I’m going to start this post by letting you in on a little secret…It feels good to feel good!

One more time for the people in the back… IT FEELS GOOD TO FEEL GOOD!

We are several weeks into quarantine and during this time some of us have thrived, some have struggled, and some have been riding a roller coaster of ups and downs. Many of us, to varying degrees, have fallen out of alignment with feeling good due to the external overwhelm of radical change and uncertainty. So how do we stop feeling suffocated by surrounding energy and guide ourselves back to feeling good?

In this post, we will work through our understanding of overwhelm, identify our default settings, and take a deep dive into how we can actively guide ourselves back into alignment.

Distinguishing Between Problem and Reaction

Feeling overwhelmed is a natural and expected part of the human experience. Inevitably, at one point or another, we will encounter a stressor that will challenge our resilience. Therefore, it is important to distinguish and understand the relationship between the actual problem and the emotional reaction. In most cases, the root cause of overwhelm lies not within the “problem” itself, but rather in our perception, which tricks us into thinking, feeling, and believing that things are worse than they actually are.

Each time overwhelm comes into our lives we are presented with the opportunity to choose how we respond. We can either allow our perceptions to cast us into the shadow of fear-based beliefs, OR we can use the situation as a catalyst to propel us into a better state of being.

Choosing the latter doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem will go away, but rather that you are willing and committed to rising above. You in essence are becoming your OWN support system.

Acknowledging the internal power you possess over your happiness, your success and your experience will help anchor you in clarity. You will see that you have all the tools needed to attenuate mental/emotional roadblocks, to invite light and faith into your day, and to stumble back into bliss.

Fear-Based Beliefs

Over the years, our minds have been trained to default to fear-based beliefs when faced with adversity. These manifest differently from person to person but most commonly arise as anxiety, judgement, self-doubt, blame, guilt, fear, shame, frustration, and/or an irrational need to control. What I like to refer to as the fear-based hydra.

In my opinion, the fear-based belief in which all others stem from is the need to control. The more we try to control, the more we realize just how much is out of our control. For most, sensing this lack of control results in the seeking of comforts or the engagement in harmful behaviors. Examples of this include an unhealthy dependence on or relationship with food, an unhealthy relationship with exercise, seeking escape through substances, negative body image, negative self-talk, ect. You fill in the blank.

These behaviors lead us into a viscous cycle of being triggered, fueling fear-based beliefs, participating in self-sabotaging action, and repeating. It’s like being caught in a eddy, spiraling out of control.

Fear-based beliefs block us from peace, joy, and that feel-good state of being. In order to break free, we must practice introspective reflection, decide how much power we allow these false stories to have over us, and commit to changing the response. It all starts with bringing conscious awareness to what what you are choosing, thinking, and doing each day.

Are you spending your time fretting about the unknown? Are you trapped in past or future thinking? Are you seeking out ways to escape reality? Are you resisting the experience?

*Pause! I want to take a moment to make something abundantly clear*

Falling out of alignment does NOT make you a failure! It simply means that you have TEMPORARILY detoured into an emotional slump; one that you have the power to pick yourself up from and move beyond. Shed the layer of expectation you have cast upon yourself and surrender to a better state of being… The rest will take care of itself and unfold for you in due time.

Guiding Yourself Back into Alignment

“WHEN YOU FOCUS ON THE GOOD, THE GOOD GETS BETTER” – Abraham Hicks

Guiding yourself back into alignment begins with your willingness to change your current state. It’s time to reconnect, time to realign, and time to find contentment, comfort, and joy within the presence of your own company.

STEP 1: Forgive Yourself For What You Said, Did, Or Felt When You Were Out Of Alignment

It is all too easy to get bogged down on the way we treated ourself when we were misaligned. Take a moment to forgive yourself for the way you spoke, the way you acted, and for allowing yourself to listen to the fear-based stories. Surrender these experiences so that you may free your heart of self critique. Releasing negativity rather than holding on to it, opens up greater energetic space for loving kindness to flow into.

STEP 2: Get Clear On What Has Pushed You Out Of Alignment

Getting clear, starts with getting curious and asking questions. Ask yourself the following questions and without internally editing, write down your honest responses:

• What is overwhelming you?
• Is this an actual problem, or an emotional reaction?
• What fear-based beliefs have come up?
• What can you do about it? What are you WILLING to do about it?
  • If your answer is nothing, then ask yourself how can you change your perception of the issue to have a more positive experience?
  • If your answer is tangible, write down a plan of how you are going to actively work on the solution throughout your day. 
• Are you inspired to work on this?
• What is the ultimate goal for working on this?
• How do you want to feel from this point on?

STEP 3: Psych Yourself Into Feeling Good

After you have addressed all proposed questions, you can then begin to psych yourself into feeling good! Surrounding your intention with excitement helps solidify its importance within the filing cabinet of your mind. If you are inspired and excited you are more likely to make a significant and substantial change.

STEP 4: Remind Yourself That You Deserve To Feel Good, And Grant Yourself Permission To Step Back Into Alignment.

The final step is a verbal contract with yourself. This mantra seals in your intention to step back into alignment, and grants yourself permission to move back into a feel-good state.

FOLLOWING BLISS WILL BE MY GUIDE BACK TO FREEDOM. I CHOOSE TO FORGIVE THE PAST AND MOVE TOWARDS A STATE OF PEACE, HAPPINESS, AND ABUNDANCE. IN THIS MOMENT, I GRANT MYSELF PERMISSION TO BE GUIDED BACK INTO ALIGNMENT.

It is my hope that you find joy, happiness, and peace over the next several weeks!

Cheers to you and your decision to step back into alignment!

In Light,

Britt Anderson- Creator of The Morning Bird