SHIT flying all over the room, on the floor and in my hands… literally! I’m still yet to experience “shit hitting the fan”, however, but it seems to be a very real concept and not just a figure of speech these days.
Yup, that’s what happens when changing an 18 month old toddler who is defiant, strong minded and resistant, refuses to be changed and wants nothing more than to sit in his own squishy poo for hours on end.
So how does one deal with this situation? Perhaps this a metaphor for life? How can you use this situation to your advantage in life?
I’m going to switch gears a little and get a bit personal. Over the past few months I’ve been feeling quite agitated and lost which has contributed to fatigue, disconnection, sickness and feeling apathetic towards life, family and friends (which is somewhat out of character for me).
Sure, there are days we all feel like this when all we want to do is stay in bed for the day, eat donuts and watch binge worthy TV on Netflix. The days where the world seems too hard to face and being wrapped up like a cocoon is all that we long for.
What are these thoughts and feelings exactly? Why did they arrive? Where did they come from? Never mind these questions; we just need to remember that these thought processes can be changed… and instantly!
We’ve all heard before that we are the creator of our thoughts and WE have the power to change them. Easier said than done when you’re feeling angry, agitated, fatigued, stressed, anxious etc… right?! It’s important to remember though that these emotions are all dictated by our thoughts… YES the thoughts or story YOU tell yourself and how the world owes you something. Hate to break it to you, the world owes us nothing… we owe the world.
So, how do we change these thoughts so quickly?
Firstly, remember that thoughts are just thoughts. They don’t necessarily hold any truth and you have the choice to not place any weight or importance on them. Just watch them drift in and out of your mind like passing clouds.
Secondly… BREATHING! Not the short shallow breathing the resembles stress and anxiety. The big, deep, full inhales and exhales that bring about instant calmness, clarity in thought and composure. In this moment, you will feel a huge sense of presence which creates space between what happens to you and how you react to it. Isn’t this life summed up in 10 simple breaths? Learning the ability to not be reactive in stressful situations?
I can honestly say that I have used this very technique when changing my resistant 18 month old boy. I take DEEP breathes before (when I know it’s time) and DEEP breaths during the 10 minute process (that was once a huge and stressful ordeal for us both). Sure, shit could still fly out and smack me in the face at any moment or shit could hit the floor and splatter into multiple little gloops of more shit… but who cares? I’d much rather have clean up afterwards as opposed to dealing with the situation poorly and then ruminating incessantly over how I could have done it better.
So, who’s with me to use this same metaphor in life? Actual shit is WAY easier to clean up than mental shit… SO LET’S START BREATHING!
Try giving this technique a go…
Square breathing (or box breathing as it’s sometimes referred to) is a super simple technique you can try in any stressful situation that will calm the nerves and help you to relax. Simply breathe in for a count of 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4 and hold again for 4. Give it a go and see how you feel.
