Mindfulness: How to Be Ok When You’re Not Be Ok
4 Ways to Use Awareness to Empower Us to Be Ok When We’re Not Ok
In recent weeks there has been a lot going on. In many respects, it has been and continues to be way too much. On any given day, we are bombarded with local and the world news reels that are filled with the absolute worst that could and is happening around us.
Being that the news and social media cycle never sleeps, we are consistently overwhelmed with images, and firsthand accounts of tragic events that elicit feelings of fear, anxiety, as well as every other heightened emotion. As a result, many if not most of us, are not ok.
More often than not, when you sit to meditate, thoughts, feelings, emotions, and all manner of things rise to the surface, likely shifting your awareness onto the latest disappointment or trending tragic event.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. This post will explore 4 Ways to Use Awareness to Empower Us to Be Ok When We’re Not Ok
The Detrimental Effects of Sustained Stress
Absolutely no one likes discomfort, unfamiliarity, or stress. So naturally, we resist the very things which can cause feelings of emotional pain and discomfort to arise. Only when there is not an immediate resolution in sight, do our bodies continue to sustain a heightened stress response. Interestingly, these energetically charged emotions are rooted within our nervous systems. Meaning, that this discomfort causes a physiological cascade of neurochemicals to be released, triggering our sympathetic nervous systems to go into a hyperdrive. Whenever we experience a heightened sense of stress, our bodies instinctually release a flood of chemicals that triggers a fight-or-flight response.
Our bodies are essentially readied to go to war, as adrenaline courses through our bodies in preparation to essentially do absolutely whatever it takes to survive. Only the majority of us don’t figuratively live on the edge of the wilderness or have to defend ourselves against a diverse group of apex predators, on a day-to-day basis. In recent years, our environment has increasingly evolved into an unpredictable space that essentially feels unfamiliar, and unsafe. In the face of recent events, the state of our environment has made a large majority feel so unsafe, that it rivals the clear and present danger of an episode of Naked and Afraid that is filmed in the outskirts of the African Serengeti.
In nature, whenever an animal is threatened with emanant danger from an apex predator, its immediate response is to flee with all of its might until it is clear from danger. After which, its bodily functions quickly return to normal. Shortly after, you may find this very same animal grazing in a vast open field of grass, as if it did not just narrowly make an heroic escape from the jaws of an alpha male predator.
Unlike our animal counterparts, our default response to intense stress is not quite so straightforward. Regardless of whether our experience is actual, or perceived, our felt experience is all the same. Meaning our bodies cannot discern the difference from real or otherwise. Additionally, we also have a tendency to not only recall stressful events, but to constantly relive these experiences within our minds. In essence this prolongs our exposure to the detrimental affects of the stress chemicals, and hormones, making it harder for our bodies to not return to a “normal" state. Whether perceived or otherwise, intense sustained hyper stress subjects our bodies to profound health effects. If left resolved it can easily evolve into chronic health conditions which may resemble heart disease, high blood pressure, as well as a slew of other conditions that are trigger by sustained stress.
Interestingly our bodies are extremely well-oiled intelligent systems that are inherently able to function in spite of being under intense prolonged stress. Like most things, everything has its limits, and our bodies are no different. In the instance of high-stress jobs, dangerous environments, and any manner of the innumerable stress-inducing situations and circumstances, our bodies can only compensate for suboptimal health, but so long. If left unresolved, it has the potential to have irreversible effects. However, the mindful practice of awareness and acceptance can support us to improve our health.
Awareness: The Power of Rooting Yourself in Your Body
We have very little to no control over anyone, or anything other than ourselves. Despite our best efforts, there is no amount of force or coercion that can change situations or circumstances in our favor. In essence, this can evoke a sense of vulnerability, and helplessness which leads to increased stress. This in itself creates an increased sense of resistance. Interestingly, resistance is figurative as it has absolutely nothing to do with the physical force that can be brought about by strength or might. Practically any and everything that can potentially cause discomfort can elicit a degree of stress. Like with most things, anything in excess can have a profound effect on our well-being, especially that which lies outside of the realm of our control.
Everyone craves and longs for a felt sense of comfort and safety. Whenever we feel a sustained sense of discomfort, we tend to retreat into our heads. In other words, we retreat into the solace of our thoughts in an effort to intellectualize a path forward. Interestingly this often leads to overthinking, overanalyzing, and every other excessive process imaginable as we seek to find a viable solution. Only, sustained solutions often require the active participation of the collective. Being that we can't control the actions of others, this often leads to increased frustration, and stress, which can potentially feed into a continuous cycle of more of the same. The more we remain in our heads, the less rooted we are within our bodies. This brings up a very interesting question. What does it mean to root yourself in your body, and why is it important?
Whenever we are in our heads we are not fully in tune with what is taking place within our bodies. Our physical, and psychological, bodies are dynamic, meaning that we are constantly communicating and responding to our environment. Our bodies are inherently very sensitive and responsive to what we are experiencing at the moment. Interestingly, our responses are not always apparent to our conscious awareness. In order to feel into our bodies, we must completely root our awareness in every crevice of our bodies.
In the case of our health and well-being, being in tune keeps us interconnected with how our bodies are responding to our experiences in real-time. In doing so, it gives us insight into the presence and intensity of physical symptoms (ie., racing heart, palpitations, impending sense of doom, etc). Awareness gives us insight into how we are reacting to our experiences at any given moment in time, and tuning in to our bodies supports us to better assess, and course-correct as need be.
4 Ways to Use Awareness to Empower Us to Be Ok When We’re Not Ok
1. Root Yourself with Your Awareness
Often when we experience discomfort it often feels comforting to go within the depths of our thoughts to figure out a path forward. Sometimes we get so focused on solutions, that we lose sight of what unfolding within our physical bodies. Tuning into how we are feeling gives us insight into what’s unfolding within.
As you increase you awareness on a moment by moment basis, you begin to learn the source of the very things that trigger a reaction. The moment you feel an increasing reactive response arising from within, take a moment to pause and take a deep breath. The pause and breath are two strategies that provides space that supports you to disrupt the habit of reaction, to allow you to make a thoughtful response.
2. The Secret is in The Feeling
Mostly when someone asks us how we are doing, our default response is
I’m doing fine.” In fact, we tend to repeat this script so much that it often masks how we really feel. Rooting ourselves within our physical bodies, and increasing our awareness of our senses, tunes us into how we are really feeling.
3. Release Resistance
Whenever we experience anything that causes discomfort, it causes feelings of resistance to arise. Naturally, no one wishes to reside in a space of discomfort. Understandably our default is to resist. However, resistance to what is can affect our health and well-being. Releasing resistance gives us space to respond and accept what is, in spite of.
4. Acceptance
There tends to be this notion that acceptance equals consensus and agreement. Typically when it comes to organizations, educational institutions, and the like, acceptance equals agreement and approval. Contrary to popular belief, acceptance doesn’t equate to an agreement.
In other words, more often than not you are going to experience situations and circumstances that you are not going to dislike. In fact, it may cause so much discontent and discomfort that it may literally make you cringe. Essentially acceptance merely involves accepting things as is, without regard to whether it pleases you.