Grit and grace are both really essential qualities in life.
Grit helps us with perseverance through challenges while grace allows us to move with ease,
Acceptance,
And self-compassion.
Today on Grounded with Wendy we are going to explore the balance between perseverance and surrender.
When I think of grit I think of real determination,
Pushing forward,
Doing something that's hard.
And when I think of grace I think there's more of a wisdom to let go when needed or to provide a loving care and to perhaps rest.
Both are super valuable but knowing when to use each is the human challenge in our day-to-day lives.
And so today I invite you to settle in,
Find the position that works best for you,
And if you feel safe please gently close your eyes and go to your breath.
And there's this mudra,
If you wish,
That I like.
It kind of helps us connect the right and left sides of our bodies.
Put your palms up,
Your right palm on top of your left palm,
And then touch your thumbs together.
Go to your breath now and find a centering.
As you inhale,
Feel the strength you have within you.
As you exhale,
Practice releasing any tension that's in your body and soften wherever you feel any bit of tightness.
And let's start with a brief body scan,
Starting at your head and moving down your face,
Your jawline,
Your ears,
Your neck.
You need to wiggle your shoulders a little bit,
Maybe that helps you sit up it's a little straighter.
Move down your arms and your torso,
Your sit bones,
Your legs,
And your feet.
And go to your breath,
Inhaling a feeling of strength within,
And exhaling a softening and release of any tension you have in your body.
And inhale and exhale three times.
Now I'd like you to recall a time that you showed some grit.
Perhaps you were overcoming a challenge,
Or you were really disciplined about something,
And you were pushing forward,
And you were doing something really hard.
And this,
This is a,
I want you to recall a time that you feel good about,
Something that you feel proud of,
That you did this hard thing.
And I'd like you to go to your body and feel what it was like to do this hard thing,
This challenge,
This discipline that you created for yourself.
How did that feel in the body?
Some affirmations for this strength we have.
I am strong and capable.
I have the power to persevere.
I like to think of grit as an ally for us in times that we need to push through something.
But it's not something that's an obligation,
And it's not something that we need all the time.
Sometimes gritty,
Hard things can get too much.
So let's move on now from capable and strong and perseverance.
Let's move to grace.
And I invite you to reflect on a moment when you embraced grace.
You let go.
You surrendered.
You allowed things to unfold.
Where are the moments when allowing things to unfold and not pushing?
How did that feel in your body?
Perhaps you felt lighter,
More spacious,
Perhaps?
Some affirmations that might support grace in your life are,
I trust the flow of life.
I allow ease to be my guide.
And there's so much wisdom in grace.
And we might attach weakness to that sometimes,
Unknowingly and undeservedly attaching weakness to it.
And so grace is not weakness.
It is wisdom to know when to rest,
When to let go.
Sit with grace here for just a moment.
Now I'd like you to envision a situation in your life where you feel uncertain,
And you don't know whether to push forward with grit or surrendering with grace might be the best option.
And so bring this situation in your life.
Perhaps pick something small,
Not big.
And once you've picked this situation,
Check in with your body,
Your emotions,
Your intuition.
What are you being called to do?
Are you being called for persistence or patience?
Would taking your foot off the pedal allow clarity to come to you?
Is there wisdom there to create a pause?
I invite you to play with this idea when situations in your life arise where you feel uncertain,
To step back and just pause and say,
Is this consistency,
This determination nourishing me right now?
Or do I need to take a pause?
Do I need to rest a moment or a day?
Come back to your breath now and feel both the strength and grittiness that you have that has carried you,
And the softness and grace that you have within as well.
And take a final inhale and feel the strength within.
And then exhale and release and soften.
And come back to the body now and create some micro movements in your body.
I have deep gratitude for sitting with you today and exploring this idea of the the wisdom and the balance that we need to bring to our life with grit and grace.
And I hope this self-reflection helps you in your next choice.
And one final affirmation as you head into your day.
I honor both my grit and my grace knowing each has its time and its place.
