How To Maintain Positive Vibes During Tough Times

I have been receiving lots of emails lately from people sharing with me that they are going through some pretty challenging circumstances in their life right now. The emails I have received have been from beautiful souls asking for guidance and support.

People are wondering how they can maintain their inner balance, keep their energy positive and light, and still feel happy even when they are surrounded by heaviness, struggle and hardship.

It is when our back is against the wall, life has thrown us a curveball and we are down on our knees in surrender that our need for spiritual faith, supportive practises and self help tools are at their greatest.

When life feels unstable, chaotic and uncertain, we can no longer depend on our external circumstances to be the source of our security. This is a powerful opportunity to get to work on creating inner stability and balance. We must start to take our attention off the external world and the drama unfolding and turn inwards.

Inner balance comes from a calm, settled and non reactive mind. As we quieten our inner chatter we naturally fall in to a greater space of inner stability.

 

My Toolkit For Inner Balance & Positive Vibes

What is it that helps quieten your mind and settle your inner world? Today, I want to share with you my little toolkit of practices that support me to stay positive in tough times.

Take from this list what resonates with you. Leave what doesn’t. And then create your own. What works for me, may not work for you, but I hope it sparks a little light within you to encourage you to find new ways to support yourself.

 

1. Shift Your Focus to Change Your Energy

Where we put our focus, the thoughts we think and the stories we tell ourselves determine the emotions and energy we feel within us. When we focus on lack, struggle, drama and pain we feel constricted and radiate a low, dull energy.

When big things are unfolding outside of us that we cannot control, we must simply let go of struggling with it, and work with the only thing we can control which is what is going on inside of us.

You can use the power of your focus to create a shift in your energy, without needing anything outside of yourself to change.

You must remember that anything you give your attention, energy and focus to expands. The more that you worry, fret and over-think your troubles and challenges, the stronger you are making them and the more you will continue to experience them.

I will often repeat this powerful phrase from A Course In Miracles “I could see peace instead of this”.  It helps me remember that I do not have to perceive this situation through the eyes of fear. I could choose to find and focus on peace, despite the challenges.

 

Shift your focus by:

Focusing on what is working right now, rather than what isn’t

Use the journaling prompt: What am I grateful to have going well in my life right now? Affirm: “Everything is working out perfectly for me”

Focusing on what you do have, rather than what you don’t

Use the journaling prompt: What do I already have in my life right now that is a match to what I want? Affirm: “All that I desire is on it’s way to me now”

Focusing on what you love, rather than what you don’t like

Use the journaling prompt: What do I deeply love and appreciate about my life right now? Affirm: “More of what I love flows in to my life each day“

Focusing on peace, rather than focusing on fear

Use the journaling prompt: How can I bring more peace in to my life right now? Affirm: “Peace begins with me“

Focusing on the present moment, rather than worrying about the past or future

Use the journaling prompt: What do I need to let go of from the past or future, so I can be here right now? Affirm: “In this present moment, all is perfect, whole and complete“

 

2. Overdose On The Positive Stuff

Fear can really take over during tough times. It paints worst case scenario pictures in our mind and fills our focus with what we don’t want.  What we have to remember is the more that we think these thoughts, the more we are creating it in our reality.

One of the most powerful things you can do is start to surround yourself with positive, uplifting and supportive guidance and wisdom. During times like this I will often stop watching the news, reading the paper and listening to the opinions of others. Instead, I become very picky about the type of energy, messages and people I let in to my space.

When we are feeling sensitive and vulnerable, we have to do whatever we can to support ourselves. Wherever we can, we must withdraw from negativity and focus all our energy on the good stuff.

Immerse yourself in inspiring books, write quotes on post it notes where you can see them regularly, listen to uplifting podcasts and music, set aside time for meditation, read your favourite blogs and do those small things that make you happy.

 

Some of my favourite positive resources are:

Books: Marianne Williamson, Return To Love | Eckhart Tolle, Oneness with All Life | Sanaya Roman, Living With Joy | Abraham Hicks, The Law of Attraction | Deepak Chopra, The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success | Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualisation.

Youtube Channels: Gabrielle Bernstein | Byron Katie | Cheryl Richardson| OWN TV

Audio’s: Danielle LaPorte | Wellness Wonderland | HayHouse Radio | Awaken Radio

Meditations:  The Chopra Centre | Gabrielle Bernstein | Connie Chapman

 

3. Surrender And Ask For Guidance

One of the most comforting things to remember during tough times is that you are never alone. We all have access to our loving inner voice, the higher guidance of our soul, and a whole support team of angels and spirit guides.

We all have varying levels of connection with these support systems, but it doesn’t mean they are not there. To build the connection, all you have to do is start to believe and trust. Set the intention to open up a stronger line of communication with your guidance.

When I am needing support or guidance, I get out my journal and ask questions. Sometimes as I write them, the answers are already starting to flow, so I record those also. Other times, nothing comes immediately but I find I am led to a book, a website or a conversation that gives me the exact answer I need.

 

Ask Questions Like:

+ What do I need to know here?

+ How can I move through this challenge with more grace and ease?

+ What is the lesson and learning in this for me?

+ What is the next step for me to take?

+ What guidance can you give me around this situation?

I love to draw on my oracle cards for guidance too. My favourite packs at the moment are from Doreen Virtue. They are the Ascended Masters Deck and the Goddess Guidance Deck.

 

4. Let Emotion Move Through Your Body

Challenging times can create strong emotional reactions, stress and anxiety. These powerful energies running through our body can over stimulate our mind causing us to feel scattered, panicked and overwhelmed.

In the past I have tried to deal with these types of energies by journaling, but recently I have found all I need to do is get in to my body to let the energy move through me.

If I wake up feeling tense or unsettled, I start my day with 30 minutes of dance. I light candles, plug in my ipod and just let my body move. I allow whatever tension or emotion I am feeling to move through my body, to be felt, expressed and release through movement.

For you, practises like yoga, running or walking on the beach mind have the same effect, so find what works for you.

I also love to play my music super loud and play tracks that literally pull my body to move. This is about creating energy and movement, rather than trying to chill out and contain it. For me, BANKS is the ultimate, and I have her music playing on repeat at the moment.

 

5. Harness The Power Of Appreciation

Even amidst the most challenging times, there is still so much to appreciate. We are surrounded by beauty everywhere. Life is so abundant. Magic is unfolding every day.

It can be so easy to skip over these small things and disregard them, but instead we need to slow down enough to see the small miraculous moments.

Appreciation and gratitude are incredibly powerful practises where we shift in to a loving perspective. These practises open our heart, drop us in to peace and help us realise just how supported we are.

Take time each day, whether it be in the morning, evening or even through the day to pull out your journal and acknowledge and write down what you feel deeply blessed to have.

Reflect on these questions:

+ What do you love about your life right now?
+ What are you grateful for?
+ What do you have that you appreciate the most?
+ Where are you already living, being and experiencing what you desire?
+ What can you acknowledge yourself for?

 

6. Work With Love & Light

I have been working with love and light energy for years, and it is not anything you need formal training to do. There is also no right or wrong way to do it. It is simply about trusting yourself and playing with your imagination.

Close your eyes and picture the situation you are currently struggling with. See that situation, the person or circumstance. Now begin imagining that  there are beautiful rays of light, golden, love filled energy flowing down from above you, like a shower of light. Let it flow down over your head, shoulders and cover your whole body.

Imagine yourself sending these beautiful rays of light from your heart, to this situation, challenge or person. Feel the healing energy of it. Continue breathing deeply to connect with that energy and then radiate it out from your heart. Trust the power of this energy and imagine it washing away all struggle, fear and challenge and that it is now filling up this situation with peace, love and ease.

Stay with this visualisation for as long as you need, until you notice a shift in your energy.

Again this is my practise and how I personally use light energy, and it changes depending on what I need each time. But I recommend you tweak and tailor it so it feels good to you.

 

What is one practise you would love to draw on from this post to support you through any current or upcoming challenges? Share with me in the comments below.

With love,

Connie x