Our body, mind, and spirit are constantly experiencing the wonders and stresses of everyday life. When we have sufficient time and energy to meet those experiences, our self can exist in a state of balance. However, if our ability to complete the items on our to-do lists becomes compromised, it’s likely burnout is soon to follow. Overwhelming our schedules or staying in toxic environments has a profound effect on our wellbeing.

The human body can endure a lot of stress, inflammation, and general irritation before shutting down. While many of us may have experienced burnout on a number of occasions, it’s actually a late-stage reaction to profound imbalance. If we want to reduce the likelihood of reaching that point of forced healing, we have to commit to taking care of ourselves.

What is burnout?

According to the psychologist Herbert Freudenberger, burnout describes a severe stress condition that leads to severe physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It’s not the same as ordinary fatigue or general tiredness. Burnout isn’t remedied by an extra hour of sleep; rather, it can lead to serious health consequences if left untreated.

Career-induced burnout is the most common form of exhaustion. But, it’s entirely possible to be left feeling empty from prolonged stressful familial or academic responsibilities. Some signs of burnout include fatigue, isolation, fantasizing about escaping, and constant irritability. Feeling ill for unusual periods of time, detachment, hopelessness, and a complete loss of motivation are also warning signs. In so many aspects of an individualist, production-orientated society, it’s easy to get lost in excessive drive and ambition. But, breathwork and mindfulness practices offer us a pragmatic approach to restoring balance to our life.

Aligning body, mind, & spirit with breath

Eventually, we will need to assess how the most significant commitments in our lives, like work and finances, contribute to physical and emotional exhaustion. Simplifying our schedules is the first step towards self—care. Taking time to eliminate nonessential extracurricular activities, nourishes the entire self. We must prioritize healing practices, such as breathwork, meditation, and movement to refuel energetic levels. Even dedicating a few minutes daily to mindful breathing practices helps unravel built-up stress in the spiritual and physical body. Additionally, reconnecting in vulnerability with loved ones is a great method for healing the energetic depletion from burnout. Spending time in nature, focusing on nutrition, and sufficient sleep habits won’t hurt your self-care either!

Final thoughts

Burnout is serious and, despite what hustle-culture perpetuates, will not go away on its own. Grounding ourselves with breathwork and reprioritizing intersectional health can help us heal from burnout and prevent it from happening in the future.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

With the amount of self-help information available on social media, in books, and on podcasts, many of the proclaimed answers to challenges we face in everyday life can seem like quick fixes. Practice mindfulness! Eat more nutritious foods, and drink plenty of water! Dedicate 30 minutes of activity to your daily routine! Work on your meditation! Love yourself! – to name a few. While these might seem like simple solutions, it’s not always easy to keep commitments made to ourselves. It can be incredibly frustrating when staying committed to the needs of others who rely on us isn’t too hard – so why is it difficult to honor a promise to ourselves?

Why do we break self-promises?

How come it can feel effortless and even be exciting to set a new goal or resolution, only to become overwhelming in a week or two? Why do we prioritize other things after we’ve told ourselves we’re working towards something?

It’s not surprising that so many of us struggle with the idea of keeping commitments to ourselves. All too often, we’re taught that it’s selfish or greedy to put our needs first. This, of course, varies by culture and familial structures. But, the general idea of egotism (even misplaced) is looked down upon. Unfortunately, this line of thinking doesn’t align with the truth that taking care of yourself is the only sustainable way of taking care of others.

Secondly, we might value promises to ourselves less than those we make to others because of limiting beliefs. Negative inner thoughts, opinions, or convictions that we hold to be absolute truths. The catch is that these beliefs always restrict us somehow. If we believe we aren’t worthy or good enough to achieve our goals, we’ll always find an excuse to refuse growth.

How can we shift our mindsets?

Recognizing self-sabotaging belief structures is the first step towards changing a limiting belief. However, it’s also important to stop prioritizing doubts and start focusing on our needs and ambitions. Part of that means valuing the goal itself and celebrating achievements (no matter how inconsequential they seem!).

Beginner’s guide to becoming okay with prioritizing self-commitments:

  1. You can have a lofty goal, but make sure you smaller, more manageable ones, too
  2. Pause. Every time you’re faced with something that you don’t want to do (but know will help you in the long run), pause for a moment. Ask yourself what you need to get in a better mindset.
  3. Consistency is key. Significant commitments will take some serious self-discipline! Like training a muscle, it takes time to get good at being consistent. So, begin with a task on the easier end of things like waking up at the same time each morning or meditating for five minutes each day.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

At some point in our lives, every human being encounters the (sometimes) overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Whether it comes from a dramatic change in careers, physically moving hundreds of miles from friends and family, or a lack of genuine connection with those already around you, loneliness can be brutal. It’s one of those emotions that’s more similar to a black hole than a passing cloud. So, how can we cope and beneficially engage with loneliness?

Acknowledging the present

Loneliness can move in brief moments or more extended periods. While being alone can certainly spur on feelings of isolation, it’s not a necessary precursor. We all have an emotional need, at our core, some socialization, and interaction. It’s important to remember that: you are never alone in experiencing loneliness.

When you’re in the throes of loneness or withdrawal, your first step should always be to acknowledge what you’re feeling. Use the practices of Breathwork and meditation to pause and reflect on the physical sensations in your body. Sit with it, even when it seems boring or pointless. Without embracing loneliness, we can’t let it go or change its nature.

Flipping the narrative

Loneliness doesn’t have to be a fruitless occurrence – it can have distinctive value. It can be an opportunity for vulnerability and growth. Whenever we experience a so-called negative emotion, in truth, it’s a signal that we need something. Unlike the unpleasant connotations of loneliness, solitude (often used interchangeably, yet very different!) can help us recharge. It can also be a space for sacred manifestation or creativity.

We can choose to realign with Source rather than to allow ourselves to travel down a spiral of low self-worth, unstable moods, discontentment, and anxiety in loneliness. We do not have to succumb to distractive energies. It may be a testament of strength and a heavy challenge, but loneliness can be used for good. The modern world tries to shame and minimize conversations around loneliness all too often even though it’s an entirely natural and universal state! Vulnerability and openness are not weaknesses, and in times of separation, we should never be ashamed to be honoring our courage.

Final thoughts on loneliness

Truly, it’s in solitude that deeper healing happens. In our times of waiting, anticipation, and isolation, we don’t have to lose our Inner Selves or suffer endlessly. Becoming more comfortable with loneliness won’t happen overnight or even in a week. But recognizing our sacred power in the in-between space of loneliness and solitude helps us connect with our humanity and continue evolving on our personal journeys.

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

I’m sure you can resonate with being hurt, betrayed, or rejected by another in your life. For most of my life, my core was unknowingly guarded. A heart wall stood dedicated to protecting me from being hurt again. However, I was unknowingly keeping myself completely disconnected from my own ability to give and receive love.

What is a heart wall (figuratively speaking)?

Whenever we encounter difficult or painful experiences, we’ve learned to take those lessons to heart as humans. It can be effortless to use those pieces of absorbed information consciously or subconsciously as building blocks for a protective wall. Unfortunately, it’s common to stay hidden behind our barriers and fortresses, keeping vulnerability far from our precious true selves. We remain stuck in subtle feelings of resentment, bitterness, frustration, and judgment towards those who hurt us…sometimes even ourselves. When trust breaks, this defensive state may seem like the better path.

How to regain your vulnerability:

I wasn’t even aware of this blockage until my first ever breathwork healing ceremony. That day, years of sadness from my inner child finally released. I had been holding onto intense, ancient aching in my heart. Under your anger, bitterness, and judgment of the other is simply unexpressed sadness, hurt, and betrayal that has not had a place to be expressed.

The healing begins within our heart, and breathwork is the heart medicine that many of us need to start this journey. Cultivating our intuition and mindful breath allows us the release we need to lighten the heart. But, what would happen if we choose not to forgive but stay hidden behind our walls? Our inner world is like a flower, and to blossom, we have to nurture it continuously. Stuck in unforgiveness, you constantly relive a toxic brew of guilt, shame, self-judgment, and self-sabotage.

Final thoughts

It’s natural to retreat a bit when something genuinely devastating happens. Not everyone and everything deserves your complete, vulnerable self. You should strive to do what is best for you. But, if you find yourself unable to connect with others, fighting battles of self-worth, or struggle to embrace positive emotions, there may be a block in your energy. You may not even realize that you’re so hard on yourself because you decided to withhold forgiveness (to others or yourself). Anxiety cannot exist when you are fully present. If any of these words have resonated with you, I urge you to come back to your body. Return to your breath and the beat of your heart.

This is how we begin to ground our energy and find the stillness in-between our thoughts, in the pause, and the peace.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

The Past Without

For more than half of my life I was trapped in fight or flight, subconsciously crying out to be released from a suppressive state. This was my conditioned norm, my every day. Not only that, but it was also, unfortunately, the mode that my body felt safe in.

Because, when you grow up in a stressful or toxic home environment, your nervous system is used to operating in a state of high stress and shallow breath. In childhood, adolescence, and my early adult life, this manifestation in me led to an addiction of stress hormones. I would unconsciously seek out situations, people and work environments that would keep me enmeshed with a high adrenaline state. I found corporate positions that were demanding and in male-dominated atmospheres. All of this was completely out of alignment with my soul’s purpose. But, I had to learn the hard way. The impact of my mental and emotional stress slowly became too much of a burden for my hypersensitive nervous system.

I was unknowingly compounding this stress in my body until it finally became too much to hold. My physical body forced me to slow down since I refused to pause. Rare symptoms and imbalances causing chronic pain and distress soon developed. After all of the confusion and stress locked me in to existing in constant anxiety, my overwhelmed mind sent me into a downward spiral. I felt lost and completely alone.

The Present Breath

Prayer, going within and searching for tools to assist in the release I needed at the time to heal, finally clicked. One post on Instagram led me to a Breathwork Healing Ceremony in Brooklyn. Breathwork Ceremonies were not operating in my city, so I took a leap of faith and left for a weekend trip. The three Healing Sessions that weekend completely changed the course of my life. Finally, I knew my emotional body had awakened in an entirely new experience.

Since then, I’ve healed and let go over hundreds of heavy layers that were long being held in my body. I gave myself permission to let go and cried more tears than I had ever released before. Now, I know that Breathwork offers us the opportunity to shed all of the subconscious, heavy energy we carry.

The Future of Breathwork

Following my intuitive knowing with Breathwork as a new modality of healing is something I will forever be grateful of. It’s been five years of being guided and offering guidance in Breathwork Ceremonies. Today, I still have profound amazement at how the body, spirit, and mind unfold with the breath. This ability to fully feel allow me to tune back into my authenticity. With the breath, I embrace my power and encourage forgiveness, surrender, and trust to flow back into my heart once again.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

There are two types of people in this world (at least for this example), energy givers and takers. Everything is made up of energy, and this isn’t new information. However, much like how introverts and extroverts draw stamina from different forms of social interaction, givers and takers leave opposite energetic impressions on others.

Who is an energetic taker?

If you were to take a quick stock in your mind of the people you interacted with in the past day or week, I’d bet you could pick out one or two that left you feeling a bit drained from their interactions. Energetic takers, or drainers, are people who have a negative aura. They often feel exhausting to spend time with or constantly engage in behaviors that drain you of productivity, creativity, and joy.

Of course, everyone has a bad day and is not going to be in a state of energetic support 100% of the time. But, it’s important to recognize those people in our lives who drain your spirit more often than they replenish it. Mindfulness and self-reflection can help you identify energetic takers and give yourself permission to interact with them consciously.

Who is an energetic giver?

On the other hand, energetic givers refill our spiritual and physical reserves. You can identify them as people who leave you feeling lighter after a conversation or inspire you to embrace joy. Many energetic givers have a strong sense of self, high levels of creativity or can be easily described as empathetic and warm.

Again, it’s essential to acknowledge that everyone is a giver and a taker. We all oscillate between low and high energetic battery levels. Staying conscious of negative versus positive stimuli can inform our high selves of our present experience.

Other examples of energetic supporters

  • Spending time in nature
  • Consuming nourishing whole foods
  • Hydrating your body
  • Listening to upbeat music
  • Movement
  • Taking time to rest
  • Cultivating a breathwork practice
  • Getting consistent sleep
  • Dancing freely (without self-judgment)
  • Giving out compliments to strangers

In conclusion

The people we spend the most time with have an enormous impact on how we move through life. Thought patterns, behaviors, motivations, and interests are all influenced by your inner circle. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to be mindful of whether you engage more with energetic takers or givers. While we don’t always get to choose who enters our lives, we do have power over whether they play a leading role in our story.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

As summer begins to ease into autumn, the time for yet another transition is upon us. Whether it’s a significant life change or a shift in the temperature, it’s essential to ask ourselves, “How are you prioritizing your self-care as we move into this new season?”

Residing in and connecting back to my body, mind, and heart has been a daily priority through all the collective chaos. If I skip my morning routine or weekly sessions of self-care, I’m left feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, and swept up by the busyness of my mind. Having a space to focus my energy during these times of transition is invaluable.

Why change is challenging

We are connected to mother earth and her seasons. Fall brings my favorite energy of the year – the equilibrium of day and night, representing the light and darkness in our lives. The long summer nights have passed, and we are now in a season of transition. Autumn is a beautiful time to reset and honor yourself and all you have done these past few months. This is a time of harvest.

However, whenever we are forced through change, it can be unsettling. In-between states require us to let go of what we know and make room for new growth. We can spend a lot of time in our lives stagnant in comfort zones, suppressing the unlearning and relearning, and evolving consciousness. But, nature reminds us, as much of a struggle transition can be, it’s also the key to a beautiful creation.

Tools for staying mindful in turbulence

  • Dedicate yourself to a morning routine. This can be 10 minutes or 30, whatever works best for you. Having a calming start to the morning can help keep many people in a more present mindset throughout the day. Try committing yourself to a morning ritual of making tea or coffee, stretching or yoga, or meditative journaling even for just one week and see if you notice a difference.
  • Reflect on your gratitude for the past season, whether in written form, conversation with a friend, or in your meditation practice. When our lives feel unstable and uncertain, it can be easy to slip into a negative state of mind and lose awareness of the present moment.
  • Refocus on your nutrition. Our bodies are sources of untapped wisdom. Spend a few minutes checking in with your gut. How have you physically felt lately? Are you prioritizing your health with water, fruits, vegetables, and movement? With every new season comes fresh harvests of seasonal foods to ground you in the coming months.
  • Take time to pause. So often, we rush around our days, checking off to-do lists and always looking forward in anxiety and overwhelm. Seasons of transition are natural, obvious reminders to pause and make space for balancing rest. Breathwork and meditation can be powerful methods of reconnection with the nourishment of downtime.

Final Thoughts on Transition

Things are slowing down. The leaves will soon be changing colors, and trees will shed what they no longer need. The same is happening for you. You’re changing and releasing things you no longer need as you progress into the end of the year.

The tension of the unknown and the future may seem rife with confusion, fear, and apprehension. But, it’s important to remember the power you have over your mindset. A graceful, smooth transition as we leave the heat of summer behind is more than possible. You can always choose to be kind to yourself and engage in this upcoming transformation with a balanced heart.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

My boundaries have been tested time and time again in this pregnancy. Thankfully, saying “no” and speaking up for myself feels much easier when I’m not only advocating for myself but another being.

Many of you know my history with allopathic medicine and hitting wall after wall with doctors. It truly wasn’t until I took responsibility for my healing journey that I witnessed progress for the first time.

In the early months of this journey, I began to hit the same walls with the hospital system and even some doulas and midwives that are supposedly holistically minded. It instantly brought me back to that sense of distrust, disappointment, frustration, and anger I felt while trying to heal in my twenties. I was not feeling fully heard, understood, or seen as a human going through a massive transition and growing another life.

The Change

I prayed for guidance, and suddenly events unfolded that left me leaving the care I had for the initial seven months. I stood up for my body, what I wanted from my experience, and my baby.

It took a lot of courage to speak up and set these boundaries. So many think they have no choice — that going through a traditional medical system is the only way. I believe you have to find the path that makes you feel the most empowered, safe, nurtured, and fully respected along the way. That looks different for all of us, but I’m taking the road less traveled in this specific journey, guided by intuition.

It’s been one of the greatest lessons in surrender and letting go. And ultimately, this birth could unfold in so many ways. As I enter into the unknown, I’m completely humbled by the innate wisdom my body holds.

The Present

My gratitude for the women who came before me continues to grow each day. The courage of those who paved the transformation into motherhood while still following their dreams serves to inspire my spirit unequivocably.

On my way to following my dream of transitioning solely to group work, podcasting, retreats, and courses, we are selling our home, moving into an apartment, buying land, and starting a family all at once. It’s been the wildest and most expansive journey as I’ve stretched to let go, surrender and trust over and over.

Furthermore, over this pregnancy, my sensitivity to the outside world and collective energy has dramatically intensified. Using this newfound sensitivity to tune back into my internal state allows me to listen intently to the intuitive guidance from within. Shedding away all the should’s and expectations from my ego, instead, following my heart.

Begin honing your intuitive being by:

  • Releasing the distractions of the outside world
  • Forgoing comparison
  • Calming your inner-critic
  • Releasing pressure from family or friends
  • Removing resistance
  • Releasing procrastination

Connect to your intuitive being by:

  • Protecting stillness
  • Harnessing your breath
  • Writing and listening from the heart

Final thoughts

In conclusion, there’s a mass awakening occurring right now. Like most, I’m craving truth and transparency in all aspects of life. For me, that equates to connecting with my authentic self and embodying that version of my intuitive self.

Because of these massive transitions and initiations, I’ve been more inward than I have in years. I’m taking my power back as a woman who trusts her body’s intuitive wisdom along the way—honoring, listening, resting, and trusting the greatest teacher, who lies within.

 

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

Why do so many of us become trapped in a cycle of self-sabotage when we have just as much capacity for self-love? One form of sabotage is when we say we want something and then make sure it doesn’t happen. On a conscious level, we don’t want to believe that we are getting in our own way, so we blame our environment, circumstances, job, family, partner, etc., for our lack of follow-through.

Yet, we are often on auto-pilot, keeping ourselves trapped in certain behaviors and habits such as overindulging in food, social media, work, or substances to numb our emotional state. We could also fixate on the minor details and get stuck in perfectionism—this constant act of procrastinating and keeping ourselves small leaves us feeling guilt and shame. Unfortunately, the real reason for this is because we lack self-love and confidence within ourselves.

My experience with self-sabotage:

On a subconscious level, we feel unworthy, not good enough, and not deserving of the success we truly desire. At the beginning of my journey, I witnessed this pattern within myself, keeping me in a shallow vibrational state.

It was only when I embraced myself wholeheartedly, shadows and all, that I overcame self-sabotage within my own life. I started a daily self-love practice and began to see some of these patterns shift. Soon after, I discovered Breathwork Healing, and my heart was cracked wide open. This form of heart medicine allowed me to reach a new level of confidence, worthiness, and empowerment in my life.

Pushing past all my limitations and old beliefs to finally move towards what I deeply knew I deserved to experience every day.

The power of self-love:

If you can resonate with being trapped in some form of self-sabotage within your own life, it’s time to embrace self-love. Increasing self-love will amplify your feelings of worthiness, confidence, and empowerment. By including daily self-love practice along with investing in specific self-love healing sessions, I witnessed a massive shift in the healing of my physical body. I finally found grace by awakening my heart. This grace allowed me to slow down and discover the sense of unconditional love within.

Several years ago, I struggled with an inner-critic that spoke harshly about my body, ability, and healing journey. I found myself getting trapped in discouragement, hopelessness, and victimhood. It wasn’t until I embarked on a more profound journey of intentionally cultivating self-love that I began to see my life blossom.

5 steps I utilized to increase self-love:

1) Forgiving myself and forgiving my past
2) Letting go of my inner-perfectionist
3) Witnessing my ego (inner-critic) without judgment
4) Protecting my energy with healthy boundaries
5) Reparenting my wounded inner-child

We can practice affirmations, journal, and read about self-love, but the genuine transformation occurs when we go within.

Last thoughts:

The greatest heart medicine I’ve experienced is breathwork. It allows you to face your shadows gently. We tuck these shadows, or any aspect of self that we have deemed as unworthy or unlovable, away. But, this suppression only leads to more pain within.

In conclusion, shadow work is an integral aspect of healing at all mind, body, and spirit levels. Breathe easier knowing that it’s safe to embrace all of you. To open the heart to vulnerability and feel the hurt beneath the surface is the only way to find grace. By allowing ourselves to feel the totality of the heart, we discover the truth of who we are.

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.

Setting personal and emotional boundaries is essential to a healthy life. Without a way of letting other people know how much they can ask of you for emotional support or what you identify as comfortable or uncomfortable, balance is nearly impossible to experience.

Unfortunately, in reality, it’s tricky to even figure out what your boundaries, let alone how to set them with the people in your life. When you’re first learning how to explore lines of separation, looking at areas in your life where you feel exhausted is a good place to start. Additionally, try to embrace that it’s ok to say “no.” Defining your needs and putting yourself first is not selfish.

Two simple ways to establish a healthy boundary:

  1. First, gain a clear sense of self and know your limits. When we push ourselves beyond our limits, this is when we experience burnout. Often this means going within and feeling into your body + mind to understand the feelings coming in.
  2. Honor yourself after tuning into your own limits. Do so by kindly asserting yourself when needed. This shows others your clear boundaries. If you’ve been a “Yes” person/people pleaser your entire life, this will likely take time to practice.

You will begin to feel respected, self-aware, and confident as you begin to set healthy boundaries in your life. Remember that boundaries are not selfish. They are indeed one of the most extraordinary acts of self-love. The number one reason why you aren’t setting boundaries is out of fear.

Common fears that get in the way of establishing boundaries may include:

  • Not being perceived as loving (your true nature is nurturing others, and saying no feels really difficult)
  • External judgement (you don’t want to be thought of as a prude or worse for saying no)
  • Abandonment (if you say no, you feel that you could be left alone or rejected)
  • Avoiding seeming controlling (you don’t feel militant with your relationships)
  • Fear of guilt/shame (you’ll feel guilty for saying no to a close loved one)

 

Fear is entirely normal, but when you begin to stand for your boundaries firmly, you’ll feel empowered with your new level of self-awareness and respect. When we insert a new boundary and stand behind it, this builds our confidence and integrity. Without boundaries, we feel burnt out, overwhelmed, and resentful. With healthy boundaries, we feel fulfilled, aligned, and have more love to give. Remember that a boundary is simply a way to show others how to treat you.

Learn More

Whether you are local to Grand Rapids and can join me at my East Town office The Healing Space or you are somewhere else in the world. Allow me to guide you in this experience of transformative healing.

All of my Breathwork sessions are combined with Reiki Energy Therapy, Crystals, a Holistic Health Consultation & recommendations in-between sessions with healing tools so you can continue empowering your own journey. Learn more about my in-person + virtual offerings HERE.