STAYING ALIGNED WHEN LIFE'S HARD

How great does it feel when life's going well! 👏🥰🎉

Your loved ones are healthy, the children aren't fighting, you feel on top of your to-do list and life's just GOOD.

In moments like this, it's easier to be patient, responsive and calm. And you might even get time to yourself. What a bonus!

But what happens when your day isn't going the way you'd hoped? And worse yet, not just your day, but weeks, months and even years? When you try and pick yourself up, only to get knocked down one more time?

It's hard, isn't it?

When I look at the people in my life, my heart breaks for the challenges they've faced over the last few years. There's been diagnosis', deaths, financial impacts, isolation, hurts and anxieties, and I know these aren't limited to my circle of the world. Life's a tricky game to play sometimes 😥

Let's stop for a moment and collectively agree - life can be very trying. Yep - agreed.

And at the same time, it requires us to go on. To roll out of bed, ready to face another day more often than not, in service of others.

So how do we chase our dreams, love our loves, and inspire others when we're barely coping ourselves?

I designed my 3 step EMPOWERED framework to guide you.

Firstly, decide what matters to you. Before you take action, you must get clear about who and how you want to be in the world. Download my Value List to help get you started. 

Secondly, you must be honest about your reality. This is where I see a lot of mums come unstuck. And yes, me too! We over-estimate what we can achieve, or how our children 'should' behave, only to leave us with unmet expectations. And unmet expectations always equal disappointment. Checking on the reality of your situation also means being honest about how YOU are. Yes, my dear friend, YOU. Think about step one - what you value - and how you want to be to your loved ones. Did you use words like calm, present, loving, fun, prepared, organised, adventurous? Whatever the values you chose, you cannot - I repeat, CANNOT - maintain this if you're burning the candle at both ends. That is, if you're living every day exhausted, over-worked, over-whelmed or under-supported. You just can't. Something's gonna give and from my experience, it will be your mood, interactions and wellbeing.

This leads us to step three of the Framework, Live It. My third step is where you literally do and be, so you can stay aligned, even when life's hard. This might look like getting to bed earlier instead of scrolling socials, saying no to weekend parties - children's or adults - and prioritising nutritious food and a clear house. Or perhaps you'll benefit from being ok with a bit more mess and less routine in your home? Only you can know what requires your focus .... which is why coaching and counselling helps. You get to talk through your 'stuff' with a non-attached, caring person, trained to show you your thinking, and offer perspectives you mightn't have considered in the busy-ness of your life.

As I farewell you for today my friend, I offer:

It IS possible to stay aligned to who and how you want to be in the world, even when life's hard.

Remember:

- what matters

- be honest about your reality

- make choices that match your reality AND your values.

Good luck gorgeous person and enjoy ⭐

Sincerely

Catherine

To go deeper, join me in EMPOWERED the membership. You'll get immediate access to videos, worksheets, interviews, a members only Facebook page and my members only podcast, Morning Musings. I'll see you inside!