Rise with the Light is not only about challenges we go through as parents with special needs children, but I also cover  making mindset shifts to help you in everyday life deal with different struggles you might be going through, to give you a different perspective and ways to practice. Throughout my journey in battling a variety of challenges from cancer, brain surgery, divorce while 8 months pregnant, autism diagnosis of my son, being a single mom and other situations, I have had to work incredibly hard with being intentional with mindset changes - and this takes practice, so I hope these mindset tips and hacks help you too. 

I want to talk to you about how a simple object, like a stone, can help you relieve emotions, particularly anxiety and help you let go.

Have you ever carried around a rock, stone or small pebble in your pocket? You could also use a seashell, or any sort of small object to be honest. Carrying this object around with you, in your pocket, easily accessible can help you with grounding in the present, especially when faced with a challenging emotion, such as anxiety. They help you with alleviating anxiety, feeling anxious during a situation, even if you feel like you’re thinking negatively about the future, having ruminating thoughts over and over again. Take out the rock/stone, whatever it is and ground yourself. Grounding yourself is all about using your senses, and using a stone or object, here is what you can do: 

• Close your eyes
• Hold the stone/object, feel it with your fingers
• Open your eyes to look at the object
• Bring your focus to the physical sensation of the stone, being aware of what you see and feel
• Take a deep breath and state a mantra, positive statement or security statement such as “I am okay.” “This too shall pass.” even a prayer like the serenity prayer. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 
• Then put the object back in your pocket or whatever it was easily accessible for you. 

When you start feeling anxious, pull that object out and repeat the process. 

If you’re having a hard time letting go, here is another way to use a stone.

I learned this in a therapy session many many years ago. The idea here is to physically let go of something to help you let go of something you’re struggling with in your mind. You can actually do this with just a piece of paper and pen, which I’ll tell you how to do this, but with a stone/rock, you can literally pick it up, label the stone whatever you need to let go of. Speak to it, then throw it. Making sure you don’t hit anyone. What I have found is sometimes I am in my own head and thoughts and it’s hard to turn it off and let it go. I have to do something physical to work through my thoughts. To let them go. You can do this with a paper and pencil too. Write whatever it is you need to let go of, a negative thought, whatever is on your mind - write it down...talk to it, give it the space in your mind for a few minutes. Then, crumple it up and throw it away, burn it (safely), rip it into tiny pieces, whatever you need to do to get rid of it and let go. These physical acts can be very cathartic, healing, and create significant mindshifts. To let go of the thoughts that are taking space in your mind, to make room for more positive things to come in. 

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