Hello and welcome.
My name is Rachel and I am a Transformational Change Coach.
In our session today we're going to look at the intricate relationship between our thoughts and the impact they have on our stress levels and burnout.
We'll explore together how the way we perceive and interpret our experiences can either add to or lower our stress levels via our thinking.
In our modern world stress has become a pervasive force leaving many of us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
Think for a moment of a time you felt stressed.
What thoughts came to mind about that situation?
About you?
What happens when one thought leads to another and another?
I know for me when I've made a mistake at work for example I may have one thought that says you've made a mess of this.
Now at this point I can leave that thought alone and move on to what would be most helpful or I can allow that thought to multiply.
This type of thinking will gather pace like a rolling stone.
It creates a story about me,
A narrative that is well known to me about how I'm just not good enough.
I always mess things up and the story of me continues to grow and expand,
Taking up all my mind space and stopping me from seeing clearly on the way forward.
This is a thought storm.
Do you recognise this in your example?
These stories are often distorted coloured by our fears,
Insecurities and past experiences and may well be a well-trodden pathway of old beliefs.
This thought storm takes us into an entangled web of worry,
Anxiety and fatigue,
Unable to see beyond false narratives of ourselves which only serve to increase our stress levels.
What can we do instead?
What will lower our stress levels?
Go back to your example.
What was your first thought?
Now pay no attention to it.
Instead let's take a moment to take a breath.
Just observe your breath.
Notice how easily it flows in and out of your body.
It is the natural rhythm of life.
Our breath serves as a reminder of the innate wisdom within us,
A wisdom that often gets clouded by the incessant chatter of our minds.
Yet we always have access to our breath to connect to the natural innate space within us at any given moment,
A true sense of peace that is built in.
Touching this space within us can help us navigate more clearly.
Just by breathing into this space we begin to feel our heart rate balance,
The anxiety in our belly's ease and our thoughts quieten down for a moment.
At our core we possess a clarity of mind,
A space of wisdom and insight that is always available.
It's like the clear sky behind the passing clouds and no matter how stormy the weather may seem the sky remains unchanged.
See if you can feel the serene stillness beneath the turbulence of critical thinking.
This is a space that will lessen the grip of our habitual thinking patterns and tap into a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
You,
In the truest sense of the word,
Are the wisdom that transcends your intellect.
You are the clarity you seek.
You will find all the strength you need here in the space that lives within you.
This is your birthright,
The space of love,
Wisdom,
Clarity,
Stillness and pure aliveness.
When we quiet the noise of our minds we can tap into this pure space where we find guidance,
Wisdom and strength.
This is the place where we lessen our stress that leads to burnout.
As we bring this session to a close I invite you to carry these insights with you into your daily life.
Notice how your thinking shapes your experience of stress and burnout and remember you have the power to change your stress level to stop your thought storms gathering.
You know where to find peace amidst the chaos.
Trust in the wisdom within you and let it guide you towards a life of greater clarity,
Wisdom and inner peace.
Thank you for joining me on this journey of exploration.
With love,
Rachel