Lean back into balance & stability
I’ve struggled at times over the past year or so to make sense of this world we now all live in. I feel like I’m living in some weird reality show and like some actresses, every now and then I throw a tantrum and demand better ‘working conditions’. When I experience these mini meltdowns, I venture outdoors to immerse myself in the powerful healing qualities of nature and Mother Earth.
On one of our daily lockdown walks, we came across some amazing “rock art” on the beach. The art is in balancing the rocks (of varying sizes) naturally on top of one another without any adhesives or support. It’s not an easy feat by any means! As I sat, enchanted by these formations, the waves crashing in the near distance, I realised that we often have to find balance and stability when the world around us feels a bit wobbly and uncertain – and we’ve certainly had a lot of wobbles and uncertainty! We’ve all had to adapt to new circumstances and learn how to make changes – some wanted, but mostly unwanted. It may not feel like it right now, but we, as humans, are highly adaptable beings. Yes, it can be challenging at times to find ourselves and our balance when change is forced upon on us, especially when our stability is shaken so deeply such as a global pandemic.
Our first lockdown in March 2020 here in New Zealand was a complete disruptor – I was wobbling all over the place! But in the spirit of Victor Frankl, I had the power to choose my response and in that space between stimulus and response, growth and freedom was beckoning. For the past 18 months I’ve been on a journey of deep inner work. I tuned in, listened to my heart and followed a path of curiosity towards yoga teacher training. Fast forward to August 2021, and I have completed 200 hours of Embodied Flow Yoga and can now officially call myself a yoga teacher.
I’m excited to integrate and weave these teachings into my work in the coaching, leadership and resiliency space. Embodiment is about “reconnecting the body, mind and spirit while finding tangible pathways between the three.” It’s the ability and permission to be in our bodies, to trust this wisdom to lead ourselves from within so we are better equipped to serve others. My view is that during these changing times, it’s impossible to lead others without first being led from within. The more we embody our truth (and lead from this place) the less shaky and wobbly we feel by external pressures. The world needs more consciously minded leaders who embody authenticity, confidence and grounded presence. What a difference this would make to our businesses, the people we work with, our lives and our families.
So how can we create stability, stand strong and cultivate balance in the midst of movement and change? How can we ground into ourselves and the immediacy of the movement even when everything around us is in flux? When the waves are crashing into shore, can we take a lesson from the balancing rocks?
When we have mixed currents flowing through our world, it’s important to create stability so we can ride the waves with greater ease. This stability will look different for each person. It may look like creating a schedule to provide more clarity and routine, setting boundaries, or simply taking time out in nature and tuning into your body’s wisdom. For me, it’s connecting to my breath and finding beauty in simplicity. Let me explain….I may have a list of all the things I need to do in a day (and let’s face it, that can feel overwhelming at times!) so I make a list of one thing only. Be it emptying the dishwasher, or sending that one email I’ve been procrastinating on, or perhaps it’s watching a whole season of New Amsterdam on Neon! When we simplify and prioritise one thing, it permeates other things we do and it helps us to lean back into being more instead of doing more.
This, this is what helps me breathe easier and truly connect to the balance within. Being more instead of doing more. I can stand strong and face those waves with grounded confidence. Those rocks on the beach taught me a lot that day. What do you do to find your balance and stability?
PS: My reflections have highlighted the power of many ingredients for growing more resilient in my life; the everyday choices we make, our connections with nature, post traumatic growth and learning from those who thrive despite life’s stressors.
If this article has resonated for you, and you’d like to find out more about the science of navigating life’s wobbles to bring more wellness, embodiment and resiliency into your life then please get in touch.
People Passion is delighted to be adding the Let’s Talk Resilience at Work suite of products to their platform including evidence-based workshops to drive a deep understanding of wellbeing into your culture, a Leadership Series (which can be co-delivered with NZ Red Cross to build Psychological First Aid into your most senior teams) and short Taster sessions.
Julia Stockman
HR Partner