WHAT THIS EPISODES ABOUT…
Hi ladies! Today’s podcast came out of a moment of my own self awareness. It has been a tough 8 weeks as everyone is handling shelter at home during the Covid 19 virus. You may be listening to this a year from now, but regardless, I hope you hear the awareness I want to share with you today. As a therapist I have been seeing clients virtually and by phone to help people make it through this time of fear, uncertainty and massive change.
Now I am not one that usually experiences anxiety or depression. I am lucky in that regard. I have always thought that’s what gives me the opportunity to be there as much as I can when my clients need me. These last two weeks I thought was no different. I have been seeing clients virtually, sheltering at home. I have been hearing stories of anxiety and loss and lots of loneliness. Then the weirdest thing happened… and I mean weirdest! I got lockjaw! Lockjaw! Truly I had heard of it before but never known anyone to get it. And here I had it! Out of nowhere my jaw would just lock, frozen off to one side. The first time it happened I freaked. But with a little help from google and the mighty force of youtube videos, heat and ice it would just pop back. What the hell!!!!!!???
Then next thing I noticed, as I have became highly aware of my jaw, was that while I was editing my podcasts I was clenching my jaw! Virtual health with the doctor and the question asked “do you clench your jaw while you sleep?” “No, doc! Never have.” HA! Well that was a lie! That same day I woke up in the middle of the night and damned if I wasn’t clenching my jaw like a vice! So here I said to you that I usually never have anxiety…and here I am having some of the most bizarre symptoms that anxiety can give you! And leave it to me! I’m a therapist and need to talk! I’m a podcaster and need to record! I am fricking sheltered at home and my oh so big joy is eating delicious meals. And BAM! I can’t talk, I cant record and I cant eat! You know the brilliant Louise Hay would say there are always emotional or psychological issues associated with our ailments. I think my jaw was telling me to stop talking for a bit and check in with… myself! Its kind of a flaw of healers. You know the saying, “physician, heal thyself”?
So here I am podcast after podcast, years of helping others as a therapist and I had forgotten to check in with myself.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTENT DISCUSSED…
• Guy Free Podcast: https://guyfree.com
• Guy Free Facebook Group: https://guyfreeworkingonme.com
• Shauna’s website: https://www.workingonme.com
WHEN DOES IT AIR…
May 23, 2020
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:
Hello, I’m Shauna Hoffman
So ladies, today’s podcast came out of a moment of my own self awareness. It has been a tough 8 weeks as everyone is handling shelter at home during the Covid 19 virus. You may be listening to this a year from now, but regardless, I hope you hear the awareness I want to share with you today. As a therapist I have been seeing clients virtually and by phone to help people make it through this time of fear, uncertainty and massive change.
Now I am not one that usually experiences anxiety or depression. I am lucky in that regard. I have always thought that’s what gives me the opportunity to be there as much as I can when my clients need me. These last two weeks I thought was no different. I have been seeing clients virtually, sheltering at home. I have been hearing stories of anxiety and loss and lots of loneliness. Then the weirdest thing happened… and I mean weirdest! I got lockjaw! Lockjaw! Truly I had heard of it before but never known anyone to get it. And here I had it!Out of nowhere my jaw would just lock, frozen off to one side. The first time it happened I freaked. But with a little help from google and the mighty force of youtube videos, heat and ice it would just pop back. What the hell!!!!!!???
Then next thing I noticed, as I have became highly aware of my jaw, was that while I was editing my podcasts I was clenching my jaw! Virtual health with the doctor and the question asked “do you clench your jaw while you sleep?” “No, doc! Never have.”HA! Well that was a lie! That same day I woke up in the middle of the night and damned if I wasn’t clenching my jaw like a vice! So here I said to you that I usually never have anxiety…and here I am having some of the most bizarre symptoms that anxiety can give you!And leave it to me! I’m a therapist and need to talk! I’m a podcaster and need to record! I am fricking sheltered at home and my oh so big joy is eating delicious meals. And BAM! I can’t talk, I cant record and I cant eat! You know the brilliant Louise Hay would say there are always emotional or psychological issues associated with our ailments. I think my jaw was telling me to stop talking for a bit and check in with… myself! Its kind of a flaw of healers. You know the saying, “physician, heal thyself”?
So here I am podcast after podcast, years of helping others as a therapist and I had forgotten to check in with myself.
OK, the reason I am sharing this with you is because I am hoping to help you really and I mean really become self aware. The ability to check in on yourself, be self aware, listen to your moods and anxieties and honor wherever you are at… is something that will change your life. It will change how you get through the simplest challenges in life and the hardest challenges that you will ever endure. I wanted to share it to normalize for you that everyone…even us therapists go through tough times!
Now let’s take a look at another most ridiculous part of trying to keep the anxiety away during a pandemic! When we have anxiety or fear what do we do? We hold our breath. And remember what you are taught as the way out of a panic attack? Deep breathing! Well damn! In the time of Covid 19 the one thing we are afraid to do is breath!Breathing out around people and breathing in around people. So wouldn’t ya know that on top of all of that is going on in our world right now we are afraid to use the most natural form of healing? Breath control! We are all afraid to breath or we’ll get sick. But right now what we all need to do is BREATH.
Ok, if this is not a recipe for my lockjaw nothing is.
So this week I decided to do all of the things I keep asking of you! I meditated and sat in silence for a while.
I took some time to check in on myself, honor myself, and listen to myself! And I realized what I needed.
It is something that I have always turned to to navigate times of feeling out of control, or anxious or depressed. And its simpler than you can imagine. It’s right outside your window.
It’s nature. Yup nature.
When you can step foot into the sunlight and look at a tree or flowers, or the ocean or a bird flying by it takes you out of anxiety because it brings you immediately into the present. And all of a sudden you want to breath. And then the breath calms your racing heart and your mind and your soul. The concrete jungle is the world we have chosen to live in, but our spirit will always be soothed by nature. And nature reminds us to breath deeply, and oh it can be so beautiful. We can lose ourselves in it if we only allow ourselves to!
I remember… years ago when I was getting my Masters Degree. It was the last few weeks before my thesis was due and finals were coming. I was overwhelmed and anxious beyond belief. And then I realized that I had not been outside in nature for months! I was glued to my books and my computer and up studying till all hours of the night. So I called a friend and said, “ Can you please take me on a hike? I need balance. I need the mountains and the trees and the sounds of birds and the smells of everything natural and real around me.” That day regenerated me. I was clearer and more focused after that and I felt like a human again instead of a computer being programmed by my own hard work. My brain stopped for a bit… and I breathed back in the world I loved. And it was like I had never seen nature before! I just wanted to touch every leaf as I walked by it, smiling the most ridiculous huge smile. OK, I have to admit I really pissed off my friend whom I was hiking with because he was sure I was flicking ticks on him the whole way! And when he said that I cracked up! WOW! Nature and laughter! Ain’t that the best therapy in the world?!
Today I am recording this podcast as I sit on my boat in the Santa Barbara Harbor. No clients, no talking! This day is for me. For me to remember that everything I share with all of you I need to do for myself! My body was sending me a message. When my jaw would go out it would stick way out to one side! I looked like a cartoon character! But again! Louise Hay would say looks like you are way out of balance. And I was.
So now I offer this thought to you. When you are anxious or depressed or tired or bitchy ask yourself if there is something that you are not seeing? Something inside you that is begging for your attention? If you truly become aware for just a few minutes could it be that there is something out of balance in your life? Are you working so hard and not having any time to play? Or, are you locked inside so much and you need some fresh air? Are you sedentary and your body needs to move? Are you so outer focused that you have not taken any time to be inner focused? Are you missing a spiritual connection? Are you craving an intellectual stimulation, or maybe a creative outlet. Or do you just miss being with people? If you took just five minutes in silence today and did an emotional and physical and spiritual check in, what would you find?
Take a breath…. close your eyes, check in with your heart right now. If you need to pause me, do it!
Now I would love you to ask yourself if there was one thing you could do today to balance you what would it be? Just one thing? Is it nature? If you took a walk in nature today could it and would it change you? If you went out tonight and tried to see the stars would you find yourself breathing easier?
Now let’s breath again. Let’s inhale in until we fill our entire heart and then let’s exhale out and just let go.
Join me….
In….out
Gorgeous Souls, I really want you to find some time outside this week. I want you to see and feel how that changes you. Just 5 minutes if you can…. or even better hours!
Ok, now I am gonna listen to my jaw! I’m going to make this podcast much shorter than usual! I am going to sit on my boat with my dogs and feel the wind and watch the birds.
If I knew your name I would be saying it right now! I would be telling you to be good to yourself! Listen to your body and your heart! I would tell you to take a deep breath and look at the sky. Then listen closely and see if you can hear the birds singing.
I thank you for joining me today on this extra short but very needed podcast. And ladies, I look forward to popping into your lives again next week!