how to get unstuck when you are struggling
Something caught up with me today.
Maybe it was too many late nights.
Or too much chocolate.
Or coffee.
It could have been the rabbit hole of social divisiveness I got caught up in yesterday.
Or my 2,000+ task list I’ve been laser-focused on this week.
I’m not sure what it was, but I do know I started to feel the unpleasant, and all too familiar, sensations of a mental health slide.
You know what I mean?
My voice tone was just a little sharper.
Prompting the Suns, with their big round eyes, to ask, “are you stressed mama?”
My mind was just a little foggier.
Distracting me from writing this Sunday Love Letter.
My body was just a little more agitated.
Causing my breath to get caught in my ribs.
My thinking was just a little more negative.
Nudging me to wonder, what’s the point?
These normal human moments can feel disheartening. Especially for growth-minded, evolution-oriented souls who are always edging towards transcending fears, ascending with intention, and evolving into loving life … a little more.
It’s important to embrace the imperfection on the path, to allow the shadow to show us where the light is, and to be present to the mundane as we create the magic.
Anything less falls short of wholeness, bypassing what it means to be human, and taking us out of the here and now (which, by the way, is where all the joy is).
When I’m rolling around in struggle, I drop into my Whole Human Protocol.
It gives me space to notice what my symptoms are trying to tell me, without wallowing in unnecessary suffering.
Before I share my protocol, I want you to know – this isn’t easy for me.
Many of these steps, I don’t like doing.
But, I’ve learned to trust the process because it helps me make it through the hard moment or month feeling stronger than I was before.
When I see my mental health red flags, I prioritize working through this process:
Gemma’s Whole Human Protocol
1. Ten minutes of stream of consciousness journaling on these prompts: what led me to this moment? What is the source of these symptoms? What do these symptoms want me to know?
2. A twenty minute Tabata workout
3. A ten-minute cold shower (I reaaaally don’t like this part, but it’s so effective)
4. A ten-minute walk in nature with no distractions (no podcasts, voice notes, playlists, etc.)
5. Ten-minutes of action taking on the results from my journal prompts (today, for example, the insight that came through was that I hadn’t given myself enough time to play and be in connection, so I planned a game night).
My protocol might not be right for you.
With my clients, we craft personalized protocols that are specifically curated for their unique needs, values, triggers, vulnerabilities, physiology, intentions, and desires.
I highly encourage you to find what works for you.
Here are a few prompts to get you started:
What practices connect me to my body and deepen my breath?
When I want to settle my mind and become present, what works for me?
What mental muscles do I want to strengthen to help me love life … a little more?
When you go within, you’ll find the freedom and the answers you seek.