Kristin Larsen

Ideas That Ignite Curiosity To Love With Courage!

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Future Worry To Fading Presence

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Kristin Larsen

Fading Presence Into Future Worry

Thinking about the future is something to look forward to. It is something that gives hope and possibility. It is the hope and possibility that create a vision. The vision may be within ourselves, others or the world.

Meanwhile, a fixation focused on the future becomes an obsession.

The fixation on the future overlooks the present moment. It transforms into attachment of an outcome or result.

Surprisingly, many important steps are overlooked in the process.

Some steps in the process include appreciation for the learning and growth, acknowledgement of utilized capabilities, celebrating the actions taken.

The need to control the outcome is one area where the focus is misplaced.

Trying to control the outcome is driven by the perceived fears. The fears most often threaten love, safety or belonging in one’s life.

We create  meanings from an outcome. It could perpetuate the worry of, “if it does not happen in the way I want, then it will mean…”

Eventually, worst-case scenarios begin to present themselves.  It begins to drive the need to control.

The stress response becomes active. We view the possible unwanted outcome as a threat to our survival of living.

Refocus The Worry

Focus needs to be directed back to the present moment, which helps alleviate the worry. It needs to be part of where you are now.

In some cases, our inner dialogue asks the question, “Is it enough, am I enough being where I am in this moment right now?” This question wants to immediately take you into the future to escape.

Instantly, deep breaths calm the stress response. You can continue to calm the worry. It needs reassurance of safety. It needs assurance of support.

Let the part of you, that wants to worry, know it is accepted and appreciated. That part of you is acknowledged in the present moment.

Take a step back and look at what might be creating the worry.

You can enroll trust in the steps you have taken. That will allow you to acknowledge they are leading towards the future.

Redirect your focus, what is possible now?

What choices are available to you now?

What steps can you take now?

Being present in the moment is the only way to be guided gracefully along the path to the future.

  • What can you do to bring yourself back to this moment?
  • What part of you has concerns about the future?
  • How might you acknowledge this part of you?
  • How might you comfort this part of you by the choices, steps and possibilities that are available in this moment?

Calm In The Stillness Of Silence

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Kristin Larsen

The calming silence through stillness to create a tranquil inner world

Thoughts infuse the mind when we wake until we sleep.

Racing from one moment to the next.

Not taking the time to be in silence.

Not taking a moment to be still, and in presence.

What is in that moment of stillness and silence?

It is a space filled with propositions of inner connection. The inner connection aligns with the outer connection of life.

In that space of stillness and silence there is no constraint or resistance to time.

There is a flow of effortless tranquility.

All the judgements of “what isn’t” or “needs to be” vanishes.

A choice for peace, internally. Aligning with the thoughts and feelings within that peace.

Freedom resides in the silence of the stillness.

A deep knowing is accessed. It allows for listening. Listening to your inner voice.

The loud noises that cover up the inner voice dissipate.

Everything becomes silent. You are an observer in stillness.

Clarity is unmasked.

Open to see the vastness of peace.

Mindfulness benefits the experiences in your life

To be present in life requires mindfulness.

Mindfulness is being aware, paying attention without attachment by choice.

Choosing to be present in the moment.

A state of being where body and mind are in the same mental and physical place at the same time.

You place all focus on what you are doing, where you are, who you are being.

In that moment, thoughts of past or future don’t exist.

It is effortless to go through daily routines or just “go through the motions.”

Mindfulness would be to step outside that pattern and be aware of the actions, things you are thinking and doing throughout the day.

Being mindful in your day carries many benefits

It can reduce stress by having awareness of thoughts and emotions that are occurring in the moment and giving an opportunity to process them.

Situations are no longer just reactionary.

There is a choice to step into who you are being.

From my own personal experience, mindfulness has helped me with connection.

It helps bring me back to a neutral operating state.

Letting go of the worries, the doubts.

It is a place of focus and intention on the present.

It breaks moments down into observable pieces.

You notice things start to slow down.

Calm in the presence of stillness, reveals appreciation for all that is right now.

The Prize For Unwanted Anxiety

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

The anxiety of a racing mind and worried heart is not wrong. Maybe it is something you believe is wrong?

Anxiety Situation

Imagine you have a big presentation, an event or a speech in a few hours.

Maybe there are many “what-if’s” that begin to enter your mind.

Your imagination starts to take over and your heart is beating faster, trembling of nerves tense your body. You can’t think normally with clear thoughts.

You feel like you have already lost the confidence to do your best.

Trying so desperately to win a self made validation that isn’t real.

The misleading prize is assurance that the outcome will be what you want.

What if the outcome does not happen or questions arise about the possibilities that might prevent it from happening,? Worry and concern creep into the moment.

It is something we have all experienced in our life.

Anxiety and worry is nothing to be ashamed of.

It is part of our survival makeup.

Anxiety is something that becomes a constant background noise that is learned to cope with. It is not comfortable or enjoyable. It becomes something that is hard to turn off.

How can you accept worry and concern when it disrupts clarity of  how you would like to function in the moment?

There are ways to reduce the intensity, (possibly turn it off) to trust in who you are and what you are doing again.

First step is to stop, take a step back. Reassess the situation. Acknowledge the worry and question with curiosity the purpose of the worry and what can be done to alleviate the worry right now.

Breathe. Take deep, controlled breaths. Place your focus on the breath as you inhale and exhale. Pausing to hold between inhale and exhale.

Count to 10 slowly, and when you reach 10, say to yourself, “I am safe.” “I will be okay.”

Assure yourself you will get through this experience, and place gratitude that you are alive and get to have this experience.

Create a new meaning of failure. Whatever the outcome is, respect the things that make it successful regardless what the result is.

Releasing the shame surrounding anxiety is an available choice. The decision to let go of the idea, “I’m not good enough” because of experiencing anxiety or worry is powerful transformational acceptance.

Reframing the approach to a situation and acknowledging the present moment means you have already won the prize.

Coping With Depression Through Feelings Of Unhappiness

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

Unhappiness turns into depression

The moment when prolonged thoughts of unhappiness turn into coping with depression.

What do the prolonged unhappy thoughts feel like?

They feel dark. They feel painful. The feel suffocating. They drain energy from within.

Major life events can be the trigger of these thoughts. When the thoughts are created they project an emotion of helplessness, hopelessness that accompanies the thought.

This is the pivotal point when a decision is made to attach to the emotion of what is being experienced.

Over time a pattern of thought and emotional connection continue when it is triggered.

The warning signs may show being tired frequently, not having a restful sleep, sad, loss of interest in life, withdrawn and isolated.

Constantly “going through the motions” each day. Walking around numb to experiences and emotions.

Frequently feeling stuck with limited options. Everything just seems so difficult.

The belief forms, “I can’t.”

Every effort seems like a GIANT step.

Suffering in silence is then chosen as the best option. There is shame and guilt for feeling like this, being this way.

The Role Of Presence

Presence plays a major role in navigating through depression.

Taking the time to process feelings and emotions. One way to allow this process to take place is through self compassion. This will help to relieve the shame and guilt.

Daily habits contribute to the thoughts and emotions. Are the chosen daily habits serving or fueling the state of depression?

Self care is crucial to aid in producing energy, calming, and giving self comfort during the healing process.

Depression is a form of disconnection. A belief that there is minimal possibility or choice to transform what is being experienced.

The shift happens when the power to change is acknowledged within yourself.

Therefore, connection is important to begin facilitating hope, faith, trust and possibility.

Implementing ways to connect with self and others.

Are there support groups or communities that have people experiencing similar things?

Can you connect with them to share in the experience? This will help to connect back in life.

The choice is eventually made, it doesn’t have to be done alone.

Unhappy thought patterns are slowly converted into outlooks and perspectives that offer love, hope, possibility.

Clearing the way for thoughts of being in the presence of compassionate, mindful and inspired living.

Leave Past Doubt To Enjoy The Now

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

Do you ever find you have situations in your life where you begin to question, or doubt if you can do something, have something or be the person you need to be in that moment?

Being present in the now doesn’t seem possible with all the circulating doubts.

Thoughts begin to race. The search for answers to validate what is being felt.

Just getting swept away in shame, guilt, regret.

Thoughts resonate, “I am not worthy of….” “I am not enough because…”

The situation transforms into letting the emotions be the meaning of the present.

However, the emotions were created long before that moment.

They came from the past.

There is a story attached to those emotions. There are definitions from the situations that were constructed to support the story.

It becomes normal to be paralyzed by the thoughts of doubt. To the point of believability.

What changes the thoughts of doubt?

It starts with curiosity to explore what is beneath the doubt. Then taking accountability to shift the perspective of how the doubt is being perceived. It becomes an important step to give self permission to trust in the responsibility of living in the present which is always a choice that is available.

A person who acknowledges their capabilities has the ability to rewrite their story, which changes the meaning and definitions of what was. It now means the past does not dictate the present unless it is allowed to.

-Kristin Sven Larsen

Self acknowledgement reveals the learning, past success, and gratitude. It places focus on the inner being of acceptance with appreciation.

There is no room for doubt when focus is placed on what is possible from the learning, growth and belief in what makes up the capability.

Enjoyment is found living in the now when the doubt is let go from the past.

A New Perspective From Letting Go

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

What makes it so hard to let go of hurt, pain, loss?

I have found it is the fear of how much of suffering will have to be endured until it goes away.

The thought of what has been impacted by the pain.

The constant attachment to the thoughts and emotions that continue to be a reminder of each experience.

When the choice is made to hold onto what is causing the fear, instantly choices become limited.

There is a meaning that has been attached to what is feared. The fear has become the focus of reality and all the decisions being made are based around the fear.

Letting go becomes a process. Going through the process of letting go requires presence.

There is a realization that there is no need to avoid what is desired to be let go of.

The internal process starts with awareness. Being aware of what is triggering the fear, and what the actual fear is.

Next is to acknowledge that the fear exists and what is being created by the fear.

Finally, it is accepting that you have a fear of what is being experienced. You are experiencing it in the moment, and that’s okay.

This gives the opportunity to shift perspective and it opens the possibility for choice.

Needing to express what needs to be expressed. The opportunity opens up for self compassion, forgiveness, gratitude.

This helps to form beliefs that attract focus for what is desired rather than what is being created by the fears.

Where would you like to be placing your focus?

Letting go becomes more about trust and belief in something greater than the fear that is being held onto. -Kristin Sven Larsen

Surrendering To Presence In Life

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Kristin Larsen

Surrendering To Presence In Life

Challenges Getting In The Way

The experiences encountered in life can present challenges in the way our thoughts interact with them. Emotions may reinforce the thoughts which produce the perception that the situation is difficult to navigate with the creation of doubts and worry.

The struggle that is encountered is met with ways that are decided to alleviate the suffering.

Sometimes this translates into enduring the suffering because it is resisted.

Struggle and discomfort always come with a choice.

The choice is accentuated if the  choice to see the resistance being held onto is viewed as less important than what is desired to be thinking and feeling.

The obstacle is seeing past all the things that are getting in the way of realizing that.

Surrendering becomes a spiritual process. The choice can only be made in presence.

Believing you are enough as you are now, to make that choice.

What this means is the only choice needed to surrender is presence.

Held within presence is to accept “what is.”

Closing your eyes, feeling into presence. Relaxing your body. Feeling your soul.

Giving yourself permission to surrender. Choosing to release the struggle.

Asking Yourself

Asking yourself, “what am I holding resistance to?”

“Why is it important I hold this resistance?”

“What do I gain from holding onto it?”

“What would happen if I let it go?”

I envision myself letting go of what I am surrendering to.

What happens?

What happens to my thoughts?

What happens to my emotions?
I thank myself for doing my best in these moments.

I allow myself to let go and surrender.

The resistance that was present disappears.

In that moment I am free.

That moment is filled with gratitude and presence.

Compassion Brings Me Back To Inner Peace

In this moment I am free.

It becomes easier to do it again if I choose to surrender.

“Surrendering becomes a spiritual process. The choice can only be made in presence.”

– Kristin Sven Larsen

Part 3—Embracing what life is offering through presence

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Kristin Larsen

Accept

Struggle is something that can’t be avoided at certain times in life. 

There are two choices that can be made when struggle appears.

It can be accepted or avoided.

Accepting the moment of struggle means seeing it as it actually is in the moment. That could be subjective, but what it really means is to accept what is being experienced in the moment.

Once resistance is chosen as the actionable thought, the struggle continues to evolve.

Avoiding can take the form of denial, repressing or blame.

Imagine avoiding who you are being, who someonelse is being, or what the situation is in the moment?

What is being created by avoiding?

Permission for irresponsibility and disregard for choice.

Accepting of “what is” in the moment gives permission for accountability and allows for personal ownership of the experience.

Accepting the moment filters down to fear. A subconscious thought may be, “if I avoid, repress or deny what is being experienced I will stay out of feeling hopeless and helpless.”

This may work for a brief time, then the resistance and struggle compiles.

You cannot change what you do not accept.

It doesn’t mean you have to like what you are accepting. That is when the power of choice is is presented. 

Acceptance can turn into action. You can lead yourself to be in charge of the choices.

It is not about giving up and quitting. 

In that moment, accept the experience for what it is without the need to blame or avoid no matter what the fear may be.

Acceptance shifts the experience. It opens the door to welcome new ways of being.

New ways of being create opportunities and possibilities. 

Acceptance can be thought of as a mirror reflection of what’s possible.

  • Frustration – Satisfied
  • Irritable – Patient
  • Anger – Calm
  • Mistake – Learning

A realization needs to develop through the choices of accepting what is happening. It makes it easier to accept the fears that are being avoided because accountability is formed from being present in the moment.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Yap
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