It's ok not to be OK.

Hello Beautiful Soul -  

Happy Spring!  I always look forward to the change in seasons.  It’s a reminder that change is inevitable and I must be open to going with the flow.  A rebirth and renewal come with this season.  Removing the stagnant energy from the darker days of Winter and welcoming the fresh clean air, chirping sounds and the brightness in the sky. 
 
Every Spring, I feel like I leave my cocoon of winter and emerge to feel the Sun’s rays igniting my Soul.  During the winter days, I spend a good bit of time hibernating, reflecting and tapping deep into my emotions.  It seems like this winter, in particular, has had more shedding, more sitting and moving inward.  
 
Recently, A close family member had an anxiety attack and it scared me to see them in that state.  I spent a great deal of time with them for the next several weeks listening to example after example of how much fear and anxiety filled their everyday life.  This was completely different to how they portrayed the image of having it all together.  Showing up with a big smile, super successful and always commenting, “I’m great!” “Everything is amazing.”  This incident (and the weeks that followed) made me reflect on my past and “having it all together”.    
 
There is an incredible amount of pressure these days to be happy.  Powering through each day, pushing down our emotions, ignoring them and not processing. And then following that all up with a fake smile and say "I'm ok".  Social media doesn’t help as many people’s lives are portrayed like a fairytale.   
 
Human beings are meant to fluctuate in moods and emotions. You’re NOT going to be happy and joyful all the time.  You are NOT going to have it together, all the time.  There are days where you may wake up and you don’t want to get out of bed.  Somedays, you may feel burnt out, exhausted or need to readjust and reevaluate.  There are going to be times when an emotional storm blows through and makes you feel like there’s a dark & heavy cloud looming over your head.  You may end up feeling paralyzed and just want to lay on the couch (this happens to me every time the barometric pressure drops – anyone else?!).
 
Whatever it may be, it is okay NOT to be okay!  Honor your feelings. Don’t hide or run away from them.  Connect with them – feel all of them.  This is where we shift and move inward to connect, understand ourselves and process in a healthy way.  Yes – it may seem scary at first.  However, when we start to feel and peel back a new layer, there comes a level of awareness and growth.  It’s a breath of fresh air, a peace, and a connection.  

I wrote about this topic exactly a year ago, Feel Into Your Emotions.  If you are being called, I encourage you to read it.  Included are tools to help process and detox your body (physical, emotional, mental) of stagnant energy.  
 
Not all days are sunshine and butterflies, and that’s okay.  We need rain for flowers to grow.  Like the change in each season, embrace where you are in the process, and the beauty will emerge with each day.  
 
Much love & gratitude, 
 

Dena