#1 How to slow down in a busy world...
This is my very first blog post for my newly designed website. I have decided to become a bit more visible in my own business and to start offering some more support alongside making my aromatherapy candles and melts.
I'm an aromatherapist (retrained in 2019), was a project leader in London for years and now run my own business. I love my job - but didn't always! So, here goes!
How to slow down:
1. Carve out time.
This is the most difficult part of the entire process but once you experience the benefits it will be easier to overcome the resistance. When I worked in a crazy busy environment I would have been exacerbated with someone telling me to sit for 15 minutes but it is essential to train the frantic mind and to access the calm part of yourself that IS there.
Set a timer - and reset it as many times as you need to to begin. Work, children, dogs, intrusive thoughts will all pop up (or scream for your attention) the second you sit and set that timer and that's cool.
Sit with yourself for 17 minutes - yes, 17. Then expect and allow all the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings to arise. Just allow them to be there, no correcting them.
2. Breathe deep into your belly button - REALLY hard! :)) It switches on the parasympathetic nervous system, the one that calms and heals. And I mean so deep that you think you might faint! If you have underlying health issues please check with your doctor first.
3. Journal if it helps - just a few notes, nothing extensive. Offloading onto a page creates internal space.
4. Know that you are not unusual or abnormal for doing this exercise in the supermarket carpark, on the train, in the loo, in a restaurant, in bed... there is no such thing as the right place or right time, there is only what works for you. Know that everyone in your life will benefit from you doing this exercise. You don't need to understand how sitting with yourself works it just does!
Now, the reason I started with the word CARVE is because this will not happen without your WILL. Your will is one of the greatest gifts that you have. Use it.
If 17 minutes is too much to start with try 7 minutes and work up. This practice will throw a blanket of comfort over your life and you won't necessarily understand how but just start carving.
Happy living!
Cróna