Keep coming back to yourself

Keep coming back to yourself – as often as possible.

Even when you feel like nothing is amiss: how are you really sure?

Subtle signs of separation can look like hypervigilance, people-pleasing, feeling "off" without being able to put a finger on why.

It could also look like relying on binging behaviors: doom-scrolling, watching TV, overcompensating with food, alcohol, drugs – your choice of dopamine.

And that's why mindful practice can be such a great way to expand self-awareness. Showing up to your creative and personal outlet as consistently as possible grounds you into the present moment, difficult feelings and all.

Spending time with yourself and in your safe space(s) will remind you of your core being and core values. It serves as a check-in: how embodied are you or how separated have you become from self?

There is no shame being separated from your sense of self, and no superiority in being more embodied than the next person. It simply is a marker, like the battery level on your phone. The more distanced you are from your core, the more rest and self-exploration will be needed to recover your battery levels.

So once we realize our low battery levels, how do we recharge and come back to self? What I've found effective is asking myself, "What do I actually need right now?"

I don't guilt myself into what I "should" be doing, or what would make someone else happy. That is counter-productive and just drains my already dwindling battery percentage to critically low levels.

For the past few years, what has felt nourishing has been lots and lots of rest. Of stillness. Of survival. Now I'm awakening to movement, to action, to speaking more courageously. Understanding the risk of judgment and deciding that doesn't get to control me anymore.

Cheers to breaking the pattern.

Thanks for being here.

Sincerely,

Nadine of the New Moon ♥