A guest article by Marina Lukoschat
Do you know those days when everything goes wrong? Those days when you feel completely overwhelmed? By life circumstances, by feelings and by all the other things that don't allow you to see clearly? Often it can feel like you are the only person with problems, especially in the age of social media, where other people's lives may seem perfect from the outside. But one thing is for sure: you are not alone! We all have problems, don't feel good some days and have to face life's challenges; and that's okay!
Everything comes and goes in life, nothing is constant, and we always have the opportunity to see life as an invitation to learn and grow. We cannot control what happens to us in life, but we do have a choice about how we react to situations. Do we want to act out of reaction? Or do we decide to pause for a moment to confront a problem with awareness? Your perspective, your personal choice, determines whether you want to be the victim or the hero/heroine of your life situation.
The first step to letting go and finding more peace is acceptance. When we accept our circumstances, we don't stand still, we move forward. Acceptance doesn't mean you approve of a problem, a person's action, or difficult circumstances; it means you've decided you deserve peace.
All feelings are allowed, it is important not to suppress anything. Cry, scream, laugh, let your feelings flow without judging them. But also allow yourself to let them go again, just as they came. Easier said than done - and some days it will be easier than others. Nevertheless, we can return to acceptance here too and accept when we have made a mistake or when we have not reacted to a situation in the best possible way. In these moments we can decide to approach ourselves lovingly and gently, to learn from a situation and try to do better next time. Isn't that what life is about? Making mistakes? Learning and growing? Changing? We would never change if everything in life stayed the same. When we look back on our lives, it is often the biggest challenges that have helped us grow the most.
How can you find more acceptance in your life?
#1 Meditation
Take a moment for yourself, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to feel all the feelings without judging them. If a situation or person has triggered you, you can picture it in your mind. See the person or situation, feel everything you need to feel and say internally to the person or to yourself: "I forgive you and I deserve peace."
#2 Journaling
Get a notebook and start writing. Write down all your thoughts and feelings, don't hold back, there is no right or wrong. Journaling helps you reflect, understand yourself better and let go. It is a nice addition to meditation.
Questions that can guide you:
• What feeling does this situation or person trigger in me?
• What does this feeling want to tell me? What do I need at this moment?
• Can I trace this feeling back to a specific situation?
• How can I accept this situation or person and find more peace?
#3 Be kind to yourself!
Our inner dialogue is often critical and harsh, we would probably never talk like that to our family or friends. Try to be gentler with yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes, it is human nature. Don't forget that you always have the opportunity to change your mind and go in a different direction. Take full responsibility for your life!
Marina Lukoschat
Marina is a yoga teacher and teaches Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga as well as meditation in Düsseldorf. She found yoga as a way to reconnect with her body and has been passionate about sharing this gift ever since. She loves accompanying people on their yoga journey, helping them to ground themselves through meditation and improve their general well-being. Marina is convinced that yoga can benefit everyone and that it is a faithful companion in all situations in life.
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