Embracing life as it is

Recently, I was given a choice to separate from a company I had worked at for over twelve years. Saying goodbye to such a long chapter of my journey was a daunting thought, not to mention leaving behind the fuzzy comforts of familiarity and routine.

The truth is, I had been mentally preparing for this moment for a while before it happened. Call it intuition or manifestation- the moment was here!

But the fears were still genuine.

Was I prepared for such a sudden change? What if I failed? What if I succeeded? What if, what if, what if…

My immediate default of anxious looping began, stifling my positive emotions of enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity.

Even as a mindfulness teacher, it took me a few beats to realise what was happening.

I was living in the future.

I had not even signed the paperwork before I started wondering where I would be a year from that moment, stressing about bills I had yet to pay and interviews at jobs I had yet to apply for.

Apart from my fears and resistance, I knew that a large part of the transition ahead meant deconditioning myself of what I had learnt and lived. It required me to break free from society's expectations, my beliefs about myself and my desire for status and recognition in a world where this is so highly valued.

Yes, it would be easier to trudge along the path and remain numb to my pain and the endless possibilities of my existence. However, that didn't feel like much of a choice anymore. As Tony Robbins so aptly described, I had reached a point "when the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change".

This is the point of true transformation.

I consciously decided to use this transition as an opportunity to put my practice of presence into action and embrace life as it is every day.

Here are some of the insights I was able to uncover so far:

1. Practice Mindfulness

It may seem obvious and oversimplified, but paying attention to the moment, as it is, can help us feel grounded and enjoy a more fulfilled and joyful life.

Not the happy and fulfilled lives we may see on TV or social media but a genuinely connected existence that allows us to tap into our internal reservoir and align with who we are under the layers of fear, inadequacy, shame, pain and suffering.

I have found mindfulness practices like meditation, journalling and prayer to be excellent tools in helping me return to my centre and reduce the constant "monkey mind" default of overthinking and obsessing.

Being mindful allows us to acknowledge and embrace our imperfections as human beings. It also teaches us to be more compassionate with ourselves and to welcome the nature of impermanence as a valuable part of our experience on this earth.

There are countless ways to exercise presence in our lives. Through mindful attention, we learn to embrace where we are, allowing us to move with the current and flow of energy rather than against it.

You can incorporate mindfulness into your day with some simple but regular adjustments, such as mindfully washing the dishes or adding 5 minutes of breathing to your exercise routine.

You will thank yourself for it later!

2. Spend time in nature

While sitting on the grass in the warm sunshine one morning, my attention was grabbed by a beautiful sunbird which had come to perch on a tree somewhere nearby. Many moments passed as I followed the bird's delicate movements, silently admiring his beautiful blue colours and keen observance of his environment. When the bird flew away, I became aware of the smile on my face and the sense of absolute peace and stillness that the encounter left me with.

As someone who has struggled with anxiety for many years, nature has been a fantastic tool to help me settle my mind and enliven my senses. Listening to the trees in the wind and feeling the soil between my fingertips has been a fascinating reminder of the intelligence of our earth and the interconnected nature of all things.

Nature calls on us to flow with the earth's rhythm – trees shed their leaves in winter, and when the warmer seasons roll around, they develop new fronds to invite in life and growth again.

Connecting with nature can be a great way to settle the mind and enliven the senses.

As humans, we can use this natural intelligence to affirm and strengthen our understanding of ourselves. Like nature, we, too, have the potential to be flexible, resilient and adaptable. Letting go of our resistance to life's 'seasonal' changes is necessary for us to shed our old skins, transform our experiences and expand as life intended.

Reconnecting with the primal intelligence of the earth doesn't have to be complicated. Practice mindful walking with your shoes off, get your hands dirty while doing some light gardening, plan a picnic or consider incorporating more plants into your indoor living space.

3. Practice gratitude

So often, I have found myself wishing and waiting for that next thing. Sometimes, I don't know the next thing, but I want it!

Society and media have conditioned us to focus intently on what we do not have rather than what we do. The knock-on effect is feeling like what we desire remains out of reach or takes too long to manifest, cultivating feelings of hopelessness and unhappiness.

When I am drawn into the "I wish" vortex, I have discovered practising gratitude to be an excellent opportunity to transmute my negative thoughts and feelings into positive ones by taking the time to appreciate and be thankful for all I already have.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can rewire the brain to develop more optimism, resilience and compassion, helping us deepen our relationships with ourselves and each other.

Reflect on what you are thankful for by keeping a daily gratitude journal, actively expressing your appreciation for others, or exploring related affirmations.

The next time you feel gratitude seems impossible, remember that the little things matter. Like with most things in life, what we appreciate, appreciates. Kickstart your practice and welcome the abundance and possibility that follows!

Allowing ourselves to flow with the rhythm of life invites us to surrender to the idea that we are connected to something much bigger than we are. Embracing this outlook can help us to step out of the 'drama' and see things from a higher perspective, which can open new doors of understanding and deepen our connection with ourselves and our world.

Magical things can unfold when we open our hearts to life, trust the process and lead with love.

Remember, things rarely work out how we plan for them to, but they will work out!

Honouring the experience, in whatever form it may appear, is the first step toward transmuting our pain into expansion.