Flow: Month One

Looking back over January, I have one word for myself: proud.I’m proud that I managed my anxiety with four major events in 21 days, kept up my workload, gave myself space when I needed it and listened to my intuition.There was the upswing of anxiety with events - planning, preparing, all hurry-up-and-wait.There was plunging exhaustion with so much adrenaline coursing through me I only slept 8 hours in 2 days.There was the serendipity of being asked, “What are you proud of?” the day after the last event played off.That night, getting coconut milk ice cream with these ladies, I experienced a deja vu, only to have the store clerk say “That means you’re on the right path.”There was Heidi’s advice via Instagram: “lots of deep breathing to help slow your body down. Generous amounts of kindness and compassion for yourself especially in recounting the event and your delivery of it. Listen to your body and do your best to give yourself permission to give it what it needs most. Hang in, Justine. You have a great sense of awareness around your HSP so I trust you will know what you need. :) …the tears are a great sign that you are releasing. The more you can give into them, allow for them, and not judge them, the more peace you will find. Be gentle with your process.”I gave into the tears, so hot and heaving one morning, I thought they wouldn’t end. And I was gentle.I shared on Facebook:This weekend I was the gal in the arena "who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if (s)he fails, at least fails while daring greatly"I had almost 500 people show up to one event. We had 3 events total. I leaned heavily on my coworkers & husband. I didn't sleep. I took good care of myself. I laughed with people and almost cried under pressure. Then actually cried in the shower. I chose green juice and then downed margaritas. I answered email from bed, walked the beach and checked Instagram too many times. I was focused, scattered, grateful, pissed and everything in between.Risk requires vulnerability and vulnerability requires trust & love & really good people in the arena with you. The critics don't count b/c their not even in the game. Remember that. xoAnd then I posted this: Brene Brown - Listening To ShameI drank too much (again) and took naps at 5pm in the afternoon. I did a ton of work and then soaked in a hot tub. Twice. H and I went to San Diego for a night. I hiked during the day and checked email late at night. I swam in the ocean. I went out on runs with Carter and then took over a week off from exercise because of a terrible cold. And stress.I started pulling tarot cards - tuning into whatever magic the Universe whispers through signs. I pulled the Eight of Pentacles (focusing on the task) and The World (fulfillment of a grand project) multiple times. It’s become a morning ritual.Somehow, it is what we’d call a “net win” - coming out at the end of January feeling confident in myself, trusting and moving along with whatever reality brought me.It truly felt like a month of ebb and flow, week to week, day to day, even hour to hour.And I was determined to not put my living on hold while I was awash in the anxieties of these work pressures, and I succeeded. I asked for help and received it. I was open to whatever came my way. I risked and was rewarded.I think I grew more this past month than in other month’s combine. And I’m proud. I went with the flow. I was the girl in the arena. And I dared greatly.