Inner reserves

Inner reserves is another concept that is not specifically defined by Webster. What could it mean? Does everyone have them? Where are they? What are they used for? How do you access them?

in reserve: held back for future or special use. Our innate ability to draw on an arsenal of resourcefulness and creativity.

Have you ever needed your inner reserves? Did they help pull you through?

A friend of mine had a skiing accident. Afterwards, he was limited in his mobility. It was a life altering experience. Imagine: one day you are sailing and skiing and living life to the fullest with not a care in the world. The next day, you are “laid up” with a serious injury to your hip/ femur and cannot even stand up. You cannot bear weight or go to the bathroom or dress yourself or get away from the agony of memory and constancy of pain. For months, you are in rehab. Then, when you return home, you can’t get up the stairs. You have to accept sleeping in the living area and later you navigate the steps one bounce up on your behind, at a time. Yes, there is a happy ending. The friend is back up to speed, but I am sure will never see himself as invincible again. The only thing that kept him going and others like him were the inner reserves of his faith, his experiences, his family and friends, his belief that he would be the victor and return to “his life” as it had been. He just had to “pace himself” and draw on every bit of courage and determination reserved from the previous times he spent nourishing his soul!

Another case scenario is a mid-career adult who goes back to school. What does it take to be successful? Do we have it in us? Will we lose what matters, to get this degree? How do we balance work, home, personal needs with the requirements of school now? By drawing on our inner reserves. It’s like a savings account. You invested, now you can pull out what you need when the time comes. Passbook Reserves!!!

Another friend is dealing with a teenager. How many of us have needed to access every bit of creativity and fortitude to navigate those years? As Dobson said, teach them when they are small and just hang on for the ride when they get to be teens. Hopefully, in a few years, they will come back to what you have taught them is right!

Another is living a hectic lifestyle and running out of reserves. When you are in “run rabbit run” mode, you are drawing on everything within your reach in real time. If you draw too heavily, you may “overdraw” and come to a time of reckoning. Your inner strength is nestled in the account you have with yourself- resources, creativity, knowledge, peacefulness, intuition – all the things we have in abundance and keep safe in our secret recesses. If you do not have sufficient reserve- your account will run dry. There must be a season of nourishment, to weather those stormy times when you have to pull deep within to make it through. As the examples above indicate, these are time limited. This kind of “extra” need and help cannot be indefinite or you risk extending yourself beyond what is recoverable.

Channel your inner self? 11 steps are listed in this link. http://www.wikihow.com/Channel-Your-Inner-Oprah

Whenever I quote Oprah, I always think of what she said about your job and the essence is: Do what you love and love what you do and it won’t seem like work at all.

One life coach, Jackee Holder also writes about how “trees” are important to her sense of well being and self care. She spends time under a canopy of trees, or leaning against the trunk or just looking at a picture tucked in her wallet. It helps her reconnect with her “inner reserves. See more at www.jackeeholder.com or  http://ericmaisel.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/ten_tips_for_self_coaching.pdf

Filling back up, your own inner reserves? How? By doing what naturally replenishes your source and the deepest parts of your  life. Some people read, relax in nature, listen to music, meditate or 100 different things. Most of the time, that’s the thing that we give up first when we get too busy. Schedule yourself to do what restores your balance and builds up your inner storehouse.

The movie Epic had a line, “many leaves, connected to one tree”, to remind us that we are all together in this. In the movie, the character who was the keeper of wisdom went down inside a tree to find the “scrolls” of what had been and what would be. They were “deep inside”- reserved and ready to be “pulled” when needed.

Ultimately, it’s about drawing on your inner reserves, finding and using your real strengths, and making the most of what you do have rather than worrying about what’s missing or what harmed you in the past or what could happen in the future. Pace yourself. Run and rest!

You can keep your inner reserves healthy and ready. Just keep tucking some sunshine, good food, rest, your own natural regenerative activities that keep you balanced! Get away now and then, so when you need to pull out something extra, your inner reserves will be there- rich and full- ready and able!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGgs89UeWt4

Keep that “pocketful of sunshine” ready!! It may come in handy:)