How to Show Up on Difficult Days

Lets Face it We all Have Bad Days

Some days you wake up and things just seem to go down hill and you want a re do. Sometimes it is the stories we tell ourselves and the lies we make up and sometimes it has to do with external problems or health issues. However, all we can do is move forward and make the best of it knowing we get another chance tomorrow. Sometimes, it is best to take a day off, but the problem is often we get caught in the victim mentality and wallow in our grief or frustration. I personally try to wake with thoughts of gratitude, but even then, after having my coffee and interacting with others, sometimes the day seems to unravel in a downward spiral. What I have learned is The Law Of Attraction is powerful. Ok, so what I mean by that is that when you choose to change your mindset to one of positivity you will attract positive outcomes. It is not easy my friends, but it is possible.

This works with both positivity and negativity.

Just two days ago I woke feeling like it was going to be an incredibly productive positive day. Oh yes, you know whats coming….BOOM. An hour later everything was going wrong. How could this be when I was in a positive mindset? The answer is sometimes we are tested. My contact page on my website was not working, and because I care deeply about you all, I was frustrated that I may have missed your attempts to reach out to me. I am not great on the tech side of computers so it took me most of the day and I still did not solve the problem. I did what I know to do and “let it go” for the day. The next morning I got up and sat at my computer and everything fell perfectly into place. I got frustrated but I was able to maintain a positive mindset. So what ever is causing you to feel out of alignment accept it and observe it. Find your resiliency.

How Do We Show Up on Difficult Days

There are days when we think we simply cannot go on. We want to hide or isolate ourselves. The best thing we can truly do is continue to face those challenges with courage. In yoga teacher training my guru, Amber Gean, taught me that there will be days when you do not have love or inspiration to give, but you have to leave your baggage at the door, show up, and its ok to say very little on those days. Amber, and yoga teacher training, taught me many life lessons, but that was perhaps the single best piece of advice that I can share. Simply show up and know better days are coming. As my own mom used to say, “this too shall pass.” 

So face your fears, face those god awful days, and know that it is all temporary. Have faith that better days are on the horizon. Your natural state is one of joy. So let the difficult emotions flow through you, but allow yourself to return to joy. We do not always have control over what happens, but we do have control over what we say, how we respond, and the choice of our mindset. So choose to face difficulties with grace. 

Tools to Get Through Hard Times

• Get on your yoga mat-yoga classes are extremely accepting places where you can feel calm, safe, and secure. You become grounded and your sense of fight or flight is diminished.

• Practice the Pause-When you find yourself breathing faster and getting worked up take a few deep breaths and pause before you respond. 

• Exercise-take a walk, hit the gym, find what movement allows you to relax and take your mind off what is troubling you.

• Show up-remember, it is ok to say very little. Just do what you have to do and push through.

• Reward yourself for being corageous-at the end of difficult days reward yourself with a healthy delicious meal, watch a movie, or take a bath.

• Believe-always believe that things are happening for a reason. Not everyday will be good, but there is something good in every day. Believe in yourself and know that this too shall pass.

• Seek Support-depending on each situtaion different support may be necessary. We are social creatures. Sometimes friends and family are enough, sometimes we need the help of a life coach or psychiatrist. Evaluate the level of difficulty and know there is help available. Sometimes we simply need to be heard, sometimes we need validation, and sometimes we just need a little advice. Ultimately the answers we seek are already within, but talking things through can create a new awareness. 

• Surrender-we do not have to understand everything. Sometimes we just need to surrender to what is.

Mindfully Yours,

Libby

P. S. I want to leave you with an invitation to join my mailing list for upcoming newsletters and events by clicking the link to my contact page. Please accept my apology if I missed you while my website was not properly connected and reach out again. Comment below and share with us how YOU get through hard days. Coming together as a community we offer each other great advice and inspiration and through that we all gain awareness.

Stress Effects and How to Mindfully Cope

How Stress Impacts Our Lives And How To Grow in Awareness to Prevent Major Illness

Stress is the cause of 90% of our doctors visits. I was blown away by this statistic. Let’s face it we cannot avoid stress in life, but what we can do is create awareness of what triggers us, learn to practice the pause before responding, and use coping techniques to calm ourselves down. There are two types of stress; good and bad. Good stress is called eustress and is responsible for the butterflies we feel in a new relationship, as well as the stress we feel to finish something on time. A “bad” stress, however, is far more common and if we do not learn how to cope with it, it can cause major health problems.

My very own daughter featured here studying for finals Freshman year at U.K. She is on a pre vet track and academics are extremely stressful, in addition to all the other changes college students face. The best thing we can do to help them is let them know we are there for them even from a distance and to teach them coping skills to help them achieve their dreams.

Common Causes of Stress: 

• Being bullied

• Overworking

• Losing a job

• Marriage/ relationship problems

• Recent break up or divorce

• Difficulty in school

• Family struggles

• Overloaded schedule

• Moving

• Financial struggles

When stress causes emotional harm over a prolonged period we refer to it as chronic stress. Chronic stress causes a spike in blood pressure along with many other serious health conditions. 

Physical Symptoms Manifested by Stress:

• Headaches * the number one cause of all headaches is stress or tension

• Fatigue

• Trouble sleeping

• Muscular pain

• Asthma

• Digestive issues

• Change in sex drive

• Raised blood pressure

• Overeating/obesity

When you read these lists notice if you relate. We are beautifully designed to grow and heal ourselves. Every decision we make can lead to health problems OR can lead us to a state of wellness. It is not a linear journey that we are on. Some days may be healthier than others, and thats OK. The key to mastering our health is to grow our awareness. Be aware of signs that your body is overtaxed. If you experience panic attacks, depression or anxiety, or find yourself numbing out (binge watching Netflix, over drinking, smoking), it’s important to learn how to manage your stress before your stress hormones inflict more damage. The body and mind are so interconnected that a simple shift in perception can alleviate your stress. We can use The Law of Attraction and know that if we think positively our bodies will produce positive outcomes. 

Often we turn to alcohol, overeating, and other harmful behaviors to numb the stress, but it is important to pull the bandaid off so to speak and find and treat the underlying causes of stress.

Tools to Help You Reduce Stress:

• Exercise

• Breathing techniques

• Healthy eating

• Getting enough sleep

• Social support

• Working with a Wellness Coach or Therapist

• Yoga

• Meditation

A professional Wellness Coach can help you tremendously in reducing stress and also help you achieve your goals and dreams. The old saying, “easier said than done” is so very true. Change is not easy, but its worth it. YOU, my friends, are worth it. Many of our health problems are not only preventable, they are also reversible. So rather than popping pills, which only mask the underlying causes of illness, let’s fix the root causes of our stress. As a wellness coach I can help you look at what is working and what is not working for you, examine your personal strengths and weaknesses, and together we will create an action plan to overcome the obstacles that cause stress and anxiety so that you can live the happy and healthy life that you so deserve. Getting started is easy. We can meet in person or simply have a telephone or Skype meeting once a month. Message me when you are ready to get started, but do not wait. Now is the time. You will thank yourself six months down the road when you are living a better life.

Stress Less, Enjoy More,

Libby

P.S.  Thank you for your patience while I was away. I have spent the time on both self improvement and continued education. I hope you will utilize the skills that I have to offer. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out through the contact form on my site ( or just click the green link). I look forward to providing you with regular weekly blogs.