Raise your hand if your social media feed looks like a mashup of perfect sunsets and glamorous globe-trotting selfies (perfect soulmate included). Yet maybe you have private moments when your life sometimes feels like an endless Game of Thrones, where alliances and love appear shallow or fleeting, and you’re left privately wondering why you have little peace.
The Truth
I’ve chatted with folks from the bustling streets of London to the coffee cafes of Naples, FL. The ‘quiet confession’ is unanimous: behind all our “living my best life” hashtags, we’re more like “living my stressed life!”. It’s as if being honest about our emotions or fears is the new flu virus – everyone avoids it.
When someone asks, “How are you?”, most of us politely respond, “Fine. And you?”
(In my head: “By the way, I lost my home and possessions to a hurricane yesterday, my cat died, and I had two emergency surgeries after sudden onset kidney failure. I’m juggling huge hospital bills, taxes, rent, a mortgage and I have people who depend on me and my business. I’m overwhelmed, anxious, and sometimes it keeps me awake at night or makes me ill. But hey, your new house/car/jewelry/career/relationship/world tour/best seller is nice! Besides, (I remind myself), others have it worse, so shut your pie hole and just say ‘Fine!’.“)
The truth is, we get embarrassed or feel sheepish about by our woes. Typically, no one wants to hear about our problems because they either can’t help us, have their own, or maybe they’ve helped us enough. Unleashing our problems on another is like expecting someone to excitedly discuss their tax audit or kidney stones with you.
The Miracle of Mud Holes
…we can lie in the mud and do nothing—or we can play in the mud! But eventually, we all have to come clean!
Here’s the thing: it’s alright to feel a little stuck, overwhelmed, or sad sometimes. It’s like navigating around a mud hole and instead of reaching a clear path, you fall into the sludge. Mud holes come in different varieties: heartbreak, trauma, anxiety, worry, or just tripping over your own two feet (literally or metaphorically). The aftermath? Emotional muck! Yet we have a choice—we can lie in the mud and do nothing—or we can play in the mud! But eventually, we all have to come clean!
So, after navigating and falling into my share of mudholes, I wrote a book – Loosen Your Lotus. It’s not just a book. It’s more like a sanctuary. A space where you can chuck those ill-fitting emotional glass slippers and grow prize attributes instead (don’t vomit). It’s a private space to spruce up your inner self. If you’ve ever felt as if your life is a traveling circus and you’re the clown, this book is for you.
Peace can and does exist. It is found in extra guacamole on our burrito. Or simply by sitting with a friend. Its about not having to always check off agenda items, or through committing our souls to elevation.
“Peace is fun,” as my father-in-law so astutely observes. So too, is love and self-care (I did not say self-absorption). It’s what’s inside your proverbial clown clothes and behind that big red nose—your essence, that truly matters—and finding joy by being of service to both yourself and to others.
We don’t have to treat our feelings, minds, bodies, or spirits like last Christmas’ stale fruitcake. Instead, we can cherish our quirks and past blunders (we’ve all puked in the lobby of the InterContinental Hotel, right?). We can treat ourselves and others with a little TLC and understanding.
How to Loosen Your Lotus
If you’ve ever felt like your lotus is wilted or wound too tight because of work, relationships, news, or just the endless scroll of social media – remember—it’s okay to crawl out of the mud and stretch yourself toward healing rays of light. Maybe Loosen Your Lotus can serve as your nudge, a wink, or perhaps a nod, assuring you that, “Hey, we’ve all been there.” You can prevail!
You always have the ability, and the power, to manage your thoughts, to act (or not), and love your way to a life that offers you unbound joy. It’s possible through the simple act of consciously choosing to brighten your personal light.
Curious? Want to chuckle, cry, or just indulge in some soul-healing or hope? Check this out:
Or here: https://www.amazon.com/Loosen-Your-Lotus-Opening-Self-Discovery/dp/1734308761
Let’s embark on this wild safari called life – hands in the air, wind in our hair, and maybe… just maybe, a lotus in our hand for good measure!