Don’t Suppress It, Lean Into It!

I’ve had an issue ever since I was young: I’m always cold. At the slightest breeze, I already need to bundle up. If you know someone with constantly cold hands, come feel mine - they’re like ice! I’m sure there’s a reason for this, but no doctor has found anything unusual.

One day, I was out with friends, feeling cold as usual, and had nothing to cover up with. So, I made a decision: I took a deep breath, instead of shivering and hugging myself, I leaned into the cold and everything felt better. Since that day, I’ve started leaning into many other things rather than suppressing them.

This approach applies to my feelings, thoughts, and even self-talk, whether positive or negative. I lean toward these experiences and question them: “Why am I happy today?” “Why do I feel tired - is it something I ate? Did this feeling arise before or after I left the house?” Over time, I realised the power of embracing my feelings. Doing so provides answers to everything I go through.

I’ve learned that self-talk, whether positive or negative, is my mind’s way of communicating something to me. My responsibility is simply to figure out what that is!

Many of us live such busy lives that we don’t take the time to listen to ourselves. If something pops up, we quickly reach for a supplement or quick fix. Fatigue? Coffee becomes your best friend. Backache? Here’s the perfect remedy. Stress? “I know what works for that!” But why don’t we ever ask where these symptoms come from? Instead of suppressing them, we could work on the root issue.

Here’s what you can do when dealing with something challenging. Let’s say you feel like a 'fraud' at work and fear that one day someone will call you out:

1. First, acknowledge the feeling.
2. Don’t run from it; question why you feel this way.
3. Once you find an answer, ask what needs to change for you to stop feeling like a fraud.
4. Take action towards addressing that.

It sounds simple, and it is - but it’s not easy. Questioning your beliefs and adopting new ones is challenging, but it’s something I believe everyone should try. The best thing you can do is to work on yourself. Not only will it benefit you in every aspect of your life, but it will also positively impact those around you. When you’re okay, everything else falls into place.

I’m a strong advocate for people prioritising themselves and their needs to lead purposeful, impactful, and fulfilling lives. This is why I designed the “Journey to Personal and Professional Growth” program, which takes a holistic approach to the challenges professionals face. We focus on your habits, patterns, and cycles to identify the core factors holding you back from reaching success.

This isn’t a “7 Steps to Solve All Your Problems” program. Instead, we look for that one thing you need to work on to live your best life. So, what is it for you?

I’d love to chat with you on a discovery call to see if I can assist you and for you to see if I’m someone you can trust with your story. I promise there’s no judgment - and even if you don’t enrol, my feelings won’t be hurt. Feel free to send a DM or email me at [email protected].