When Instability Strikes
This week’s email is once again inspired by our personal lives. Sometimes life is going really well and then—bam—the universe hits you with a dose of instability. That just happened to us.
Sarah hurt her knee playing soccer yesterday morning. It was her first game back with her team since having Rumi, and her knee hyperextended with multiple pops. She can’t walk or bear weight yet, but we’re treating it aggressively and are hopeful she’ll be back on her feet soon. This is why I’ll be closing this afternoon and opening on Saturday.
Too much instability triggers the stress response, and you might notice your body start to react in unpleasant ways: your shoulders rise, muscles tighten, and your breathing becomes short and shallow. Awareness of these sensations is the key to moving back toward stability. It’s important to bring your body back to a sense of stability before trying to use your mind to figure things out.
Here are a few things to do when instability strikes:
- Notice your spine.
- Lengthen your exhale.
- Ask: What higher order is trying to emerge?
- Organize the next smallest step.
Don’t try to stabilize everything—just focus on stabilizing yourself. Only then will you have the energy to reorganize.
In the epienergetics model, instability is not something to be feared or avoided. Instead, it’s a pathway to a new, higher level of stability. In this way, instability can be an upgrade disguised as an inconvenience. I’m curious to see how our lives evolve for the better after this period of instability.