A Simple Tool for Self Care and Being Present.

I want to tell you about a little process I call the Octopus Effect.

See, we're all incredibly busy. As parents, we are systematically known for feeling scattered and overwhelmed. We run about, like toddlers, often after toddlers, focusing on as many things as we possibly can for as little time as possible. We literally feel like headless chicken and then we feel guilty for not dropping into the zone of connecting with our children... or guilty for not having any self care time.
 I have a new little mini course for you over on the website and it's actually only $17 for 7 days of fantastic content and daily little lessons in how to Go From Too Busy to Connection.
The course is all about releasing the guilt that often weighs us down when we feel too busy to have time with our kids and truly connect with them, it then helps you find the clarity to find balance instead.

One of these exercises is the Octopus effect.

I used to identify this scatteredness with the feeling of having lots of tabs open on an internet browser. We try to focus on one, but we just can't. So we have to train our minds to close the tabs.

And then, I figured out the Octopus Effect. 

Imagine an octopus, with its tentacles spread out in all directions.

Now, imagine that each of those tentacles is a thing on your to-do list, they are scattered, varied and all over the place.

Imagine when you feel scattered and all over the place you are focused within the tentacles, scattered in all directions. You try to focus on one, but then feel guilty for the lack of attention to the other ones.

You try to move all tentacles at once and life goes haywire.

Now imagine shifting focus to the core body in the centre of your octopus. Withdraw the arms, knowing that by putting energy within that core and creating stability, the flow of life will take care of all the other parts of the whole.

This is what its all about. We can all spend too much time chasing our own tails, running for tentacle to tentacle, task to task.

But when we draw that energy within, and focus within that core, then we feel relief from the chaos and can find ourselves again... so that we can radiate out through all those tentacles, fully and aligned.

Isn't it exciting? To know that some simple self care techniques can have the incredible ripple effect of bringing ourselves back in the moment and withdraw from the scatteredness of day to day life?

Now, the next step of the exercise is to allow a word for that core to flow to you. Withdraw your tentacles, breathe deep and listen. Give yourself a moment to hear that specific word that signifies that core of your inner “octopus”.

Got it?

Awesome.

This word may surprise you. Mine was “stillness”, which was less exciting or energizing than I thought I'd find. But still when I tried it on, it really was exactly what I needed to hear.

Now, when you have that word, try breathing deeply and focusing on the word. You can even let the word flow out on your breath, letting it really resonate within you.

This simple tool can be pulled out whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed. By using the image of the octopus you have a reference point for your own focus.

Within the day, you can ask, are you focusing from the outer ring, from the tips of your tentacles and scattering that energy... or are your resonating from within your core; centred within yourself?

This little exercise really reminds you how important a bit of self awareness and self care is. It's more than a to-do list item. Self Care can't be one of those tentacles. Rather, it has to be the focus of the core, so that the rest gets done. Self care is an inside job. It's a focus and intentional job and once we practice it, well then, woosh, everything else just gets done in a flow.

I am really passionate about helping you find ways of fueling that core self. I believe that in this time, when routines and patterns are thrown in the air, you can consciously put your mind on, well your mind and allow stillness to enter within.

I really encourage you to visit the course page and check out the new mini course, it's a wonderful way to start the autumn and set new patterns up before the winter months.