Please welcome the extraordinary Laura Campbell, Divorce Expert and Life Reinvention Coach, as well as the founder of The D Spot where she supports women to regroup, renew and reinvent themselves before, during and after divorce. I know you'll find today's post on slooooowing down immensely helpful, no matter what particular brand of chaos (school starting! divorce! Monday!) you're encountering. Thanks, Laura!

I simply can’t believe it is mid-September already -- I wish I could simply slow down time!

I don’t know about you but when I turn the page on the calendar to this month, I immediately begin to feel a little bit stressed, anxious, overwhelmed and as if my time is running out.

I embrace the slower pace of summer and so that little word, “September”, implies that summer is over and that fall is here. And, while I love the fall and the opportunity to start anew, it also brings with it: the return of the kids to school; homework, homework, homework; after school activities and the constant shuttling of kids; decrease in free time and increase in scheduling conflicts; routines and schedules; earlier mornings…

The list goes on and on.

In my heart I know the fall is fabulous and that I have direction and focus that I want to maintain, but my emotions and my brain are telling me, “Oh no…here comes the chaos!"

So, before I go to “that place of overwhelm", I have to remove all of the distractions in my head so that I can see what I already know.

Have you ever felt this way? 

The onset of September is one thing, but this emotional rollercoaster also reminds me of what going through a separation and divorce can often feel like. Sometimes we are feeling empowered and hopeful….while other times the feelings of sadness and overwhelm wrap themselves around us. Managing these many changing emotions can be a challenge when they come on so suddenly. I have found that after I learned a few key tools and resources, it is much easier to manage them. 

As I have been divorced for almost six years, here are the tips that I have learned that have helped me the most in seeing what I already know.

Four Tips to Help You See What You Already Know

1.     Clarity

With all of the distractions that life throws at us, it is sometimes difficult to see the forest through the trees. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is the gift of clarity. I remember feeling that I “didn’t know what I wanted”, and hearing for the first time from my own Life Coach that the answers are already within me…  well, it was liberating!!! What I needed to learn was simply to tap into my inner guidance system (IGS). If you haven’t ever tried it, working with a coach or participating in a personal development program will help to define your vision and create a path on which you can focus your time, energy and attention.

2.    Slow Down

During times of transition, and of course, given that we are mothers, professionals, sisters, daughters... with an extraordinary amount of responsibility, it is easy for the pace of life to speed out of control. When we find ourselves unable to see things clearly, it is our inner guidance system telling us that it is time to slow down. When your IGS speaks, you MUST listen. One of the best tools I have learned is to take time to let go of those commitments and obligations that are not critical and free up both time and space in my life to reflect and move toward clarity.

3.    Emotions vs. Reality

Often it is challenging to distinguish between emotions and the reality of a situation. The good news is that WE have control over our emotions. Contrary to popular belief, with professional support and guidance, we can deliberately choose the emotions that we want to feel and change them at any given moment. It may not seem that way, but this is a proven fact. When we are able to manage our emotions, we will be able to explore the reality of our experience and exercise the power of CHOICE in our journey forward. 

4.    Rewrite Your Story

Aaahhh, our "story". Every experience has both the facts of the experience and the “story” of the experience. When going through a separation or divorce, it is easy to embellish and embrace the “story” that we want to tell, rather than understand and deal with the facts and reality of the experience. As we are able to manage our emotions and gain clarity around our situation and experience, we can then rewrite our story to one that is empowering and that serves us. If we hold on to a story that is disempowering, limiting and “victimizing”, we will be paralyzed from moving forward along our journey. The facts remain the same, but WE can create a story that propels us towards designing your new and extraordinary life.

So, what do you think? Are you feeling the pressures of September? How do you connect with the tools you already have -- with seeing what you already know? Do you have any tips on clarity, slowing down, or emotions vs. reality? How do you rewrite your story? 

Stepping into my power,

Laura