{"id":255,"date":"2019-05-26T08:44:45","date_gmt":"2019-05-26T08:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heartlycenter.com\/?p=255"},"modified":"2019-09-21T03:59:53","modified_gmt":"2019-09-21T03:59:53","slug":"when-life-throws-you-a-curveball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heartlycenter.com\/index.php\/2019\/05\/26\/when-life-throws-you-a-curveball\/","title":{"rendered":"When Life Throws You a Curveball…"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

People put a great deal of time, effort, and energy into attempting to control their lives.\u00a0 Maybe this is you? You predict<\/em> what people will say, anticipate<\/em> certain outcomes, and hope<\/em> that it will turn out as planned. Despite even your best made plans and contingencies covered, life has a funny way of throwing you curveballs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like you, I\u2019ve weathered my share of storms, not the least of which was a catastrophic, hemorrhagic stroke. Through that and other \u201cearth shattering\u201d experiences, I\u2019ve found that following a few steps can make all the difference in how you go through the situation, and how you feel when you get to other side.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Take a pause and get centered. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I call these \u201cpositivity pauses\u201d (check out my\u00a0 video<\/a> on\u00a0 how to do them), and they can do wonders when you\u2019re in a difficult spot. Start with getting your breathing under control. If you\u2019ve ever done meditation you\u2019ve probably experienced the power that comes with focusing on your breath. If you find yourself staring down one of life\u2019s fast moving curveballs, see if you can set aside 30 seconds and just take a few deep breaths. Count to five as you slowly inhale, filling your lungs with air. Let the air rest for a brief moment and then slowly count to five as you exhale. Do this a few times and you\u2019ll find yourself relaxing just enough that the stress and anxiety of the moment will recede briefly into the background. A brief positivity pause in the midst of chaos, can create the space that helps you see all the options.\u00a0
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Reflect on what\u2019s happening. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After the initial shock of that curveball starts to quiet, and before<\/em> you jump into a knee-jerk reaction, you should spend a little time reflecting on what is actually happening. Taking this time to reflect will help you get clarity that will set you up to make choices that will serve you best, in the short and<\/em> long run. Here are a couple questions I recommend to my clients that can help you with this reflective exploration. I encourage you to write your answers in a journal so you can track your progress dealing with tough situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n