. Let's do something different.