Last night, I got in an Uber and the driver asked what I do for a living.
“I teach happiness.”
“You do?? That's so cool. That's so needed.”
He's right. Unfortunately, this crazy, chaotic, uncertain world is making a lot of people depressed, anxious, and unsure of what to do to feel okay. One of my clients turns to food to numb the pain. Another to wine. Another will go on shopping sprees and then two weeks later, feel crappy again. I get it. I do it too. I imagine you do too. What's your go-to for numbing?
I realized recently that I was having a glass of wine every night. My rational brain said, “Well women in France have wine every night.” Yeah, but I know better. I was numbing.
Numbing is avoiding. And there's a better way.
So I looked inside to see what was really going on. I realized some deeper needs that I hadn't addressed. Needs to be creative, wild, and express my inner sexy Goddess – something I had been ashamed of in the past. So yes, there was a hole in my soul – I felt stuck – like something was missing, but I was filling it with the wrong substance.
So I shared my needs with Josh, reached out to friends, set up a painting studio at home, upped my meditation, began daily journaling (a practice I used to do and had dropped in my “busy-ness”), started reading a book on self-compassion and one on creativity, and I've been turning to tea at night. I feel so much better.
If you feel stuck or like something's missing, step back and go within. Get to know what you truly desire. Uncover your deeper purpose. Ask yourself, “What are you avoiding?” What hole do you need to face honestly, so that you can be free? Take charge of your life now.
And if you don't know, or you've been feeling stuck, and you want help figuring out how to identify what you really desire and what is truly holding you back, I'm holding another free F*Midlife call this coming Thursday night at 7 pm ET. It's totally FREE. The last call was so incredible! Women being real, open, and committed to growth together! Join me by registering here.
This morning, I'm about to begin my third year of teaching the Certificate in Positive Psychology (CAPP) and am so honored to do so. I teach happiness because we'll never get RID of our negative feelings – we need to know how to work with them and love ourselves. Our model in the program is that self-awareness is the first step to self-care – and THAT is how we become happier. In fact, I did a Facebook Live video on knowing yourself yesterday. Click here to see it.
This weekend, I hope you do something to become aware of who you are and what you truly desire. And I hope you join our call on Thursday, Sept. 29. Even if you can't make it live, register to get the recording! Register here!
Have a wonderful weekend
XO,
Carin
PS: Join me Monday at 7:30 am ET on Periscope for Monday Meditation and Motivation, and start your week refreshed, awakened, and fully alive!
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