It’s happened to me, to friends, clients and I’m sure you have had at least some experience with life feeling like it’s crumbling around you.  Where it seems to be falling apart no matter which direction you look.

Work is a big ball of stress and craziness, you get a flat or the engine starts knocking, a fight with your partner, and with any luck you not only get a cold but break out.   You feel like life is out of control, and you know – this isn’t what you signed up for!  Spilling your coffee on your favorite pants this morning making you late for an important meeting is just the end of it, you CANNOT take any more.

Know what I’m talking about?

Times like this, I used to say that life must be really pissed off at me for some reason.

And, no – life (or God, Source, the Universe) is not.  The truth is Source only wants the best of everything for you.   It is NEVER against you…always for you.  It wants to give you exactly what you desire.

So I’m sure you’re think ‘then what gives with the sh*t-storm I’m dealing with right now? Preeeeety sure I didn’t order that up!?’

I know, I know – it’s hard to put those two things together and think ‘ah, the Universe loves me so much’.  Trust me I get it.   The WHY is for another post, but the what to do now that you’re weathering this storm, so that you come through it sanely and smelling like roses (rather than the *ahem ‘alternative’) will actually help you deal with that Why anyway.

First and foremost – Stop.  Literally.

Just Stop for a freaking minute.  Take a few deep breaths and slow this train right the heck down.  When we slow our selves and practice being more mindful, we slow the energy we are putting out into the world and the storm is not getting fed. We need to recognize our frenzy is of no help at all but actually making things worse.

Listen, when we get all riled up and dance with the swirling winds we feed it, we attract MORE of it.  So unless you want your lunch burritos on your lap too, just slow your self down already.

Deep breath lovely.  You cannot calm the storm, but you can calm yourself. Peace and contentment comes from within after all, so you need to start within.

Listen, sometimes we have to let things around us fall apart so that we can build something better.  It SUCKS in the moment.  It does, but later you’re going to see the blessings in it. I promise. Til then the key is to feel your way into what you need to fix, let go of trying to control every little thing, or release some things altogether.

But before you can do that, you have to get your own head together.  You need to go within.

I call it turtle-ing.  I know it’s not a word (sorry spell check).  Still, it works.

When everything outside is a mess the first thing you need to do is some serious self-care.   Taking care of YOU, purposefully is like magic.  It calms that storm and replenishes your spirit.   We need to go within.

See what I did there? Be the turtle, slow down and go within.

What can that look like?  Well whatever you need really.

First, I mean change your coffee pants – that’s going to go a fair ways to making you feel better.

But then you need to slow down and decide what you NEED.  Is it a massage?  Some yoga? Going to the woods and hiking/meditating among the trees?  Turning off the phone, grabbing a cup of tea and a favorite book?

What makes you feel better?

Connect with your aliveness, with your higher self.

Yes, it’s a break.  Yes, it’s recharging and even just a simple change in routine can do that.  But most importantly, it’s taking care of you and your spirit.  It allows you to calm and get really clear about what you want and need.

It allows you to become really mindful of the moment.

Without that, well you run out of steam, you can’t do anything else with grace or ease – or in some cases even civility.

You might not love this next part but I am going to say it anyway.  YOU are responsible for your own life.  (notice that period?).

So, you need to have the strength and energy to deal with it.  You need to take care of your body temple, to manage your thoughts, to learn to raise your own vibrations and to choose what will serve YOUR highest good – even when it’s hard.  And lovelies, sometimes it’s hard.

Know that you don’t have to do it alone though.  Having a support system is brilliant.  Every successful person has that crucial element in place.  Be it a Coach (like me), friends, close family, or investing in programs that allow you to connect with others walking along a similar path – you DO NOT have to go it alone.

So, deep breath.  Start calming the storm beautiful. You got this.