As we begin to descend into the last quarter of 2020, it is obvious that our world has changed quite rapidly. On an individual level, this means simply having to stay home, but on a collective level, this causes some to sacrifice or suffer. While we may face each waking day with fear or confusion, it is important to find grace in moments of difficulty. Grace, for some, can mean finding the beauty in the situation, but for others, it represents a focus on finding ease and relief from a world of pain. Here are some steps to finding flow within a new way of living.

Create a personal connection

It is important to feel connected to yourself during difficult times. Particularly when we are forced to stay at home, we submerge ourselves in our jobs and our duties, but neglect to put effort into ourselves and what we need to stay content. We keep ourselves busy with random tasks and keeping our minds off things, but we don’t always dive into the things that make us happy. Whether it is spending 5 minutes or a few hours, submerge yourself into the behaviors that make you feel good.

Make time to step away from technology for a few moments a day, especially if you are working from home or use your smartphone to distract yourself from boredom. Start by engaging in your favorite physical activity or taking a walk to get your blood pumping. Being out into nature is a simple way to not only get some fresh air and breathe but to release any stress you might be holding inside. Doing something more brain-stimulating like reading a book, painting or drawing can also put your mind and body at ease. Even listening to music that you haven’t heard in years and dancing to your own beat can help you to feel more comfortable.

You can also try using technology to your advantage. Set up a zoom call with your friends. Learn how to paint or refurbish a tabletop. Or maybe try listening to a podcast on a topic that interests you or that you want to learn more about. Engaging in other activities that you enjoy can help you to seek grace.

Observe through reflection

While the world continues to change, there may be moments of sadness, frustration, or feelings of regret and failure. These feelings are granted, and you are warranted to feeling a certain type of way. That is the beauty of living as a human being; the ability to feel, think, and create. But while change is inevitable, you ultimately have control of how you behave in relation to the situation.

Spend a few moments each week reflecting on your emotions and how you feel in a given moment. You can also try writing down, brain dumping, all the thoughts, and ideas that have been passing through your mind during this period of life. Feel into these emotions and give yourself the chance to embody your mood. If you are angry, try to release that tension, not on others, but engaging in other methods, like screaming into a pillow, doing kickboxing from a YouTube video, or pulling some weeds in the back yard. If you are sad, cry it out, get comfort from a loved one, or take up running or writing your feelings out. With emotions there are so many different ways to express yourself, so find what makes you feel ease and comfort.

You can also devote some time to do a self-check-in. Are there any thoughts or actions that are helping you to stay grounded? And are there any behaviors you are currently taking that may not be serving you? Taking note of current thoughts and habits can clarify where you currently are and where you want to be. This process can also illuminate areas of your current living situation that you enjoy. By identifying your passions, you can begin living life with more purpose and grace.

Clear the path for success.

Another method of finding flow is to create space within your own personal environment. This may sound odd or straight forward to some, but sometimes we forget that we have the ability to move around and alter our own surroundings. Simply spending a few minutes organizing your shelves or closet can make a space less chaotic and more relaxing. In clearing clutter and reorganizing your environment, you can create more freedom to move, work, think, and play.

When clearing space, consider your emotions and the thoughts the come up. Letting of attachments can feel like a breath of fresh air, but it can also be a heart-wrenching moment, especially if there are feelings of love, discomfort, or confusion with the given change. You do not have to spend a whole weekend tearing apart your closet and donating all of your clothes. Clearing space means cleaning in terms of what makes you feel good in the here and now. And whether it be organizing your storage space or rearranging your bedroom, take it at a pace that is best for you. See this as a task to create clarity, so it may act as a form of freedom from attachments that do not serve you.

Personifying gratitude

This may be an overused saying when it comes to hardship and failure, but gratitude in itself is something to embody during moments of uncertainty. Rather than focusing on the “I am grateful for… ‘my cat,’ “my bed,” “my parents,” “this cup of coffee,” etc., try using gratitude to show respect and appreciation for yourself and your current environment. Maybe there is a person or object that has helped you to stay grounded or feel loved. Or maybe there was on your favorite television series or something someone said that made you feel confident or good in your own body.

By establishing awareness of those individuals, ideas, and items in your life that do provide comfort, you can find it easier to move with change. Simply showcasing your love for what is present in your surroundings that brings you joy can not only do wonders for your mood; it can help to bring more abundance in your life. By expressing appreciation, you can make more room to receive additional forms of prosperity. Similarly, by appreciating yourself, you can begin to manifest more of what you desire.

While we cannot change what is occurring in the external world, we ultimately have control over how we feel internally and how we behave in relation to change. On a collective level, we may have distress and uncertainty, but it also entwined with hope and resiliency on the individual level. Using this time to create a space of grace is needed now more than ever. Remember, great change doesn’t happy overnight, but it can begin simply with you.