Be Well with TL

In my one-to-one work with people, I’ve noticed a thread that runs through so many of us: the compulsion to rush.We move through our days carrying a quiet, persistent sense that we are behind. There isn’t enough time. We aren’t getting enough done.And from that place, the body follows.We move faster, hoping to outrun the feeling.But somatically, something else is happening.We begin to live in the front of the body, tilting forward, our heads constantly arriving before our hearts. This way of moving the body signals to the nervous system to shift into flight mode. And before we know it, we reach the end of the day, having missed the life that was actually here.The robin on the front deck, pausing long enough to invite connection.The warmth of the mug in your hands: soothing, steady, and quietly nourishing.The scent of lilac blooms as you carry the kitchen scraps out to the compost bin at the back of the garden.All of it was there.And we were somewhere else.In the people I work with, and in myself, I also witness how quickly the mind can take us for a ride. It spins up catastrophic “what ifs,” often not grounded in reality. Or it tells us we’re doing everything wrong, that we can’t handle what’s in front of us… while in reality, we’re handling things like a ninja. Or it urges us toward the very thing that will numb us to the present moment, even though we intellectually know it is not the choice we truly want to make.The brain is wired this way.It scans for danger, for what’s wrong, for what’s unfamiliar and therefore risky. At its most basic level, the brain is trying to do three things: avoid pain, seek pleasure, and conserve energy.Survive.And to be fair, that wiring has helped humans survive for a very long time.But most of us aren’t here just to survive.We want to feel something deeper.To thrive.To take risks.To try new things.To feel the fear and do it anyway.To feel lit from within.To remember what genuinely brings us alive and to place more of that at the centre of our lives.And that asks something different of us.It asks us to step out of the constant future-tripping and anxious rehearsals of what might go wrong. To release the relentless belief that we should always be doing more. To loosen our grip on the past and the endless loops of shoulda, coulda, if only…The mind, left unchecked, can become a dangerous neighbourhood.You’ll know you’re in that neighbourhood when the rushing begins.When you are telling yourself you’re overwhelmed, behind, not doing enough, the body tightens, the breath shortens. Everything starts to feel urgent.So when you find yourself there, what can you actually do?First, interrupt the momentum.Not by forcing yourself to “calm down” or think more positively, but by gently bringing the body back into the present moment.Because rushing is not just a thought pattern.It’s a full-body experience.There is a practice that takes only a couple of minutes that can be woven quietly throughout your day to meet that rushing “indicator light” and bring you back to yourself.It meets overwhelm directly, and it softens it surprisingly quickly.It is also so simple that the mind will likely argue with it.This is silly.This won’t work.We don’t have time for this.Get back to the to-do list.I had the same reaction when I first practiced it. It felt too basic.And yet, I couldn’t deny its effect.Each time, it landed me firmly back in my body.Back in the present moment.This practice is called orienting.It’s often used to meet anxiety and overwhelm, and in my experience, it works like a charm.Here is how to orient back to the present moment:Pause.Take a slow, deep breath into your belly.Then, either aloud or silently to yourself, say your name, the date, the time, and where you are.Then let your eyes slowly wander around the room as though you’ve never seen it before.Notice the light.The colours.The textures.The ordinary objects that hold your life.Let your body register where you actually are.I am Terry-Lynn. It is Tuesday, May 12th. It is 10:30 am. I am currently sitting at the table beside the window.You are locating yourself not in the imagined future or the replayed past, but right here. You might also gently place a hand over your heart, somatically inviting yourself back into the present moment within your beloved body.And often, in this exact moment, you may discover that you are safer than your mind was telling you.I’ve been using this practice recently in my work with others and in my own life, and I keep coming back to how reliable it is.Simple.Grounding.Effective.A way of dropping back into yourself and into this moment, anchored, whole, and, just for this moment, exactly where you need to be.And most likely, you will find that all is well here in the present moment.There might even be a robin trying to connect with you here.Maybe this is the real practice:Not learning how to outrun our lives,but learning how to return to them.Returning to this breath.This room.This ordinary sacred moment.Returning to the robin.The lilacs.The warmth of your own hand resting gently over your heart.Right here, in the middle of your one wild and precious life.Give it a try and let me know how it goes. If you would like a recording to guide you through the practice, listen to the audio I provided. nervous system support for real life…Yoga OfferingsWeekly Yoga Classes Return in June ✨Restorative + Somatic Yoga (mat-based)These grounding, nervous-system-supportive classes are designed to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and lovingly settle back into your body, your home for a lifetime.This practice is suitable for everyone, including complete beginners. All shapes are done on the mat. Together, we will explore slow, grounding movement, breath, deeply restorative rest, and body awareness practices designed to help you soften out of the constant rush and return home to yourself.We will close each class with a custom-created Yoga Nidra guided meditation, offering space to soften, breathe, and become very intentional connecting mind, heart, and body.If your body has been longing for rest, grounding, nourishment, and a softer pace… this is your invitation. This is how we begin creating energy for our lives in a more sustainable way.All Mondays in June | 4:00–5:15 PM📍 Yoga Studio at 6141 Lacon Road✨ Regulate your nervous system✨ Reconnect with yourself✨ Rest deeply✨ Step back into your life feeling more grounded, clear, and lit from withinThis class is open to all levels. You do not need any experience… Only a willingness to arrive exactly as you are.Space is limited in my studio, so please RSVP in advance.Text 250-215-6633 to reserve your spot, and I will personally confirm availability.Investment: $15No one turned away due to lack of funds.Work With Me Privately ✨If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck, disconnected from yourself, or like you’re carrying more than your body was ever meant to hold…If you find yourself constantly overthinking, pushing through exhaustion, trying to find balance, replaying conversations in your head, struggling in relationships, or reaching for habits that no longer truly support you…If you’ve ever had the quiet thought:There must be more to life than this…Please know you are not alone.This is the work I support people with every day.My one-to-one work is a gentle space to slow down, breathe, and begin listening to yourself again.Together, we explore the patterns, beliefs, nervous system responses, and ways of coping that may once have protected you but are no longer supporting the life you want to live.Through conversation, somatic practices, nervous system support, reflection, and practical tools, we begin creating space for more clarity, self-trust, connection, joy, and aliveness.Not by becoming someone new.But by coming back home to yourself.This work is not about perfection or fixing yourself.It is about learning how to meet yourself with more awareness, compassion, honesty, and support.And from that place, real change begins to happen naturally.If this resonates, I would love to connect.I offer a complimentary 45-minute clarity call, a relaxed conversation (think tea together) where we can explore what’s going on for you, what you are longing for, and whether this feels like the right kind of support.Simply reply to this email, and we’ll find a time that works. ✨Rooting for your one wild and precious life,Terry-LynnSupport for your one wild and precious life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com

Welcome to the fifth and final episode of our audio journey.Today I want to talk about the magic of having a conversation with someone who allows you to fully and completely articulate what is on your heart without an agenda to fix or dole out unsolicited advice. I also share some of my stories about engaging in this kind of communication and connection for the first time and how deeply healing it was and is. I invite you to join me under the shade of the plum tree in my garden, either metaphorically or physically, where you can empty the contents of your mind and heart, creating the necessary conditions for clarity to rush in to reveal the life you deeply desire. The life that is uniquely yours.Please grab your mug of tea and join me. And if you enjoyed this series, you can connect with me on my website. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com

Welcome, once again, to our podcast portal. In this episode, we'll discuss how our thoughts are constantly creating our lived experience.I will also share a few key practices that I use to support the creation of healthy and supportive thoughts for myself and others. And I'll invite you into my garden, as I tell the story of how I used these practices to show up in the best possible way during a painful family fracture.So settle in, get comfy. Feel your feet and your seat. And enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com

Do you ever feel like you can't keep up with your life? Or like it's a race from the moment your eyes open in the morning until the late hour you fall exhausted into bed at night?I lived that way for years, until I was forced to acknowledge that something had to change.In this episode, I share my story of chronic stress and the turning point that changed everything.Join me for gentle contemplation and permission slip to turn toward your own unique and authentic path. Peace. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com

Welcome back to this audio journey and our podcast portal.In this episode, we'll explore stress. I define what stress is and what it is not by unpacking the very overused phrase, “I am feeling stressed out…"I also discuss when stress becomes a problem and the behaviors or buffers we typically use to resist or avoid stress. And I share a few of the unhelpful buffers that I used to avoid and resist my stress as a classroom teacher, raising teenagers, and trying to do too many things. Finally, I discuss how we begin to work with stress and use it as an indicator of needed attention and action in our daily lives.Please grab your mug of tea, and enjoy. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com

Welcome to this audio journey where we'll explore how to remove the layers and veils of conditioning, limiting beliefs, and unhelpful patterns hindering your most brilliant expression.In this episode, I talk about some of the ways that stress and overwhelm show up in life and how our thoughts and beliefs keep us stuck.My deepest hope for telling these stories through this podcast portal is that you and I might find places of connection. And I hope that after listening, I might feel like more of a friend, like someone who has shared in some similar struggles you have, and through that recognition, you and I might find a place of belonging. I hope to be someone you would love to come and have tea with under the shade of my plum tree in the garden. Please grab a mug of your favorite tea and enjoy this episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit terrylynn.substack.com