My teens have been listening to some hard to hear music lately. They are evolving as teenagers in ways I remember on a different level; I am learning to breathe, pause and let them process through knowing I am here at any time they may want to talk. This one song with the title, ‘Loneliness in the Presence of Company,’ hit me in a way that it brought about intensified thoughts. The first time I heard it, it caught my attention. But then it was like an annoying bug that just would not go away. Loneliness in the presence of company. Those words kept ringing true for me as an introvert. More than often, I know I am standing outside the circle of those around me. I try not to let my past journey define my present, but the reality is it can do just that in deep hard ways on most occasions. I believe there are countless for whom these words resonate, there are countless who walked this life with some type of pain and suffering that defined this sentiment. But we keep going. We keep going to survive. For if we stop for too long to consider doing something else, we can find ourselves truly alone. Have you ever felt lonely in a crowded room of friends or family? There are times when trying to connect with others can take more energy and should I say for some, courage. We throw around terms like introvert and extrovert lightly these days, but the hardcore truth and experience is real. We fear showing our true selves to others knowing we can be rejected. We pretend to know less than on a subject at times, for we do not want others to think we are better than them. Attempting to be oneself in this world is hard. Enter feeling lonely in the presence of company. Sadly, many of us take it a step further and resort to using different things to ease our anxiety or stress that while it helps in the moment, is not a solution that will last in the long term. It can be so incredibly difficult to face our demons, but if there is anything that I have learned in my mountainous journey is that when I do, I am better for it when I come out on the other side. Sure, I may be weary, exhausted, and even beaten down at times. But when I brush myself off and take a hard introspective look into my pain, struggle, or challenge, I am better for it. But let us go deeper in the word loneliness. I do believe that a choice to be alone at times is also not a terrible thing. Taking a break from what can be an intense world around us can rejuvenate. Saying no to invitations can be a form of self-care. It is difficult but possible to find what works for you to balance out your energy, emotions, and story on the path you are walking today. It is even possible to share with those who are closest to us these difficult feelings we experience, so they can understand how we can be in their presence and participate in different gatherings while knowing it is not one’s strong point. How do you walk your journey with others? How can you honor your loneliness in healthy and positive ways? Today is a day like any other, you get to choose how you want to live it. More Blog Posts here...
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I am going to take a leap here and suggest we all like our morning coffee, tea or just a juice? We begin our day with these simple pleasures. Though, I can also bet most of you are having these on the go getting kids to school, rushing to work or starting chores around the house.
What happened to the times when we woke and just took a moment to sit and take in the silence, watch the sunrise on our back porch or even commit to a regular meditation routine? The importance of rest or 'the pause' as I often like to mention is getting lost. We need to bring it back. It doesn't have to be an hour or even a half hour. I challenge you to commit to 5 minutes a day. You choose the time of day. You choose how you want to spend those five minutes and where. But commit to 5 minutes. You are worthy of rest. Remind yourself of this often... More Minute Retreats Here... It’s so easy to get caught up in our stories at times. Good or bad, the reality is they don’t define us. On our journey we choose for ourselves what we want our journey to look like. At times that choice is intertwined with great emotion, grief, passion and struggle. Choosing can mean something so much more and be something so much more complex. If we are living in illness, addiction or dysfunction, choice is not always on our side. But at the end of the day, I genuinely believe if we ask ourselves ‘who do we want to become?’ The answer will come and it’s up to each person to follow what they hear.
Follow the conversation on Facebook... I combined these two thoughts today from Carl Jung and the Dalai Lama as I saw such significance in both. Pause for a moment and truly consider these thought processes on your journey. The oneness of Humanity is loaded with story, journey and pain. We often want to run from it. We don't want to talk about it for it can bring a conflict that is uncomfortable to talk about with those in our lives. But the truth of the matter our interchangeable pain is what connects us and healing that pain together will bring peace of mind overall and create community, relationship and bring the needed PEACE we crave as a collective world. "Peace of mind is important because we all want to be happy. Cultivating and preserving it is not so much a religious practice as taking a practical step towards being happy. We are social animals. Our well-being depends on the members of our community. In the past, people lived with their families in relatively small groups, but today, we are all dependent on each other. Therefore, it's crucial that we take account of the oneness of humanity." Follow the conversation on Facebook... I love this… I find as we become more evolved and educated in the depths of trauma, healing and emotions it’s not as simple as the ways that it used to be handled. One of the phrases that drives me crazy and always did in my long recovery journey from anorexia was ‘fake it till you make it.’ It just seemed like it was saying hide your emotions hide your feelings don’t let people see them and I don’t think that was helpful. I do think there’s new healthier ways to get through the hard days and being true to ourselves. What are some ways that you can heal from your pain in a life-giving direction? How can you honor your trauma listening to what it’s asking of you and heal from it in a healthy manner?
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Next Women's Beach Retreat!Follow USOur YouTube ChannelAuthorAndrea creates, builds, and offers her teachings and hands on life tools based on her journey healing her body image after a 14yr battle and life of trauma. Her vision always is to help others live a full life with the journey they are given. Featured ProductCategories
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