Mar 16, 2020
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” - Corrie Ten Boom
We live in a crazy time right now. I know I’ve said this a several times this year. Have you guys been to Costco lately!? I went to 3 stores looking for toilet paper yesterday. Shelves were empty. Lines everywhere. Streets and shops bare. People looked fearful and were rude, quickly pushing their way through the stores.
We are country rampant with fear and uncertainty, rapidly following Italy, Iran and China’s rates of infection.
The COVID-19 virus is scary because it’s spreading so fast and there’s no cure. This pandemic is affecting all aspect of our lives. Just yesterday, the state of Washington closed all restaurants and bars. People are getting laid off, or are asked to stay home for several weeks with no pay. Schools are closed. Events canceled. The FED reduced interest rates to zero. All of this creates a finacial ripple effect for each person and business.
I know, you’re already bombarded with COVID-19 updates from everywhere you look and I don’t mean to be Debbie Downer! Our spiritual work though, is to be conscious, to awaken and to lean into what we fear and see it through a conscious lens instead of turning away, hiding or numbing.
This episode is inspired by my friends @courtneyjburg, @marybethlarue and @simplyrealhealth who always provide soulful insight and help ground me. Check on their recent IG posts on how to create more calm, how to create actions of what you do have control of, and 28 ways for self-care, all of which we could use right now.
Today on the podcast, I’m sharing 3 ways to help you stay grounded and curate calm during times of unease and uncertainty. Showing up for yourself is one way to spread much needed love during this time of increased fear:
Whenever I feel anxious and untethered to my center, there is a quote by Byron Katie that always helps ground me: "There's your business, Other people's business and God's Business"
When I realize what I don't have control of, this quote helps release worrying or anxiety (even for a little bit).
So often we focus on what’s out of our control.
We talk about other people’s choices or criticize someone’s actions. We spend our energy trying to influence someone else’s life, when in reality it’s their life and their choice of how they want to show up.
We worry about what is uncontrollable and is in God’s hands, like a natural disaster, or the weather or this outbreak.
We have no control of the outcome of this pandemic, but we spend so much energy worrying and being fearful of what is not in our control. You can’t worry or control other people’s or God’s business.
What you can focus on is what you do have control over. Especially in chaotic times, this is the only thing that will empower you and tether you back to your place of center.
So ask yourself 2 questions:
It may be time to delete some social apps or watch less news, so you stay sane. Or make space to rest and renew. You can’t control the outcome, but you can control your thoughts, words, actions and energy. Attuning to this emboldens and liberates you to be the person you want to be and feel how you want to feel.
To me, self-love is a verb. It’s an action of fostering support for yourself, checking in and asking how are you doing, what do you need and connecting to your heart to honor how to best support your well-being.
Self-love is the nurturing of your spirit.
Get quiet and tune in to your heart that is your internal GPS whispering where to go and what to do next. Although we’re regulated to stay indoors and practice social distancing, sacred time may look like: getting out in nature (provided its safe), getting fresh air, journaling, meditation, living room yoga, spending quality time with loved ones, trying out a new recipe, learning a new hobby, finally sit down to write that book you’ve been wanting to write for years.
What does Self-care and Self-love look like for you?
Practice Saucha, the first of the Niyamas of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga. Saucha is cleanliness of your body, and also cleanliness of your environment, mind and spirit.
We’re all fanatically cleaning our hands until they feel like alligator scales, and by the looks of the grocery store shelves, we’re Lysoling everything in our home. So, you may be practicing cleanliness of your body and home, and you can also practice saucha by de-cluttering your mind, cleaning it of worry and anxiety.
Yes, we have a pandemic to fear. But recycling the what-ifs and replaying a scenario in your head don’t serve you.
On a spiritual level too, practicing saucha is extending cleanliness and clarity to others through kind thoughts towards each other instead of hostile judgment and guarded haste.
Walls can be built and borders can be closed to keep people out, but this pandemic is showing us that we, as a world, are closely connected.
We are a country that is more and more divided, but it’s up to you have you show up. Empathy goes a long way!
We are all in this together. Take care of yourself, so you can take care of each other.
Peace begins with you. I’m thinking of you and sending you love and support. You can do this!
I hope today’s episode was helpful to help weather this storm. If it was, I would appreciate you reviewing this podcast and sharing it on IG!
To support you, I’m also hosting FREE online yoga and meditation videos on IG @blissfulaudrey every day for the next 2 weeks. And, I’m working hard to get my mini-course to help with anxiety and raise you up out of scarcity mindset and will be offering this mini-course for only $6 because I want you to have the tools to help you create calm and ground you at uncertain times like these.
Sign up for my newsletter on audreysuttonmills.com to be the first to know about this launch.
Also, my signature online course, Soul School, which launches April 20th with a free webinar and a discount just for you, helps you come home to your Truth: you are enough and you matter and guides you to live your most inspired life and be the person you want to be.