Greetings and welcome to the Why Struggle podcast.
I'm your host,
Barbara J.
Faison,
And my intention with this podcast is to offer ideas,
Insights,
And inspirations so you can live life better.
Greetings.
If you're new to the podcast,
Welcome,
And if you listen regularly,
Thank you.
This is a podcast about rest and recovery.
Two weekends ago,
My husband T.
D.
And I drove to Columbia,
Tennessee to visit his family.
It's always wonderful to spend time with lovely people,
And it's beautiful that he still has several aunts and uncles to be able to see,
Touch,
And reminisce with.
Before we took the four-and-a-half-hour drive,
I was feeling some congestion in my sinuses and over the weekend.
The congestion lingered,
So I went to get that checked out when we returned because my nose actually hurt.
Apparently,
I had some kind of a scratch inside my left nostril.
I believe that was the first time for me.
I'm feeling and breathing better,
And my energy is returning.
I've also learned that the body will remind me about things that have happened even when I don't want the reminder.
August 7th will be the 10th anniversary of my mother leaving this physical form and Earth.
Words cannot adequately express how much I miss her being on this journey with me in physical form.
Her spirit,
Kindness,
And wicked humor are only a few things about her that make me smile.
I know I feel her presence and energy often.
It's different when you can reach out and touch someone,
Though,
Isn't it?
I remind myself that it's important to remember that grieving,
Like much of life,
Is not a one-and-done experience.
It can come in gentle waves or tidal waves.
Part of these life practices is about allowing and accepting what is,
And I return to my practice of flow,
Feeling loving,
Open,
Willing,
Which is,
In essence,
Surrender.
This excerpt from my book,
Audiobook,
E-book,
Why Struggle Life Is Too Short to Wear Tight Shoes,
Know the Stages of Grief,
Feels just right for this time.
Know the stages of grief.
Life is a cycle.
We are born,
We live,
We die.
Death is as natural as living.
Recognizing and accepting the laws of nature can help us live more in the present moment.
As we learn to accept our lives and live without struggling over the inevitable,
We can truly appreciate the gift of life.
Denial,
Anger,
Bargaining,
Depression,
And acceptance are the stages of grief.
The time for each stage is as unique as your fingerprint.
Experience the emotions as they arise and be gentle with yourself at this time.
Remember,
We may also experience grief when we make changes in our lives,
Such as a change in a relationship,
Moving to a new city,
Or a change in your work environment.
A loss is a loss.
Give yourself permission to grieve as you feel necessary.
Practice.
Remember when someone you loved died and how you felt.
Think about the emotions you felt.
Were they denial,
Anger,
Bargaining,
Depression,
And acceptance?
Affirmation.
I accept the flow of life.
Peace of mind is mine.
End of excerpt.
If you'd like to join me,
Let's take a moment to just sit and be with whatever feelings come up now after listening to that passage.
I'll give you a few moments to connect with your breath.
Place your hands in the center of your chest and simply breathe and be.
It's time to return to this present time.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and exhale with a loud sigh.
Breathe in and breathe out.
Check in with your body and notice if you have any emotions,
Feelings,
Or sensations right now.
If your eyes were closed,
Open them now and take in your surroundings.
Now wrap your hands around your body and give yourself a big hug for allowing yourself to take just a few moments to be.
And why not bring a smile to your face and remind yourself how much you love yourself.
Just repeat,
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
Relax your hands and remember that grief,
Loss,
And love are all part of this beautiful experience of life.
How are you feeling right now?
Remember to allow emotions and energy to flow through you.
If you'd like to share your observations,
Reflections,
Or comments with me,
Feel free to leave them where you're listening to this podcast.
