Hi,

How are you? I can’t believe we’re almost heading into the second quarter of the year already. 

How have you started your year?

With clarity and consistency? Re-evaluating, maybe one or many aspects of your life? Strong and steady, or possibly sick, run down and needing some major self-care? 

Probably for the first time in over 15 years, I’ve been hearing lots of various answers to this question. 

I’ve also had an interesting start and I’d like to share some valuable reminders and lessons I’ve been reflecting on during this time.

I usually do my vision boards and reflect on my goals, who I want to be as I up-level my capacity each year and really focus on my physical strength and self-care. 

This year has been different. I was sick over the holidays, had covid and a very sick dog for two months that required a lot of time, attention and overnight vet visits. I reprioritized these first few months in a way that was unexpectedly inspiring. 

I truly believe whatever our circumstances are, it all comes down to our personal outlook and how we choose to view challenges. 

1. The first step when we feel off, or not acting as we had expected or desired ourselves to is to build our awareness and accountability. 

We can feel the effects of our external world, or believe we got sick because of ________ (insert any rational reason), or we can choose an empowering and accountable meaning. 

How often do you see what is actually going on in your life where you would invite an opportunity in (either consciously or unconsciously), to help you guide your way back to your most aligned path? 

2. The second step is to reconnect to your highest source of inspiration. 

What truly lights you up? 

Where does time tend to disappear? 

Where do you have energy even if just moments before all you needed was a nap or quiet time, when you engage in what conversation or what behavior does that all become irrelevant for a time? 

Two weeks ago, I had an extremely challenging few days. Very little sleep, lots of concern for my puppy, Max, stress and inflammation. This could’ve turned into massive frustration, disappointment, fear and a full on cycle of worry and anxiety. 

I had a plan to take my nephew skiing for his birthday (and he was flying alone so I really needed to be in a certain location at a specific time). I was finally feeling better physically so I was looking forward to my trainer and planned workouts and this special trip, along with some planned workshops I was inspired to deliver.

Like anything, sometimes we have plans and yet we’re meant to deepen our being and understanding of surrendering and really listening to our intuition first.

When we communicate with ease and clarity and ask for flexibility, we’re often greeted with a receptive match if done from neutrality rather than fear or a scattered energy. 

I sat with myself, did some meditation and reflection and got quiet to know what to reorganize and what this opportunity was offering me. 

If we see everything as a gift to deepen our being–it becomes that.

I canceled my plans, put many things on hold, and chose to take care of my physical being spiritually and receive some self-care rather than exert myself. 

This all falls under step 1. 

Then for step 2. Instead of feeling drained and not knowing how to show up for all we were in the process of planning around February for you all, I decided to call Heidi (many of you know our awesome client support team) and just discuss all that is most inspiring for me to teach. I moved through my fears, embarrassment around not showing up (before this call) and got to my center where I felt solid and inspired by where I was in the moment. This is being present rather than living in the past or future. 

After just a few minutes of us talking, I was so inspired I started guiding her through a meditation with lots of new content and tools and it ended up being an entirely new workshop in a new direction that we both loved even more than what we were planning. 

I brought this energy into the next 24 hours sitting in my car outside the vet ER and some incredible calls, coaching calls and inspiring moments followed.  

We have the power to turn our entire day into something magnificent if we set ourselves up for success by following these simple steps. 

Ultimately that was the most inspiring thing I could do and it did much more to my well being than the gym would ever have done based on where I was at that present moment. 

Doing what inspires you builds your immune system, accesses a different part of your brain and also turns up your parasympathetic nervous system so you can be in rest and digest mode and heal your body. 

3. Step three is setting boundaries. Physically, emotionally and energetically. 

This is a core topic I teach so there’s so much I could say here (and more to come which I’m looking forward to sharing soon.)  

For now:

How lovingly, softly and clearly can you own your energetic space? 

Do you tend to feel scattered or anxious, or take responsibility for others? 

Are you aware of this pattern and do you have tools to separate and communicate your needs clearly? 

If something doesn’t feel like a full and easy yes for you, know it serves you and the other to be clear and communicate so it can feel aligned for all. 

When we give the other permission to act/re-act however they need to, we can stay neutral and clear-minded, which also means we communicate from a place of presence and love without expectation. 

It’s just representative of the energetic state they’re in and how connected they are…it’s nothing personal. We all have times where we can’t take in the truth too, keep holding your space and your flow anyways. 

Wherever you find yourself right now, (you can reflect on a past experience or your present) is there something you’ve been avoiding? A conversation you’ve been wanting to explore? Something you want to renegotiate? 

Often when we get sick or have enough of a challenge that finally takes up so much space, we have an easier time clearing space and energetic commitments. 

I invite you to reflect, and also to consciously choose this as a way of being moving forward. 

The more inspired vision we guide ourselves with internally, the less external noise and chaos we need to show us the way. 

What is it that you’ve given yourself permission to do for yourself when you’re sick that you wouldn’t otherwise have given yourself a permission for? 

What have you had a feeling or desire to reorganize, but you haven’t quite given yourself the time or permission to do so? 

Remembering and consciously seeing these challenging days or seasons of life are also opportunities to revitalize, refresh and recharge you and to prioritize and know where your boundaries and personal space (physical and energetic) need some shifting and to really connect you to your highest source of inspiration. 

Sometimes the best we can do for our immune system is to do what inspires us, rather than just let time pass with passive rest. 

I’d love to hear from you anything you want to share or any questions you have.

Look forward to connecting with you more soon.

Best,

Laurin 

PS. to my surprise, the day before his arrival, I was able to make it to CO easily, with Max on the mend and we had a great time. In fact, he was even more appreciative of it all working out and was amazingly flexible if it hadn’t 🙂