The (even more) Silent Why (& Welsh waters)

#080. Life is hectic. Sometimes we simply need to stop for a moment. And that’s what this short episode is all about. 

Oh, and the beautiful streams in North Wales…

Welcome to The Silent Why podcast, here to help you navigate loss and grief, and possibly... find hope. 

These new, very short, episodes will pop up every now and then to help you take a moment to check in and see how you're really feeling.  

7 minutes total, including 2 minutes of time for you and you alone - join me in an imaginary place and allow yourself to press pause on life for a short while. 

And for this episode I'm asking you to come and sit with me by the peaceful waters of a stream in North Wales, as the water trickles over the stones, and nature does it's thing around you. 

Transcript

Claire Sandys: Hello. Welcome to the even more Silent Why podcast. 

I don’t think it’s just me that's noticed how crazy and stressful life feels nowadays? It's tiring, right? Relentless, hectic, hard work on all levels - mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. There's pressure on all sides, even catching up with podcast episodes. So I've decided, to help me as much as you, I'm going to occasionally put out an episode to encourage/force you to do something we all need to do every now and then. 

Stop. 

Breathe. 

Be still. 

Give your mind two minutes to check in with you. 

You’ve probably experienced listening to a podcast with adverts, and the advert comes on at a time when you can’t fast forward, so you’re stuck with your hands in the washing up bowl, or you’re in the shower, or you’re driving and you’re forced to listen to the whole advert… Well, I kinda hope you’re in one of those situations now, because I’m going to encourage you to do something and feel like you just have to do it. Pretend there is no option to stop or fast forward. Because I want to give you just 2 minutes, just for you. Let’s face it, you came to this episode expecting it to be at least 30 minutes anyway, so I know you have 2 minutes free and you know what, it might make all the difference to your day. 

In these short episodes I’m going to transport you somewhere different each time, to come with me, and then just ask you to just think about one thing. 

Today I'm taking you back to North Wales with me, where I recently spent a week, to sit next to one of their gorgeous streams, where the water lazily passes over the huge rounded Welsh stones. Come and sit with me on the bank and watch the peaceful water as it moves. 

Listen to the birds. Hear the distant sheep, people and a random car horn. 

And just take a moment to turn your focus inward. 

Start with 3 deep breaths. 1, 2, 3.

Now, over the next 2 minutes, I want you to ask yourself this - What scares you or causes you fear? And how is it holding you back?

Now when you hear this question your mind might go straight to more obvious fears and phobias like spiders, heights, lifts, birds, balloons etc. But that's not what I'm asking. What about your deeper, maybe emotional fears? And how do they impact your relationships, your work, your self-esteem, self-confidence, decision-making, what you say and do. Do you fear being separated from others, being powerless, unloved, being wrong, not being valued, not having any meaning, being overwhelmed, being trapped, or without support, or maybe being rejected, or do you fear the future or the expectations of others? 

Don’t try to name what you think you should be scared of, or what others tell you you’re scared of, feel it first, and just see what feels true, what’s really there and ask the question meaningfully.

And then wait. See what the answer is. 

So, what are you scared of? What do you fear most? And how is it holding you back?

[2 MINUTES OF LISTENING TO THE STREAM AUDIO]

Thank you, from me for joining me, but also they’ll be parts of your own body and mind that are grateful you stopped to notice them and check in. Whatever it is you identified, don't let it go without doing something with it. Recognising emotions is a powerful way to understand ourselves better, feel more in control, and improve our Emotional Intelligence. 

Matt Haig said:
You are not your feelings. You just experience them. Anger, sadness, hate, depression, fear. This is the rain you walk in. But you don’t become the rain. You know the rain will pass. You walk on. And you remember the soft glow of the sun that will come again.