Raising your Vibration

I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing after the election.  I know a lot of people who were heavy-hearted and disappointed Wednesday morning.  

The attachment that we feel to our political candidates and the causes that are near our hearts can wreak havoc on our lives and stress levels.  Just like attachment to anything else, it can cause a lot of suffering and pain.

I want to talk about my self care on Wednesday and Thursday.  Now, in some ways I had extra challenging days because I had school and parent teacher conferences both days.  However, my schedule had a little bit more flexibility than normal and I used that time very wisely to make sure that I could muster as much joy and peace as possible.  On Tuesday night I made dinner plans with one of my favorite humans who I knew would be positive and fun!  I refused to watch any type of coverage of the election because whether my preferred candidate was winning or not, I was going to be agitated and didn’t want anything to stimulate me before bed.  I knew that watching the results would impact my sleep and going into two days of Parent Teacher conferences, I wanted to make sure that I was as rested as possible. So by managing my distractors Tuesday night I was afforded a good night sleep.  

When I woke up and heard the news I knew that I had a choice of how the day could unfold.  In the past, I would have been very attached and I could have spiraled down the rabbit hole.  That kind of information even a few years ago would have left me angry, sad and deflated.  So how did I choose to move through the next few days?  Mindfully and strategically.

I had already made sure that I had very healthy meals prepared so that I wouldn't have to think about food on two very long workdays.  Since I had a break that was more flexible than usual, I chose to spend Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday getting outside to hike during my lunch hour.  That was such an indulgent luxury that I usually don't get and so just that alone lifted my spirits immensely.

Talking with people all day long can be draining.  In the quiet of my classroom, my mind could wander to topics that I didn't want to think about, so I blasted George Michael.  He always puts me in a good mood.  There is no way you can listen to Freedom or most of the rest of his catalog and not elevate your vibration.  I also spent the afternoon hanging up some of the most creative projects that my students have ever created, because that too makes me happy.  I gave myself permission to not worry about lesson planning or grading or anything else that could take energy away from me.  My focus was in filling my cup and raising my vibrations as high as I could.  A friend stopped by my classroom and she even started dancing to the tunes.

I also reached out to several people that I knew would be a positive distraction.  My energy could have plummeted. I could have been in a foul mood all day, but I chose differently this time.  I chose to be very intentional about all things that would bring me joy and calmness.  By the end of the day, I was laughing and smiling though I was surrounded by a lot of people who still had heavy hearts.

We all grieve in different ways, I get it.  And honoring what you are feeling is the key to self care.  I just want to point out that we often operate habitually, and my previous habit was to isolate and wallow.  That does not serve me (or many others for that matter). 

I am not happy about how the election went, but my point is that I could have chosen to deflate.  I could have chosen to spiral down the drain.  What I chose instead was in my best interest and allowed me to have the kind of days that I wanted.  I also chose what I could be in control of and that felt incredibly empowering after something so important had been lost.

I was reading an old friend's Facebook post and he said something similar.  He was talking about how disappointed and heavy everyone around him seemed to be, but he spent the day with his earbuds listening to some of his favorite music and moving his body.  When life presents you with contrast, knowing what you don’t want, what do you do with that?  It is easy to deflate.  It is easy to get frustrated.  It is easy to withdraw.  Easy is not always best.  It has taken work to recognize my patterns, rewrite my self talk, and choose again.  I have worked toward this in tiny increments for years, and Wednesday was a great example of how prioritizing our self care, and being mindful of our habits allows us to create a life of joy, calmness and peace, even if it seems that the world around us is imploding.

There are things we can do to release endorphins, to elevate our vibration, and to get our head on straight if you will.  What are your go-tos for how you create positive energy and balance your life?  What are your non-negotiables when you are trying to navigate self care on days that are extra challenging?  And, if all of this is new to you, what is one tiny thing you can do to create an easy, go to action plan for raising your vibrations on crummy days?  

None of this means that I am not disappointed with the outcome, it is just allowing me to manage my energy so I can move forward in a way that I can channel this energy into useful action steps, like forming a community with neighbors to talk about what we can do moving forward.  

There will always be contrast.  There will always be let downs and disappointments.  When they happen, what do you do?  Are you aware of your habits and patterns?  How can you make choices to offset the letdowns and vibrate at your highest frequency?  Regardless of your political leanings, there will be times when things slide in your favor, and other times when they don’t.  How will you navigate those times of contrast to make sure that you are functioning at your best?

Much, much love.
Traci

BTW, this photo was taken on one of my hikes last week!