I’ve just done two days of intense front-of-room training/coaching/observing. Arriving to set up, and debriefing after each day with my colleague meant about 10 hours each day of having to be as present and aware as possible.

So this morning I treated myself to a couple of hours’ doze time, with my cat Satchmo keeping me company. Then I had to do catch-up on work admin, feeling weirdly spacey for all that time. My brain felt like it wasn’t quite connecting, and I found it really challenging to really listen to the couple of folk I was speaking with by phone. I was strangely on edge.

Luckily, I’d promised myself the afternoon to myself, and arranged to meet a girlfriend and go for a walk. And whew! Did I need that walk.

Being in Ireland, we sometimes have about four different weather offerings in one day. This morning was sunny, cold, crisp and fresh. By the time I met my friend, cloudy. And then the skies opened! The rain just knifed it down.

Listen to your HeartVoice

So, do we go for a walk or not? A bit of me wanted to curl beside a fire with a cuppa, another part wanted to walk in the rain.   My HeartVoice whispered “let your body tell you what it needs”. My friend had her two dogs with her, needing a bit of exercise. So, off we set. I was so glad we did.

Yes, it was cold and I got soaked (I wasn’t fully rain-prepared J). But oh, my word, it felt great to feel the rain and wind on my face, stretch my feet and legs, clamber through the autumn leaves, hear the leaves crispy and wet, smell the dampness, play ‘catch ball’ with the cheeky dogs.   And we just chatted, laughed and goofed about. Absolutely lovely.

And I realised as we got back to base that I felt connected again. My sense of my Self had come back. I was once again grounded in the present, lovely reality.

By allowing my body to walk, stretch, ease out the tension by goofing about, I’d given myself some powerful simple self-care. I felt at ease, peaceful. I felt safe. I could listen again. I could feel again. And I felt, and still feel, healthy, well, and cared-for.

So my invitation to you is to find some way of listening to your body; to allowing it to help you. When you do, you will become conscious of your power and confidence.

Feel your feet, legs, arms, fingers …. Consciously let them feel the air you’re moving through. You’re part of all of that air. Part of the whole.  Feel your heart. Put your hand over your heart, feel your breathing. Give your shoulders and neck a rub. Play with your toes! Massage your feet. Let your wise body help you tap into the power of that whole.

That’s me, for today. I’ll love you and leave you with that thought.

With love, t

I’d love to hear your thoughts on all of this, and any of your questions.     Email me: trudy@trudyarthurs.com; alternatively visit me on Facebook:     Trudy Arthurs, the Compassionate Confidence Specialist.

Visit www.trudyarthurs.com to subscribe for my regularish free E-Notes – you’ll receive a free Compassionate Confidence e-book when it’s published. Looking forward to connecting with you, really soon.

About Trudy:

I’m based in Northern Ireland, and with the help of the magic of technology, work with clients around the world. Local executive coaching work includes the Police Service of Northern Ireland and several major local business in hospitality, manufacturing, retail and not-for-profit sectors.

I’ve walked and lived the path of recovery from alcohol addiction and a diagnosis of terminal cancer in 2000 – and am still here. It’s my learnings and experiences from these that are making me realise where my real joy is. Working with individuals and groups to encourage the blossoming of compassionate self-confidence.

Having delivered two tester programmes over the past four months, I am now upping my game.  The dots and t’s are currently being added to a brand new series, open to women who want to be more profoundly compassionately confidence, to themselves and others – both personally and professionally.

To priority-register for details of my new compassion programmes, simply email trudy@trudyarthurs.com for info.