Have you ever noticed what emotions are present when you’re challenged? 

Do you immediately get fearful, controlling and try to intervene? Do you tense up? Go into blame? 

Do you find yourself scared, scattered, ungrounded, anxious and overwhelmed?

Are you able to stay grounded, poised and clear minded and see a path forward?

Can you hold a sense of trust everything is ok regardless of the situation? 

Do you have a strategy for how you would prefer to handle these disappointments, upsets, challenges as they arise? 

If not, do you want a strategy?

This week I had such a wonderful example of refining, validating and practicing what I teach. 

Flow isn’t just about accessing a flow state…

…it’s about a way of being that allows you to encounter any challenge that comes your way in your flow.  

Learning, refining and mastering your everyday life allows you to embrace who you truly are in mind, body and spirit and feel empowered even when it’s rocky.

I’m sharing this message with you today because this week my daughter and I were playing and she fell. Her leg got caught and I thought, “she broke her leg.” For a moment, I wanted to believe everything was fine and let her just wait it out, but I knew we needed to take action and get checked out. 

Our nanny was with us and wanted to go to the hospital. Completely logical response and she was really worried about my daughter who was crying and whom she loves. For a second, I almost followed her plan and just said ok. 

I knew I had a moment to pause (we almost always do!). I sat down on my roof deck where we were playing, nursed my daughter and just asked “where’s the easiest place to go that will feel good and provide the outcome we need”–knowing what’s going on with her leg and if it needs a cast. Sitting in a busy, overstimulating emergency room for countless hours was definitely my last choice. 

Because I took a moment to get present with my daughter I thought of a pediatric orthopedist we had seen before. The office is close, clean and super easy. I called and no one answered. I hung up. I called back a second time and left a voicemail. 

I called two other places I thought would be ok and neither had a pediatric ortho on staff and I had a feeling we’d probably take awhile and still get sent somewhere else. 

I normally wouldn’t call back the original orthopedist I wanted to go to, but I kept thinking that’s where I really want to go. So, I decided to try again. 

This time the receptionist picked up and said the doctor’s walking out, I’ll ask him to wait. Amazing! He agreed and we changed Chloe out of her bathing suit quickly and ran over. Her leg was red and she hadn’t stopped crying until the moment we had a plan. The minute we started heading there she was smiling, laughing and engaging with me. I could tell she was hurting but she asked for this book “Chloe the Calm” we read and took a lot of deep breaths. We played, had a snack and she was so brave. She just said “hurts” a few times and I said “I know, we’re heading now to get it looked at. Know you’re ok and this happened for a reason.” I just kept guiding her. 

I actually really enjoyed the ride over to the dr and getting to bond with her in this new way watching her go through something challenging. I also felt so aligned and inspired to share my strategies of moving through injuries and upsets whatever they may be. 

I was so clear that teaching our kids and ourselves resilience is so much more important than protecting them to never get hurt or feeling fearful and overprotective when it does. 

Rather than being afraid or thinking it’s a problem…we just had a different learning this day. 

I got ungrounded and excited, my daughter felt my energy shift and she got ungrounded and fell. I don’t believe in accidents. I believe we co-attract opportunities to refocus and reground. 

It was so unexpected, but I was moving really fast that day and this interruption was exactly what both Chloe and I really needed. I felt so connected to her and recommitted to some ideas I had about what’s important to me that I want to model for her. 

It’s also a great reminder that even if the worst-case scenario happens you are always still ok. 

No matter what happens, it’s empowering to take a breath and remember we are all ok and on our path. Even when it doesn’t feel good or maybe you’re wishing someone else’s path could look different. It’s not ours to judge. It’s our job to trust and see it as something we each get to choose (even when it’s often unconscious.)

No matter how big or small the upset, injury or challenge it’s an opportunity to refine how you choose to show up and connect. 

The greater your capacity to be with what is the more flexible, poised, clear-minded, grounded, present and loving you can be. 

Finding your flow in this way is what helps you thrive in your purpose and know you can always support yourself and others through anything.  

We moved to the x-ray room and took a deep breath together. She was so calm and present. She said walk after and I wasn’t sure so I asked the doctor if I could put her down. He said, ‘yup that’s the test if she needs to cast it or not. Let her do her thing.’ She limped but happily walked. So no cast, a tiny break that’s already healing and a super validating and meaningful experience. 

I also realize how helpful it is to have someone who was so easy going and non-judgmental. Sometimes people let their worry or judgments disconnect them from being present and engaged with those they love. We all can and have done both so it’s a great reminder that you can choose in each moment how you respond, how you show up, how you teach and how you love.

We don’t need perfection, we need to poise and presence as often as possible. 

It also reaffirmed that I really love to help people navigate their challenges with trust, grace, ease, presence, grounding and love and finding/seeing the balance of support and challenge so we can all see and trust challenges are on the way as a part of your path rather than something to avoid, get rid of or escape.  

Trust yourself. Trust what you create. You’re exactly where you need to be. It’s not always easy to see but it is always right here for you. And, choosing differently doesn’t have to invalidate where you are, it’s just an evolution and both are valid and serve in different ways. 

Love, Laurin