Call me an optimist, or a hopeless romantic, or a dreamer, but I will forever believe that love is the way to go. And it’s the one verb, one action that makes everything else possible.
We need it personally – to heal and experience peace and a sense of belonging. We need it to guide our relationships. We need it in our world.
Love.
You know, the kind of Love that’s patient and kind, not jealous or boastful, Love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures everything…
I spent all last week in the pink chair in my office, reading my journals and writing my memoir. It’s only a few chapters away from done (well, the first draft anyway).
I’ve cried through so many pages, trembled through some others, giggled and laughed, and called my boys to read to them short paragraphs about the cutest things they said and did. It’s been a journey full of ups and downs.
I broke down and picked myself back so many times – each time discovering a part of myself that needed more healing and more love.
On Sunday, I had a massive migraine. And on Monday, my stomach and my entire GI system were a mess. I texted my mom to tell her about it – because she always makes me feel better – and the first thing she asked me was “What is on your mind? What are you processing?”
“Ah…” I texted back, “I’m processing something really difficult. A part of my life I’m still trying to understand and let go.” I added a funny face emoji with a tongue sticking out. How does she know exactly what’s happening to me? How is she right Every. Single. Time.? LOL
She sent a smiley face, a row of kisses, and another row of hearts back to me.
Our bodies hold the memory of our past experiences and will bring them up to the surface again, reminding us either of what we had to learn then, or what we still need to address and process. I don’t know exactly the science behind it, but for me, it’s very real.
My therapist suggested that when this happens, I check in with the parts that bring up physical memory to the surface. There is always an opportunity to grow and heal in it.
So I pause, take a breath, I place my right hand over my heart and my left hand on the top of my abdomen. I close my eyes, breathe, and become aware of how grace and love flow through me.
Then I ask that part of me what she needs at the moment. And a knowing comes over me – of needing to bring in an understanding, compassion, or extra dose of love.
I know that for many people, this week has brought uptight shoulders and necks, headaches, and upset stomachs. For some, it’s the butterflies, or shallow breathing that’s filled with readiness to jump into action.
Whatever it is, it’s a good opportunity for all of us to check-in and understands what’s happening – observe the triggers and how we respond to them.
When we are able to do that, we become a lot more capable of pausing and then choosing to react with love, instead of anger, or fear.
And from that place, we are able to see each other with a lot more compassion and understanding than judgment and mistrust.
We are able to then listen to each other and find solutions that will work for everyone.
Coaching
As the coaching prompt for today, observe how your body is reacting to your experiences this weekend.
- Are your shoulders relaxed?
- Does your back hurt? If it does, what burdens are you carrying and could let go of?
- Are your feet itching? (My mom would always say, if you feet are itching it’s time to take a trip :))
Music & Story
Here is a song “Try Love” by Julie Gold (she wrote “From the Distance” for Bette Midler). It’s from an album I recorded in 1995, so the arrangements (and my voice) are very 90s 😉
Tatiana “Tajci” Cameron is an award-winning music artist, published author, inspirational speaker, and certified transformational and spiritual life coach.
She has many passions and is dedicated to helping others while also creating an enriched life for herself and her three sons.
When Tajci is not on the road performing gigs, she volunteers with local organizations dear to her heart, spends time with loved ones (often involving music!), and collaborates with other artists to bring creative projects to life.
Tajci’s most recent projects include a meditation CD, an annual retreat & sea cruise in Croatia (that she organizes and hosts), and a multimedia CD/book (Un)Broken: Songs My Father Taught Me.
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