EI: Light Mind, Light Body (Journal #5)

This is it, another free blog post share; highlights of my Emotional Intelligence journal writing. A new exciting year on the Beyond Emotional Intelligence Coaching journey. May you find something in this post that resonates. Much luv. ~ Clinton

Tuesday, September 9:

How EI practices are impacting my life:

• I am being much more intelligent in resolving emotions – before they reach my thinking. I’m seeing that my mind is positive and resilient, so it follows that my emotions are generally light and easy. Making it easier to spot the ones that are heavy.
• In moments of relationships, where the emotional body reacts to rejection, or not being heard. In years past, I shut out my emotional signals, to the point where the body got to a desperate state, before the mind was swamped with a feeling, that was like terror. It seemed to come out of nowhere. And there seemed to be nothing for my mind to do but create dramatic and negative stories.
• Developing a Self-Discovery that is ‘You Don’t Have to Believe Everything You Feel’ – which is exactly that – not believing everything I feel. I am able to notice my body and emotions quicker and easier, and ask them if ‘it is true.’ Before I start creating stories. I am able to release the emotions; and I have a clear, open mind to choose new, empowering stories.

Changing the quality of my experiences and interactions:

• At a personal level, the quality of my experience is from having more ‘breathing room.’ It is less suffocating, constricted, and antagonising. Through Open Awareness, I am able to expand the ratio of my suffering to the experience around the suffering. The suffering ends up being less dominating over my experience. This is making me feel larger than the problems that arise, which creates a sense of calm and peace.
• With my interactions, I am more patient, curious, and joyful toward others. Using the Just Like Me practice, I am able to give others the benefit of the doubt. They have troubles. They also wish to be happy. This allows me to either give them space, or cheer them up. Practicing this is making me naturally do the same for myself. Being less demanding and critical. Overall, my sustained happiness is a certainty I welcome and expect every day.

Tuesday, September 16:

Many things happened today that were opportunities for practicing EI:

• Sphere of Agency: I got a message from someone very close to me, saying they had gone to hospital. I was traveling and had to wait until I could stop to call them. I stayed calm and created space within me, so I could talk to them from a place of openness, and help support the situation, and be present and loving.
• Body Wisdom: I had a pain in the left side of my torso. It was a reaction to emotional stress. I told the pain: ‘I’m not sure how you came to be, but it must be because of some way I have related to my emotions when I was not aware. I am here now, fully aware, and even though I don’t know what concerns and burdens you, I offer you love anyway. I offer you relaxation.’ It was amazing how it softened, and fully went away. The unconditional intention made it possible to communicate in the body’s language.
• Energy Management: I went on a long hike in the mountains. I slowed down these: 1) how I moved my head; 2) how I moved my eyes when looking at different things; 3) focused on a feeling of ‘melting inside.’ While keeping a sturdy frame at the same time. It is because of my sturdy frame that I can melt inside. My energy was regulated, sustained. Even with all the physical activity, I felt fresher.
• Reframing in Real-Time: I got to the mirador (the look out) and the famous mountain I came to see was completely covered in fog. I had traveled hours to get here. Instead of being disappointed, I sat with the fog, and tried to create an energetic feeling of the mountain, somewhere off where I couldn’t see. It was a more intimate and connected experience than if the mountain had been in view, where I would have just taken a selfie and walked away. I reframed the story to being about mystery, rather than missed opportunity.

Wednesday, September 24:

Values in Action:

• My values are more present and alive than ever. I feel so grounded by them. My wisdom is directly within reach – inside me. Radiating. It has a voice that is deep, gentle, and strong. This, in the past, felt like a wise guru, or mentor, that wasn’t me. Someone I looked to as an example. Now, it feels like the guru or mentor is me.

Life as a Teacher:

• I am writing a book. The main character undergoes layers of understanding for how to live one’s best life. Life is giving me endless chances to reframe the plot and character development. It is informing me that my life is just like this book. There are audiences: who talk to me about the book (people I directly communicate with), who read the book (strangers I pass on the street and exchange a greeting or good energy), and me – the one writing it (how I experience my own sense-making). I see how life is an ongoing living metaphor, always teaching, always giving me fresh insights. The more I stay aware, and integrate its teachings back into my sense-making, the more complete I feel. The more I fill the space of the book with wisdom and adventure.

Embodied EI:

• I pay close attention to my body. It dictates how I move through life. I am not swept up in the frenetic chaos that life around me seems to be moving in. I base what I do in life around how my body feels. Yet at the same time, I am trusting my instincts, because sometimes my body is like a small child, who has been taught to get what it wants. Sometimes my wisdom needs to be firm, and say ‘No, we must do this instead, because it will be better for us.’ My body, in turn, is learning from when my mind says ‘No.’
  

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