Hit the Fan…

“Life’s not about how hard of a hit you can give… it’s about how many you can take, and still keep moving forward.”

                                                                   ―Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa

Ok, I hope you haven’t actually been hit, I really do.  Also I hope you haven’t had cause to hit anyone else.  However, we are here today to discuss what we can do when “it hits the fan”.  How do you respond when chaos rules, when the unexpected happens, when life throws a curve ball at you?

On your feet soldier…

Throw Zen at it.

Entertain the idea that messy is ok.  It sucks and it’s not what you want, but if it is what it is, you may scrape through messy by the skin of your teeth, The key is to understand that sometimes that scraping by IS succeeding.

Hire the A-Team.

Gather your resources.  You have probably been recruiting amazing and caring people you can rely on without even knowing it.  Really and truly haven’t got any of those people in your life?  Then make it your next priority to seek those people out.  Under duress we lose perspective as stress narrows our view and our options.  Be someone who offers this help and look for people who can offer it back.  Support from others is the boss when it comes to surviving difficult times.

Get your hands dirty.

A Chinese Kung Fu Master gave me some advice on fighting.  He said “commit to the fight. It will hurt, yet endeavor to give back twice what you receive.”  I’d actually asked him for advice on lighting but anyhow I remembered this one.  Resolve, my friends.  Resolve to travel the road that may have no end.  Be stern with your adversaries.

Believe in your past.

Remember what you know.  My best man told me this.  When life pours oil under our feet and throws salt in our eyes, we must remember what we know.  That we are strong.  That we have overcome before.  That we are deep, broad and tall enough to find the courage to be our selves in our time of need.  Dig out the skills. You are guaranteed to surprise yourself.

That’s right mate, let it out…

Hulk Smash!

Be emotional.  Yeah, that’s right.  Don’t hide from your emotions. They inform us, guide us and give us hope.  Cry a little (release), get a bit angry (set boundaries, say no), feel into what is occurring for you.  Live the experience fully.

Get Physical.

Run, swim, bike, lift, punch, meditate, dance, stretch, breathe.  That hunk of meat called your body, or YOU, is your homebase.  Everything is experienced physically, so dial your routines up or down or sideways to support you, not drain you, but support you through tough times.  We can calm, excite, release, contract and expand with movement in such a way to enable us to fully process our experiences.

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside you.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson.

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