Let's be honest, anyone can live from a place of LOVE when things are going great. It doesn't take much effort to flow through life with unconditional acceptance and surrender when everything is going your way. It's when things are less than stellar that we are put to the test. It's at that time when we are called to practice what we preach in terms of our spirituality, to dig deep and figure out a way to move through life, with Grace and dignity and while causing the least amount of harm to ourselves in the process.
I was listening to Pastor Daniel Egan from New York City speak last weekend and he said that God never promised to take away pain, pain is STRUCTURED into life. I love that, it's actually structured into life. That makes me instantly feel better, doesn't it?? The pain that we all experience is the price we pay for this beautiful life. We ALL experience painful situations and we ALL experience feelings that are uncomfortable. Feelings are fickle, selfish and unpredictable, and most importantly, they are not facts. Painful situations and feelings both pass, so the question is, what can we do to move through adversity? How do we stay spiritual when things don't go our way?
My experience tells me that first and foremost, instead of meeting anger and pain with self-destructive thoughts and behaviours (as I have done in the past) it is when I am experiencing these feelings that I am called to LOVE myself MORE. This will look different for us all, but it's of the utmost importance to HONOUR yourself and LOVE yourself through the pain. For me, this means making sure I eat heathfully, exercise daily and get enough sleep. I also surround myself with people who uplift me and who are on a spiritual path that I admire. A helpful tool that I use to remind myself to do this, is to think of myself as a child. If "little Kylie" is hurting, I most certainly would not do anything to contribute to that hurt. I would nurture her and care for her. You get the point.
Secondly, practice deep breathing. As often as you need to. While I am moving through a difficult time in my life, my breath is one of my best friends. Practicing deep breathing allows me to connect to God, it allows me to ground myself back in the present moment, affirm my trust and carry on. I practice deep breathing morning, noon and night, whenever I feel overwhelmed or like I can't go on. Luckily for us, we take breathing with us everywhere we go, so this is a great tool to add to your tool kit (and it really helps!)
Last but certainly not least, stay connected. Staying connected to God and to the people that LOVE and support you through painful times is vital. The cornerstone of my spiritual practice is (obviously) my connection to God. My trust in God is what allows me to carry on, with the belief that everything is happening for my greatest good. God doesn't remove people from our lives, for example, to punish us. He does it to protect us. Staying connected to God through prayer, journaling and meditation is key to peace of mind.
Note: Try not to make any decisions when you're angry. Do what you need to do but don't make decisions from a place of emotion. I often find that I am not thinking clearly when I am irritated, or in any sort of pain, so it is important for me to sit back and allow things to happen, be a peaceful observer of my life and once I am feeling better, I can make an informed decision from a place of LOVE as to where I need to go or what I need to do moving forward.
Tie a knot at the end of the rope and HOLD ON. This too shall pass.
"With God, all things are possible"
Love, Kylie
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