Start self-healing

Dr Nicole Lepera shares some of the exercises from her workbook that can set you on the path to meeting yourself… Do a consciousness check-in

Set an intention to create three moments throughout your day when you can pause and ‘check in’ with just two things: what you‘re doing and where your attention is at that moment. If you’re lost in thought, what are you thinking? To help you remember and follow through, set an alarm or reminder on your phone for the morning, afternoon and evening.

Find safety in the unknown

Our survival-driven subconscious mind prefers the perceived safety of our familiar habits – we’d rather the predictable outcome than the possible threat present in the unknown new experience. This means that any time we commit to make any change, even those that are logically ‘healthy’ for us, we will face resistance (like racing thoughts in our mind or feelings of discomfort in our bodies) aimed at keeping us in the perceived safety of our regular habits. It’s helpful to accept the natural presence of this resistance and to focus on ‘small daily promises’ as opposed to a long list of new behaviours. They could be going to bed 30 minutes earlier, or committing to a journalling exercise every morning. This will help keep your resistance from overwhelming you as you begin to venture into the unknown.

Self-soothe

Because few of us had emotionally attuned parents (or other caregivers) and were not modelled how to regulate our emotions, we continue to struggle to self-soothe in adulthood. Begin to practise bringing your body back to safety and calm after an emotional experience by taking a few deep belly breaths, taking a walk or shaking your body to release the excess energy. Or, try turning your attention more fully to the present moment by focusing on what you can see, smell, touch, taste and hear.

Find support

As humans, we are wired to connect with others. We need the support of our relationships and communities to survive and thrive. Finding myself looking for this safe community is one of the main reasons why I created the hashtag #selfhealers, as a way for individual members to find one another.