Transitions – Be Gentle with Yourself

(Time to read: ~2 minutes)

How do you feel as September begins?

• Excited at the sense of new things beginning?
• Disappointed, feeling that summer is over?
• A topsy-turvy roller coaster of the two?

This post contains 4 secrets for transitions that are as smooth and peaceful as possible.

Transitions Can Be Surprisingly Hard

Any kind of change can be demanding on your nervous system, especially if you are sensitive.

Your nervous system likes a certain predictability. And transitions require adaptation.

So it takes extra mental, physical and emotional energy to smoothly “surf” a transition.

That’s why it’s so important to be gentle with yourself at a time like this.

Ways to Care for Yourself

Here are my 4 favourite forms of self-care for transitions:

1. Allow extra space in your calendar
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   I know, I know! It’s so tempting to try to pack extra things onto your to do list at this time. There seems to be so much that all needs to be done yesterday!
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   But you need that extra spaciousness to provide a smooth transition.
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   And the truth is that there is very little that can’t be put off a day (or a week) or two.
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   We are so used to “instant” everything; it’s easy to forget the joy of of a gentler pace.
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   Ahhh….. 🙂
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2. Breathe
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   When I get anxious or concerned about something, I seem naturally to hold my breath. How about you?
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   Did you know that taking just 3 slow, deep breaths can “turn on” the calming part of your nervous system.
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   Try it now – it will take less than 30 seconds.
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   What do you notice?
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3. Connect to the earth
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   Whether it’s being in nature, or walking, or yoga – or just sitting and looking out a window…
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   In our fast-paced high-tech lives, it’s easy to get out of touch with physical reality.
   T.
   The good news is that the natural world is just waiting to restore and revitalize you.
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4. Connect with someone you care about
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   Spending time with people where you have an easy, natural connection is one of the most powerful ways I know to access the energy you need for smooth and peaceful transitions.
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   It’s lovely if you can do that in person.
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   And this is a place where I really appreciate the gifts of modern technology.
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   Many of the people I care about live far away.
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   But I can still share the delicious energy of connection with them by phone or video connection..

How about you?

What’s your experience with transitions?

What supports you the most?

Click here to share your thoughts

I’ll summarize them in a future post.