Written by: Natalie Rotin, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
“Stop trying to calm the storm. Calm yourself. The storm will pass” ~ Timber Hawkeye
I've re-read this quote a gazillion times this week. Especially as we head into the festive season. Even though it’s my favourite time of the year, December can sometimes feel like a huge storm for me.
Thank goodness I love Christmas though. At least this kind of 'storm' is somewhat worth the craziness. In the end I get to drink wine, eat my favourite foods and celebrate with the ones I love most! Sometimes the storm we’re enduring isn’t as merry as the Christmas season though. It can often be really messy. Sometimes our ‘storm’ is just a giant s**t show with no happy ending in sight The breakdown of my first marriage was most definitely one of those shitty type storms. I remember how bloody hard it was to stay calm back then. The nasty phone calls at work, navigating mediation and child support, the lies and deceit.
I didn't know then what I know now about having a healthy mindset.But interestingly, I did manage to remain calm a lot of the time. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was because I had no choice.It was either find a way to be calm or literally drown in the chaos.
I practiced breathing exercises, smothered myself in essential oils, vented to people I could trust, I even took up running (which seems to be the 1 tool for making it through a divorce). Anything to release the pent-up stuff so that when things got really dark, I could call on my inner peace to get me through. There's no magic pill to make the storm disappear. The storm is outside of our control. My big tip for navigating the storm and finding my calm nowadays? Surrender. Pray, meditate, write it out. Whatever it takes to say 'Hey God/Universe/Inner Spirit. I'm done. It's in your hands'. Sometimes the only way forward is to get down on our knees and simply let it go. You see, the more we try to resist, the heavier the storm can feel. The harder it is to stay upright. Surrendering doesn't make the storm disappear.But it can make the ride a lot easier. When we let go of what's outside of our control,the lighter we become. We have the capacity to make better decisions and choices. We can slow down, simplify our life. Finally see what truly matters. Stop trying to calm the storm. Calm yourself. The storm will pass I am living proof that the storm will pass.It always does.
Learn to surrender.
Meditate, pray, run, journal.
And when the next one hits, you'll navigate it just that little bit easier.
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Natalie Rotin, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Natalie is a leading speaker, writer, and goal-setting extraordinaire. Her degree in Health Science and experience as a Behaviour Change Coach led to her current role as mental health and continuous improvement expert in the Emergency Service sector. While by day she supports the wellbeing of frontline workers, by night she is a budding entrepreneur inspiring change and wholehearted living.
After many years of people-pleasing and struggling with her identity as a single parent, Nat established Made for Greatness; a business that fosters community and connection while helping ambitious women to build resilience, set healthy boundaries, and live an adventurous yet simple life.
Nat continues to inspire and empower others through her unique storytelling abilities and the creation of personal development tools and resources. She believes our circumstances don’t define us and that what we tend to see as failures has the potential to drive our success. Her mission: If we dare to be vulnerable, accepting that we are a work in progress, happiness and freedom can be found in the process of living, not just enjoyed as an end goal.
