For so many of us there is so much that is new. Exciting and scary, sometimes both at once.

Here are a few suggestions that can help take the edge off and help get you back to balance.

My favorite, feeling grateful. Gratitude journals are awesome and choosing to Feel grateful is an amazing game changer. Sometimes in my life when things have been most difficult all I could only allowed myself to find to be grateful for were the simple things like my pillow, my bed, a hot bath with lavender oil and salt. Choosing to Feel grateful changed my life. Now my list of things I am grateful for is never ending, always expanding.

I find myself needing extra rest and down time to integrate when so much is going on around me. Silent meditations, listening to music, dancing, orange oil, palo santo, fire ceremony, walks in nature are a few things that help me come back to center.

Deep Breaths into my abdomen are extremely useful also. When I start to feel overwhelmed, I will breathe in compassion and peace and exhale happiness and joy. Sometimes I start with breathing in determination and exhaling stress and anxiety until I feel a shift. From there I will wander about until I end on inhaling compassion and peace and exhaling happiness and joy, inhaling strength, courage, wisdom, and exhaling peace. Deep breaths and mantras have been  real life savers for me.

Expressing myself and my feelings in art, music, dance, or martial arts is also enormously powerful for me.

Sometimes I sought comfort in food or drink as well. Though finding it in prayer and meditation leave me with a prolonged and lasting sense of peace.

Remember, you are not alone. There are so many people struggling right now. Some have it easier, many have it worse. But feelings are feelings, we all have them, and we can all be overwhelmed with them at times. Learning how to be gentle with yourself and to find peace and comfort for yourself can be a real light right now. Going within and finding your connection with all that is and holding space for it all to shift to the light, with compassion, grace and dignity may be a stretch at first. But it may also set you free, free to dream of a healthier world. Filled with compassion and kindness. Filled with dignity and grace, goodness, truth, and beauty.

We at MSCO and MsHec3 are praying for the safety of you and yours. Sending out to the world healing, love, and light, while holding space for peace.

— Dana