How to expand beyond your current state,

As we approach the holidays and the end of this year, I invite you to pause and notice what is alive for you right now?

Are there any charged emotions or states that you're currently experiencing?

Some will feel behind, there's still so many check boxes to tick. Some are already hanging out anxiously in 2024. Some feel overwhelmed by holiday chaos. Some feel frustrated that they didn't "get further" this year. 

Whatever the state is can you slow down for one moment to fully feel it? To breathe it into every cell, and exhale sighing out, letting go. Can you trust that this is exactly where you are menat to be? Repeat a couple of times, allowing that charged energy to dissipate.

When we converge on one emotion, thought or feeling we're rehearsing one note of an entire song. We're practicing "feeling stuck" unconsciously replaying the same state on repeat. Regulation is the act of moving from stress back into balance, dancing between these states over and over again.  

In order to expand beyond our present state, we first must acknowledge it, and feel it. 

From there, we can practice opening our perceptual lens, and practicing movement. Now, take a 10,000 ft view at your life, from a greater perspective can you see what's going well in your life? Can you feel some different emotions present? If you felt contracted before, can you feel an expansive emotion, and vice versa? When we can make space to feel both contraction and expansion; when we can pivot between the two emotions we build resilience and flexibility within the nervous system. Our ability to regulate in any moment grows. We can more easily move out of fight/fight/freeze or fawn back into calm and connected.

Practice moving between these two feelings or states. Feel everything from the posture in your body in each state, to the quality of your thoughts, emotions, and physical tension or openness.

This practice is teaching your nervous system to expand out of it's current state, but to also practice fluid flow between states. A necessary skill for optimal living. 

Thank you to those that came to our community appreciation afternoon, I had such a lovely time with you all and hope it brought you a sense of calm, connection, and clarity! I would love to hear what other community events you'd like to see in the new year.
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In gratitude & good health, 
 Dr. Jessica