Whether we’re slipping into a burn out, are on the edge of one or are in the midst trying to scramble out, often we’re faced with overwhelming fatigue and muscle weakness. Yet letting go of physical strength adversely affects our physiology. This changes our hormonal balance, impacting energy, mood, emotions and mental health. Self-esteem, confidence and acceptance can be affected by this complex circuitry.
So we often feel like we’re stuck in a vicious cycle. And no one seems to have all the answers; something works for a while but then a few weeks later it’s no longer effective. For two years I was in this situation.
That’s why I’ve created these six steps to ensure we include all the aspects of self and each pillars to support healing and growth.
PHYSICAL STRENGTH & MENTAL RESILIENCE
It’s a fine line between growth and regression. So it’s vital to increase physical strength incrementally and improve physiology and bounce back without wearing ourselves out more. Nor allowing our physicality to whither away. We want to create a point of resistance in our physical body, a strong charge. This physical body map translates to mental and emotional bodies.
Physical strength makes us feel capable of meeting the demands of our physical interactions. Leading to self-confidence and lending itself to mental resilience. Knowing our needs, desires and abilities, discussed in step 1 on burnout, and how to relax deeply shared in step 2, creates a reservoir enabling us to build strength; step 3. One that resists external pressures, so we set up healthy boundaries, physical, psychological and professional, to further ensure wellbeing.
3 THINGS THAT AFFECT OUR RESILIENCE
- Resilience depends on our autonomy; whether physical, emotional or mental, affecting our sense of self. Building any of these up affects our other layers. Leading to willpower, ability and confidence both mentally and emotionally.
- People pleasing, perfectionism, overachieving, overdoing and burnout go hand in hand. These defence mechanisms to avoid facing our unconscious lack of confidence or self-worth, or maybe unacknowledged shame and low self-image, drain mental, emotional and physiological energy, making us reactive, irritated and exhausted instead of receptive.
- Core strength rebuilds a strong centre from which we can see if we’re honouring our own worth or that of others. When we work with our physical body, the one we can easily study, see and experience with our five senses, it become a template to better understanding our subtler bodies of energy, mind and psyche. Which also have ‘limbs and organs’; diverse functions and abilities, as well as needs and desires; SWOTs.
RESILIENCE AS SELF-CONFIDENCE
Physical strength and physiological resistance are the solid container upholding our boundaries. The psychological bounce back to life’s challenges affect mood, energy and emotions. It’s our autonomous juice. This resilience gives us a physical and psychological sense of response-ability and with it returns our self-confidence.
EXERCISE: Now without changing your present posture in the slightest –
Feel your posture; become aware of your core strength, feel your energetic stance. Notice your emotional charge and perceive your mental space. Now become aware of your heart and deeper consciousness. Notice the qualities of each layer. Ask yourself, “What are the dynamics, movement and textures I find in each layer? Is it solid, fluid, full, spacious, heavy, light, vague, open, flowing, stagnant, numb, scattered?” Use descriptive words to name what you feel and experience.
Now for a few moments sit with energy, certainty and embody strength and concentrated emotional charge. Imagine being a solid mountain or very magnetic person. Now feel and note any difference in your centre. What kind of qualities do you experience different from before? Is there some form of resistance and containment? Where is it coming from and how did you create that? Allow that charge to sink in, absorb and embody it.
Now, imagine someone asks, or pressures, you to do something you really don’t want to do, how would you respond when feeling strong from within and embodying that posture?
STRENGTH IS THE GATEWAY TO SELF-CONFIDENCE
Building strength is the gateway to resilience. And strength requires us to resist. To push back and create a core centre of self.
You build strength and resilience incrementally with body-awareness, honesty and by adapt practices to present needs and abilities. The first two steps of trust in self and enjoyment in life are the building blocks to reclaim self-worth. They give us the juice and safety to dare and take up space, to walk out when someone steps over our boundaries.
Shame and boundary invasion, the opposite of confidence, are patterns we perpetuate when we have self-worth issues. Making us do things we probably don’t actually want to do, if we’d listen to our inner wisdom; visceral cues.
Resisting what feels wrong is a sign of inner strength. Honouring that inner wisdom is a sign of psychological integrity and autonomy. Cultivating your sensitivity to what is healthy for you will rebuild a strong self-worth and mental and emotional resilience.
Dare to speak up, to feel bold and brave. People will respect you for it and you’ll feel alive and embody well-being. Being from our inner resource, not from outer approval and acknowledgement, we reclaim wellbeing.
Join the YOGA WELLNESS & RESILIENCE COURSE here.
Much Love,
Shira
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