When You Have Physical Limitations

Can simple tips for inner peace help in a really tough situation, such as a long-term physical challenge? Ann shares the story of a student who could not work out a new piece of technology and felt lonely, disappointed and ashamed. She learned three steps: pause and notice the stressful feelings, feel your body resting on what supports you, and acknowledge the feelings with "something in me is having a hard time right now." This content is educational and is not a substitute for one to one professional care.

Transcript

Hi, It's Ann. Lovely to be with you today. Sometimes people ask me. If the tips I give about inner peace in challenging times can help. Even in really tough situations, Such as long-term serious physical challenges. And that's why I want to tell you about Carolyn. Carolyn has MS, Multiple sclerosis. She's also legally blind. She gets around using a wheelchair and she's pretty good at navigating the world she lives in. But one of her biggest challenges is when she has to use a new kind of software or figure out a new kind of tech. And that happened recently. Carolyn wanted to participate in a webinar, One of mine actually. And although she managed to get into the webinar and hear what was going on, She couldn't figure out how to type a message. As the others in the webinar were doing. And not being able to understand how to type a message to the group Carolyn feeling lonely, Frustrated, And disappointed because she couldn't join in. And she felt like that was somehow a failure on her part. In fact. . . Caroline started to feel. Enormous grief and shame. At being able. In a different way from other people. And it's not having the ability to join in and connect in the way that other people were. Well, I can so understand that. Pretty sure I'd feel that way too in her situation. But this time. Because of what I was teaching in the webinar. Something else happened for Caroline. I was talking about Being Self in Presence. Which is the name for the state where you can be okay and at peace, Even though parts of you are in distress, Upset, Frustrated, And so on. And I invited the participants to feel the grounding of their bodies. To get in contact with the support beneath them. And to rest into that support. I showed them how to use the language of something in me feels to acknowledge and welcome any way they were feeling without getting taken over by the feelings, But also without pushing them away. And care on. Really appreciated getting grounded in self-impressions. That already felt better. And then she said to herself. Something in me is feeling grief and shame at not being able to do this the way other people can. Well, Remarkably, She felt that part ease up and relax. She felt she could catch her breath. And breathe fully again. And into Carolyn's whole being came a knowing that she was okay, Even if her parts were still having a bit of a hard time. And from that larger perspective, She was able to remember that she could feel safe in the world, Even if the world doesn't know how. To accommodate her limitations. When Carolyn told me this story, I found it beautiful. Really moving and beautiful. It's deeply inspiring to me and also humbling to know that what I teach can help someone to live in a more present and peaceful way. The lesson I want to take away from this is that this process works with the hard stuff and not just the little things. You can be self and presence, Which means you can be grounded and present as your bigger self, No matter what challenges you're facing. You can turn toward the painful emotions you're feeling using the language, Something in me feels. And when you do that. You naturally and beautifully access wisdom that comes from your whole self. I am okay. And I can be safe in the world. Even if the world doesn't always know how to accommodate my limitations. Hey, The wisdom of your larger self is there waiting for you. It's not something you have to tell yourself. It's something you already know. You just need to acknowledge and turn toward those more challenging feelings so that you are bigger than they are. And how do you do that again? One. Pause. Notice that there are stressful feelings. Always that's step one. Two, Feel the contact of your body on what you're sitting on. Just rest on that support. And three, Acknowledge the stressful feelings using the language of something in me. As in something in me is having a bit of a hard time right now. And for an extra boost, Add the words, I am sensing. I am sensing something in me is having a hard time right now. Hey, Try it and let me know how it goes. Okay. I look forward to hearing. And here's to you having a more peaceful life.