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Moving Through The Seasons Of Grief

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

While driving on a local rural road, I noticed the leaves beginning to change color. My windows were open, and the smell of the fall season was in the air. Suddenly, emotions flooded within me like a tidal wave. It felt like moving through the seasons of grief.

Has it happened to you?

One second, you are in the presence of life, and the next, memories invade your current space of peace.

Triggered by the reminder of something you see, a familiar smell, a word or a phrase you hear, a flavor from a food, a texture that you touch.

It reminds you of someone who is no longer physically there in your life. Your heart begins to ache, and you miss them. The imagery created in that moment takes you back into memories of the past. A place that carries an open wound of grief from something that feels like it was lost.

Surrendering to love

There is an opportunity to acknowledge the hurt and pain that surfaces. In this opportunity, there is an invitation to surrender to love. A way to appreciate and honor the person who has moved on to the next phase in life. It is a reminder of how important they were.

There are many ways to honor and appreciate them. One way is through the expression of emotion. Cry, journal, or share your thoughts and feelings with others.

It doesn’t have to mean staying in the loss of suffering. The perspective of love can assist with moving through the seasons of grief.

Choosing the perspective of love

Celebrating and honoring the person or memory amidst the grief could mean seeing the perspective of love in the memories. The way to do that is through a self-compassionate lens. Accessing the lens requires acknowledging the love for that memory. The love for the person.

Be open to what is calling for attention from the surfacing grief.

Each chosen effort to acknowledge the grief, to see through the perspective of love, expands the capacity to fully love.

As the seasons change, so too will the grief pass through.

Focus transmutes grief into an appreciation of love that was never lost.

The Illusion Of Our Deepest Fear

Posted on September 1, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

Fear of failure. Fear of judgement. Fear of the unknown and uncertainty. Fear of no control. Fear of change. Fear of rejection. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of loneliness.

What if our deepest fear might extend deeper than these common, intricate fears?

Misinterpreting the fear

Initially, the first thought might be that our fear is obvious. To be with the fear in it’s fullest could take some time to extract what it really means in our interpretation.

However, what if the fear funneled towards a doubt that maintains the illumination of what we interpret the fear to be?

What if our fear was really that we question being enough or worthy to let go of the fear we question?

For example, what if we were not afraid of failing?

What would contribute to not being afraid of failing?
We might embody some attributes of trust, faith, conviction, belief in self, focus on being our best, utilizing our strengths, and being open to possibility, etc.

In the experience, there is room for growth and learning. Maybe we acknowledge that and believe that we are enough in that moment and worthy to succeed?

The decision to shift our focus from the fear

When the decision is made to acknowledge the true potential within, fear begins to dissipate.

Shifting the perspective away from the feared “what if’s” of fully acknowledging our true potential.

The “what if’s” are what we think our deepest fear is. I might be thinking, “If I fully embrace my full potential and fail, how will that look to others, will it mean I’m not good enough, will I still be accepted by others, what if I don’t know all the answers, etc.

Letting go of past stories and meanings

When the stories and meanings are not attached to what our true potential really is, possibility is an open canvas.

Sometimes it isn’t easy to let go of the attachment to the past. Healing and reconfiguring the meanings of experiences can assist in letting go and finally moving forward without the constant, looming doubt that reinforces the fear.

A shift towards the belief in the current state of being that embodies what it means to embrace one’s full potential.

A new state of being

What if I trusted myself, what would I need to trust fully within myself?

What if I believed in myself, what would I need to believe about myself?

What if I were being my best, what would I need to do to be my best?

What if I were to utilize my strengths, what strengths would help me navigate this experience effectively?

What if I chose to believe in possibility, what possibilities would be open to me now?

The focus is no longer on the fear. It is shifted to a new state of being that can be adapted when “being enough” and “being worthy” are embraced.

Embracing our full potential acknowledges being enough and worthy to radiate our true light within the full acceptance of integrity to self.

Suffering In The Human Experience

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

What does “suffering in the human experience” really mean?

A person’s attention could be drawn to the emotional side of suffering. They could display such emotions as sadness, fear, anger, and shame. Thoughts could lead to behaviors that identify with despair, depression, anxiety, hurt, and pain. The anguish of suffering is often viewed as a negative experience. Obviously, unwanted, undesired, and unaccepted. Continually resisting, drifting deeper into torment and misery.

What is the purpose of suffering

Often, suffering is an invitation. It is calling our attention to healing. To resolve something that still requires processing.

The deeper part of ourselves wants our presence, care, and understanding. The logical part of our processing wants understanding or rationalizations of why. When those answers can’t be produced, the suffering slices deeper into the experience.

What is the invitation?

The invitation is not in plain sight. It requires some elements of nurture to view the invitation so it can be accepted.

The requirement is Presence and Compassion.

The path may not be clear through the suffering, but an important mission begins to unfold.

The calling of, “who do you get to become throughout the experience?”

The acceptance of healing guides us toward our truth- The transformation into the depth of empathetic awakening.

It is no longer viewed as a detriment. Accepting what is being experienced is part of the path.

What is revealed are the patterns and unprocessed wounds. An opportunity for resolution.

In the deeper truth, discomfort isn’t avoided. It is welcomed as an igniter for awakening throughout the process. An evolution of our being.

What prolongs the suffering

Being in control is often a common need to maintain a sense of stability. Without stability, it can feel scary when there is no commonality with what is known.

As time passes, the choice to remain in the victimhood of suffering enhances its familiarity. You anticipate its presence. You expect that it will last indefinitely.

Suppressing emotions and denying the invitation intensifies the suffering and prolongs it’s effects.

When is suffering viewed as “not suffering”

Through the lens of self-compassion and understanding the inner pain, suffering can transform into wisdom. A shift to introspection converts pain into purpose.

The unfolding question appears, “What is this experience teaching me?”

Although the purpose is not necessarily to create meaning, it begins to happen naturally in the process.

The energy in the suffering gravitates towards safe expression while honoring the space of healing that is allowed to occur.

It becomes a normalized experience of expression as an integral part of the journey.

Moving from a state of isolation into an intention of connectedness.

Suffering is a gentle reminder that compassion is asking for attention.

What Is The Human Experience?

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

How do we interpret what we think the human experience is?

One person’s interpretation may differ from another person’s interpretation of what they believe the human experience is.

What influences someone’s belief in their interpretation of what the human experience is?

Superficially, the interpretation of the human experience could be conceived as the theory of cause and effect. One of the meanings of cause and effect is described as; “the direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result.”

Logic prevails in seeking interpretation. Beliefs reinforce the conceptual understanding of what the human experience is supposed to be.

If you look back at your childhood, and every five years after, how is your interpretation of the human experience compared to this current moment?

Did it change or is it the same?

If it changed, what created the change?

What has allowed it to remain the same?

The external environment, culture, or society is usually a contributing influencer to how someone may interpret the human experience as their reality.

Psychologically, cognitive rationality is essential to form a sense of reality in the living moment.

What is the relationship between the interpretation of the human experience and reality?

Can there be a right or wrong interpretation of the human experience? If each person has their beliefs of what the human experience is, can it be a neutral experience?

What we are born to know is the physical, mental, and emotional side of the human experience. The spiritual element can be learned, practiced or realized.

The physical side is the realization of birth, growth, emotions, and death.

The emotional side is the internal feelings that are associated with the emotion.

The mental side is how our thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are processed.

The spiritual side is the connection to something greater than self, which contains meaning, purpose, and a sense of belonging.

Residing deeper within the main elements of the human experience is profound consciousness. It involves being aware of what is being experienced within the elements.

The riveting part of awareness is choice. A choice to live into experiences as an individual or an interconnected being.

The interpretation of our experiences is always evolving. What is deemed important about our experiences today, may not hold the same importance tomorrow.

The acceptance of the human experience is what leads to fulfillment within it. Setbacks, grief, and suffering don’t feel the same as opportunity, joy, or love. Acceptance is the possibility to invite appreciation to the whole human experience. To transform what is perceived as negative, into a deeper awareness of what is within the experience. An appreciation for the challenge, the opportunity within it, the connection, the love, the possibility, and the shared moments.

Is it the continual quest for meaning and purpose that clarifies what our interpretation of the human experience is?

If you knew it was your final day to live in this physical world, what interpretations would become clear about what the human experience is?

To accept the whole human experience with appreciation introduces a choice for conscious awareness of the deeper elements within it.

The Inner Wound That Calls For Healing

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

Some days I wake up and I feel a need for personal growth in my day. Other days I can feel the inner wound that calls for healing.

That inner wound that calls for healing is trying to get my attention. As I listen, I try and decipher what kind of healing it wants.

The only way to truly know is to intentionally sink into presence. To be with the inner wound.

What Does The Inner Wound Want?

Does it want forgiveness from me?

Does it want my inner validation of love?

Does it want to be soothed and comforted from past painful memories?

Does it want reassurance that I will be ok and I am safe?

The past can slowly begin to manifest itself in daily life. That could be past wounds around time, safety, belonging, hurt feelings, physical and mental fatigue (burnout).

Maybe the fear that the feelings of past experiences are going to be “relived” again or will return.

Does it want to know that you are strong enough to get through these moments?

Comforting The Inner Wound

What the inner wound really wants is to be acknowledged. To be heard. To be understood. To know that it0 is cared for. The pain and hurt can still be present, but to know it is loved throughout the process of healing.

It doesn’t want judgement, silencing, avoiding or repression. It wants compassion and a supportive presence to affirm what it is experiencing in the moment.

Practicing Being Present With The Inner Wound

Being present with the inner wound means giving it focus and attention. Sometimes that may be difficult with life situations. It could mean setting aside time for the presence it wants and needs. It could be as little as 10 minutes each day. A possibility could be splitting up the total time commitment and distributing in various times of the day.

Times when you won’t be disturbed so that the inner wounds needs are honored and respected.

Allowing The Healing To Come

The healing comes when the space with the inner wound feels safe. A space where emotions can be expressed or released openly. A way that emotions can move around energetically. It could be expressed in many forms.

Compassionate meditation by holding a hand on your heart
Breathing and connecting to the safety of the breath
Self talk with positive affirmations and words of encouragement
Journaling to express feelings and thoughts
Taking a walk to move trapped energy in body
Connecting with the emotions in the body while laying down to notice and become aware of where they are

A space of inner healing begins with acknowledgement of the wound. The presence to express loving compassion for what is being experienced.

Unrealized Fierceness In Self Compassion

Posted on March 31, 2025 by Kristin Larsen

Self compassion is an important intentional daily living element in many life experiences. It is also important that another side of self compassion not be ignored. That other side is often the unrealized fierceness in self compassion.

What Is Fierce Self Compassion?

Fierce self compassion is making the choice to be an advocate for your needs through actions that supplement personal wellbeing in challenging moments.

Advocating for personal needs may be actions such as setting boundaries, saying no, protecting one’s rights and values that are important to them, becoming aware of and identifying your own unsupportive and harmful behaviors.

Why Fierce Self Compassion Is Unrealized

When the choice is presented to advocate for one’s own needs or protect personal rights of importance, fear creeps in and blurs the conviction of choice.

A scary thought that comfort and stability could be disrupted. The continued thoughts that judgement from others and self could emerge from taking the fierce action. The possibility that friction could dismantle the relationships. Deeper seeded beliefs begin to surface. “It will mean I’m selfish to honor my personal needs at this time.”

Fierce Self Compassion In Action

On both sides of self compassion there is an obligation to “be with” the feelings that are being experienced. Setting a boundary or standing up for yourself to protect your needs doesn’t have to mean straying from personal values that are important. It can take another form of expression that prioritizes love and connection instead of aggression and resentment.

Empowerment resides within the acceptance of feelings and honoring the kindness and actions associated with respecting aligned authentic expression.

Personal life examples of fierce self compassion might be;

Saying no to others or self when something doesn’t align with your values.
When you are not feeling well and make the decision to slow down, take a break and tend to your own needs to feel better.
The need to create a supportive habit for positive well being and be the motivated inspired energy required to follow through on the change.

While the tender-kindness side of self compassion focuses on soothing and accepting that state of our inner being. The other side of self compassion which is the fierce side, is more focused on tending to own needs to protect and motivate through actions of being-ness in the world.

The emphasis is suggested to be aware of balancing the tender kindness of self compassion with the advocation of one’s needs to maintain personal wellbeing.

The tender kindness of self compassion can be empowered with fierceness through a respected expression of self advocated importance.

Accepting The Invitation To Slow Down

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Kristin Larsen

The reluctance to go slower obstructs what many people believe is the true definition of what being productive or efficient really is.

However, accepting the invitation to slow down can be the core basis of connection and efficiency.

Resistance To Slowing Down

One main reason that makes it difficult to practice slowing down is the mental reasoning that slowing down equals loss of progression or efficiency.

Within that are the expectations that things must be done quickly to overcome, get results, and move forward. If they are not done in this way, sometimes the meaning that is made of ourself reflects what could be concluded to be inefficiency and transforms into self judgement of how we are functioning. It starts to feel restrictive and counterproductive.

Exploring deeper into the resistance might reveal an unwillingness to be present with other factors in the experience.

A desire to move through the discomfort as quickly as possible without fully processing or “being with” what is being experienced.

Benefits Of Slowing Down

Many benefits of slowing down attribute to connection. It helps to open the choice to process emotions while acknowledging what is happening in the experienced moments. This can lead to seeing other perspectives that are commonly overlooked. There are glimpses of joy in those perspectives. Feelings of contentment and gratitude.

Reducing stress is a direct result of slowing down because of how it calms the nervous system stress response. An opportunity to reacclimate to functioning from a neutral plane of calm and peacefulness.

When someone embodies calm, perspective, and gratitude, there is often clarity that emerges which assists with one’s own trust in their inner guidance.

Ideas To Embrace Slowing Down

Steps for slowing down in life can be accomplished in many ways. It can be implemented in the tasks being completed, the intentions of BEING that are simultaneously within the tasks and integrity of functioning. The art of slowing down in the day can also be comprised of micro-habits.

Some ideas to help embrace slowing down are:

Begin with the routine when waking up. What will help to establish aligned intentions of slowing down from the moment the day begins?
Eating meals mindfully to fully enjoy various aspects of the experience.
Checking in with self throughout the day to be present with the current inner state of thought and emotions.

Inviting small moments of silence by disconnecting from cell phone use and other distractions that prevent the commitment to slowing down.

If you were to start by thinking of your day as opportunities for inner connection, you begin to appreciate the importance to the commitment of slowing down.

The intention of slowing down presents an opportunity for deep inner connection.

Letting Intentions of Our Being-ness Lead

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Kristin Larsen

In each moment there is a thought to how we would like to function. It doesn’t always mean functioning in the way we would like. An important factor in functioning in the way we would like requires letting intentions of our being-ness lead.

To allow intentions of our being-ness to lead means understanding what intentions are and what their importance is in day to day life.

What is an intention of our being?

An intention is an idea that you plan to carry out. In order to carry out the intention you must be committed to it’s action. To be committed to it’s action you must embody the true essence of the intention. The intention requires determination to follow through with accompanying actions. It has been conceived in the mind and becomes the focus of being. The being-ness of the intention is devotion to it’s embodiment within.

What role do intentions of our being have in our life?

Intentions act as our guide in life. When they are paired with our values, they form a powerful combination of navigating influencers that lead the way.

Anyone can have an intention. What makes the intention significant is that it coincides with the true way of functioning that someone would like. The epicenter of operation can originate from the intention. Life could be in chaos but living from the intention could be the difference between staying grounded and focused or letting anxiety and disarray be in control.

I feel that, “intentions are the backbone of operating in our reality, no matter what is occurring in that reality.”

Being your intentions

What will be required to BE your intentions?

A commitment, a dedication, being integrity to the desired intentions. An example would be if I choose to be compassion, then my thoughts and actions must originate from that intention. It could mean shifting perspectives or changing my focus from contexts that are happening that don’t align with that intention. It might not necessarily mean I agree with everything that is occurring in that moment. However, it doesn’t change the intention of compassion that I choose to be in that moment.

What gets in the way of being our intentions

In many instances our ego gets in the way. Feeling the need for safety in one or various forms. To affirm self worth, love or finding a feeling of safety in an experience. A need to prove or be validated is what the ego wants to regain control or feel it is in control of the experience.

Coming back to our intentions means comforting the ego when it feels threatened. Soothing it and letting the heart-mind to have a moment to heal and restore. Self compassion could be a door opening intention for that to happen.

Commitment to letting our intentions of being-ness lead

The commitment is a dedicated focus to being the desired intentions. It could be a daily practice that creates awareness. The awareness then forms a choice to follow through on the required actions to be the intention. In time, it becomes a habit.
Moments could arise that displace being the intention. Acknowledging the agreement to be integrity for the intention recommits to embody the intention again without much delay.

The dedication to live by a chosen intention is an embodied integrity, “to be.”

Ideas That Ignite Curiosity To Love With Courage!