A great question to ask yourself: What will support or sustain me?

At times of great stress, it’s easy to lose yourself to overthinking things, doing things that don’t seem to make a difference or even thinking negative thoughts. Caught in the grip of the overwhelm of that, it can be hard to know what to do next. Asking this question: “What will support or sustain me?” is a great way to get out of your head and move you into a compassionate state. Compassion allows us access to ourselves again. It brings us into the present moment. It helps us to get centred. Adding “right now” or “in this moment” at the end of the question can make it even more potent.

In the grip of stress, fear or overwhelm, usually we forget to breathe and we lose connection to rational step-by-step thinking. Imagine yourself sitting numb in front of the long list of to do’s or going over and over something in your mind that you still don’t have an answer for because it seems an impossible situation. It’s easy to ‘slip away’ and suddenly to have lost hours.

The question works because it stops you in your tracks. It allows you to focus on getting some help in the moment. It makes you ask for inner guidance. Your job is to learn to listen to the whisper.

“What will support or sustain me, right now?” usually allows your intuition to provide you with an answer that your rational mind wants to dismiss. It’s not unusual to hear some of the following:

“breathe!”

“walk away from the list”

“go out into the garden”

“pick one thing on the list”

“pick up the phone to xxx”

Usually we ignore the ‘small still voice’ that has the answer – mainly because the answer does not solve or fix ‘everything’. It seems too simple, too insignificant. But this question allows you to come back to yourself. And it’s only ever from yourself that you can move forward with a course of action that allows you to feel back in control.

Notice that by asking ‘support or sustain’ we give your body, heart and mind the opportunity to provide different kinds of alternatives. Next time you find it hard to breathe, if you can manage to recall it, say the words and listen for the answer – and then follow the guidance. You will be one step closer to being back to who you are. Guaranteed.