What to do when life is hard

As I have been connecting with people lately, one theme keeps coming up…

Life is hard right now. 

There’s an exercise I have been doing in workshops lately that has been really meaningful – and it changes your brain chemistry! 

If at all possible, will you pause with me for 3 minutes? 

If that’s all you have time for, keep going with your day knowing that you just activated the caregiving part of your brain, a key part of the Upstairs Brain. This exercise will be here whenever you need it – feel free to swap out the words for ones that resonate with you more fully.

Have 3 more minutes? 

Keep breathing deeply as you think about a person, group or situation that is bringing some stress in your life. 

Really let it come to mind, knowing that in this moment, you are safe, you are connected, and you have hope. 
Then, with your hand over your heart, say:

• May they have Safety.
• May they have Connection.
• May they have Hope.

Repeat as many times as needed. 

Changing our brains, improving our lives – so often it’s little moments like this in the midst of the big, messy, difficult seasons. 

For more on self-compassion, check out this article by researchers Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer: The Transformative Effects of Mindful Self-Compassion.

Interested in a deep dive into the neuroscience of safety and threat and all things Polyvagal? We might have a couple more spots left to join the virtual CEU series. Get all the details here.

I’m so glad we’re in this together!