I reached out to my powerful business group to suggest some topics of interest right now to write about. There were some fabulous ideas, and yet this one, in all its different scenarios, felt most aligned at this time.

The essence was: with our outer world going through so many changes, and fear, overwhelm and agitation at an all-time high, how do we stay centred in our own energy? How do we not let the negative energies around us take over how we feel?

This is a really big ask right now, as the shifting energies are affecting all of us, both positively and negatively. I may not have all the answers, nor what is the right balance for you, however I have definitely explored a number of practices personally and shared experiences with my colleagues and clients. So here are a few of my favourites.

1. Morning Practice

How we begin our day sets the tone for how we respond and engage in our day. Opportunities here are:

When you open your eyes in bed, take a moment to breathe deeply and tell yourself, this will be a good day.

Get outside as soon as possible to let the daylight set your circadian rhythm. It may be on a front porch or balcony, or if you are lucky as I am, I take my dog outside for her morning constitutional. I go barefoot as many days as our weather allows to connect to the ground. I do some deep breathing and light stretches. When I come back in, I am definitely awake and ready to start my day.

Some may have time to engage in a meditation or some form of exercise before heading out for the day. Others have a family to get going or work that begins early. Even 10–15 minutes of breath, outdoors or light stretching can set the stage.

2. Watch What You Expose Yourself To

By this I mean: what are you listening to, watching, reading and talking about? Maybe you can listen to uplifting music or a podcast first thing before checking news and emails. If it’s a busy day, I might choose some music of my choice and sit with my tea to do a brain dump — the list of what is on my plate to do. It helps me to get it out of my head and onto paper where I can organize and set my flow for the day. A note here is to not be too attached to this flow, as life may, and often does, add detours to our demands. Trust that what needs to happen will indeed happen.

3. Hydrate and Nourish Your Body

Hydrate and fuel your body for the day with nourishing food. Give it the metabolic energy it needs to function. There are many experts to guide you in this area, but it is an important category.

4. Protect Your Energy

Pay attention to your own energy and notice when you are around people and situations that drain you. Can you remove yourself from those situations? Or limit how much you are exposed to them. We need to set healthy boundaries for ourselves.

5. Support Sensitive Children

If you have children who are sensitive, teach them how to take deep breaths and remind them they can reach for help. There are excellent books that teach how to understand emotions and not be overwhelmed by them. Whenever possible, help them to lead themselves through it so they develop trust in their own abilities.

The Bigger Picture

The kindest thing you can do for yourself is notice how you feel and honour that. Know that life puts us all in the “relationship gym” to strengthen how we respond to all situations. We are here to grow and learn. Mastery takes time. Holding our centre takes awareness, practice, dedication and a whole lot of love. Our peace of mind is worth it. Our happiness is worth it. The magic is that we can ripple that energy out and start shifting the negative energy around us. It’s always a journey of understanding ourselves at a deeper level.

“You are one decision away from a totally different life.”

I would love to have you share your tips for keeping centred so we all expand our knowledge together. Happy May!