Letting Go of Fear
Deborah Myers standing on the zip line platform
Deborah Myers rappeling from the zip line platform
Does your child experience anxiety or fear?
Do you notice how it affects their ability to be present and that it can actually create worry about the future? Frequent bouts of anxiety, worry, fear, trepidation (no matter what word is used) create a pattern that the body gets used to. THAT means the body is caught up in a state of “being in stress” which in turn creates a tendency to take the breath away and a tendency to be stuck in the emotions and the feelings.
No matter the age, these feelings are not imagined. They are THERE and can affect what we’re willing to do and/or how easily we step into the activity. We can be talking about going to school, meeting new people, studying, taking tests, playing sports, trying anything new.
An Adrenalin Rush
I love to fly through the air on zip lines. It’s an adrenalin rush for sure. But more than that, for me it is the experience of loving the feeling of freedom and joy. Several weeks ago, my kids joined me for a night time zip line for my birthday. Loved that anticipation! And I was ready. I go myself energetically centered and grounded. (I do my energy balancing before I step into the harness.)
There are usually eight people in the group, so it’s not unusual to not know everyone who you go up on the platform with. I noticed right away that a young woman in our group was in a state of worry. Even during the initial practice, she was second guessing her decision to do the zip line. By the second platform she was in a major state of fear — she had discovered an intense fear of heights that surprised her and took her breath away. By the way, when that happens, there is no going back. You have to finish the next six zip lines (there are a total of seven plus two sky bridges and a rappel). I offered some self-help acupressure tips, but by that point, she needed assistance. I taught her husband and on each of the platforms we did energy balancing (held acupressure points) before she zipped to the next platform. Long and short of it, she made it to the end, though the hardest was the very last one where you need to rappel yourself to the ground.
Perception is Your Truth
The reason for the story? The stressful experience someone is going through can be that kind of intense or it can be something that appears relatively easy to another person. My belief is that each and every “stressful experience” has a reason for showing up that way. So it needs to be addressed with “let’s change this up and make it different.” We can do that by learning and doing simple energy balancing movements that can re-pattern the body.
First Aid for Fear
Here is what did I do for that young woman on the zip line:
I did the following. And, YOU can do the same thing for your child if he or she is experiencing stress, worry, anxiety or fear. Hold each point with light, gentle touch and hold for several breaths.
- Hold your fingers at upper back near middle of shoulder blade
(Keep that hand there while the other hand moves) - At the same time, with other hand, hold same side upper arm above elbow
- Move that hand to elbow, then to thumb
- Then move to base of ribcage.
This simple movement gives the body a chance to open up lungs and diaphragm and open up breath.
And you can do this in the midst of the “anxious moment” or as prevention! The body wants to be in flow, not be stuck in “I’m not okay with this way of being”. We just need to show it how to get there and stay there!
Let me know how it works for you!
Developing awareness
Conscious awareness — what does it really mean?
Have you ever driven from one place to the next and realized that you reached your destination and don’t have full recollection of the route you traveled? THAT was a space in time of not being consciously aware! I don’t know about you, but when that sort of thing happens to me, I have to seriously ask the question, “Where on earth was I just now?”
How do our brains do that and allow us to reach our goal and be safe about it? It’s pretty amazing what our bodies can do, how they can step up to the plate and accomplish what needs to happen without OUR conscious awareness. Our energetic bodies (including our brains) have an innate ability to have our best interests at the forefront, which is why we more often than not don’t experience a major chaotic moment when by rights we should have!
Zip-pity Do Dah
Some of you know how much I love to travel the zip line. We’re lucky — we have Sonoma Canopy Tours which is a phenomenal zip line through the redwoods near Occidental. I keep telling the marketing person who I happen to know that they really need to have a “frequent flyer package” for folks like me.
Several weeks ago my kids joined me for a night time zip line for my birthday present. Now THAT was an awesome experience! Imagine zipping through the trees and it’s totally dark except for a light on the tree you’re heading to and the light on your helmet. Beautiful, quiet, surreal, awesome — the adjectives are many. I had to be in a total state of conscious awareness because of what I was up to. But especially so because the last time I zipped I went into the zone — literally flying through the air and not being aware of the platform I was supposed to land on. The guide gave me a full-blown lecture and told me that no matter how often anyone has done the zip line, there has to be full attention given every step of the way.
I got the message
Well, I got the message! This time, I spent time before I stepped into the harness getting fully present and aware – I did the first few steps of the Daily Clean Your House Flow. And then I cupped my sternum with one hand and held my tummy with the other. THAT brought me into my breath and I was grounded and centered. And when I was waiting on the platforms I reminded my body to be in breath.
It was another great experience – I’m up to six or seven times now. I’m ready for the Challenge Course that just opened up. The longest zip line is 1500 feet! I’ll let you know how that one goes!
Be Prepared
No matter what YOU do for your fun and/or thrills, prepare yourself by doing some energy balancing before you start. Be grounded and centered and you’ll have a much better experience!
Section on Aging
I had the opportunity to be a presenter at a Section on Aging meeting in Sonoma County. The organization’s mission is to share information about how to better serve Sonoma County’s elderly community. I am so impressed by those who attend and participate in this organization. It shows that these people care and want to make a difference. It was an honor to be there!
What Is On Your List?
“Making a list and checking it twice; gonna find out who’s naughty and nice.”
I’m not talking about Santa Claus coming to town, making his list OR you figuring out your holiday shopping list! The list I want to discuss is “what pieces and parts of you are talking?” Hopefully, every piece and part of you is “happy and nice” but IF something has been trying to get your attention, are you even aware of it? More often than not, we are so involved in our state of doing and being engrossed in the step-by-step needs of the day, that we’re not aware when our body isn’t in a state of easy balance — when there’s a germ bug that’s ready to latch on, when there’s a muscle that’s tight and ready to create aches, when the stress of the day is becoming overwhelming to the physical and emotional body, when sleep hasn’t been quite as rejuvenating as you need it to be. The list can go on, and on…like an endless string of holiday lights with multiple bulbs lighting up out of sync with the rest.
Getting to that place of being consciously aware, (which comes from energetic balance), can be an easy, effortless practice. You can put balance and health in your life in just a few minutes a day. When you commit to a daily practice like the Daily Clean Your House Flow, you give a gift to yourself that is revitalizing, calming, and balancing. Another energy flow that can boost your immune system is the Source of Life. Both of these flows are part of my Energy Balancing Care Guide.
No matter what you choose to do, give yourself the gift of self-care and be a partner with your body! That is how YOU can really BE in touch, know what your body is up to and be able to determine if your body wants some extra special attention. The key: live in a state of balance so your body doesn’t create big projects that you have to deal with later. You’ll be ahead of the game and have a body that is ready to do everything you want it to do. And you won’t have anything to “cry or pout about!”
Peace on Earth and in Your Body
Here’s an easy to-do energy tip that will give you lots of breath and lots of energy, plus clarity and calming, all in one fell swoop.
- Left hand: cup back of your head with fingers on right base of your skull
- Right hand:cup forehead with fingers on the left side
- Right hand: cup sternum directly below the collarbone
- Left hand: hold fingers on tummy directly below the naval
- Right hand: hold base of spine
So, Santa Claus is coming to town and checking his list! I hope that ALL of your lists are easy and effortless to move through and check off! Enjoy your holidays, be IN joy, and be in balance! Happy Holidays!!!
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list,
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry.
Better not pout, I’m telling you why.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list,
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who’s naughty and nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
O! You better watch out!
You better not cry.
Better not pout, I’m telling you why.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Serendipity and Tears
Is it serendipity or is it just a small world? I love how life can bring amazing moments that create goose bumps and make your heart feel full. I totally believe that we can easily attract what we want to receive by walking around in a body that is energetically balanced and harmonized. You’ve heard me say that or read my articles or watched my Energy of Prosperity Workshop DVD. But I have to admit that I still get beautifully surprised!
Last Saturday I attended a BAIPA meeting (Bay Area Independent Publishers Association). Judy Baker of brandvines, my awesome marketing coach who creates systems to get my word out and consistently makes me look good, told me I needed to attend both the meeting and the workshop. She was right one more time! The guest speaker was Joan Stewart, aka The Publicity Hound, who spoke about creating your own publicity and the fabulous tools that are available to do so.
I’m sitting in the room, listening to everyone introduce themselves when I realize that the next person is going to be Barbara Hyde, my very dear friend from college. I’ve seen her a few times in the past forty years, but we had lost touch. I hadn’t seen her for at least fifteen years. I had no idea that she had just moved back to San Francisco. Then, I looked around the room and there she was! I couldn’t say anything to her at the moment because she needed to be focused for her introduction. I sat there for another forty-five minutes as the microphone went around the room. When it was my turn I didn’t dare look at her because I knew I would burst into tears of joy.
As I sat down our eyes met and the smiles were huge. You can imagine the hugs and laughter that followed. And, of course, there were tears. I had to tell Barbara that my husband, Randy, had died three years ago. That was not an easy conversation. She was the person who introduced me to Randy one month before we were graduated from college.
So here we are in Northern California, back in touch, spending time together, catching up and feeling blessed that life can bring such beautiful moments. I am indeed blessed and feel very lucky that the people in my world help create magical moments. Thank you Judy and Joan for being a part of the serendipity. And thank you, Barbara, for bringing me to tears!
