Clouds + Sunshine (Honoring Emotions)

Hey, everyone, it's Alexandra. I hope you're having an awesome day. So today's video is Clouds and Sunshine. And I'll tell you a little story, then we'll dive into it a little bit. Yesterday, like, 8 in the morning, I had made oatmeal, and Eleanor, my three and a half year old, didn't really like the temperature of the oatmeal. So we had some crying and some upset about the temperature and not really wanting to do anything about it, not wanting to put it in the fridge to cool it, and not wanting to wait. So I acknowledged her feelings, let her know that I know she wanted it to be the different temperature and it wasn't cool enough for her. And she just kept crying, and she just was upset. And then after a little bit, I just got up and I was doing some dishes, and she was still slightly irritated. And as I'm washing the dishes, there's like, we have a beautiful window in our kitchen sink. And I looked up, and the sky was blue, and there was, like, white, puffy clouds. And then there was, like, this gray cloud that literally was just passing through the window. And it made me smile, and I took a deep breath, and I was like, you know, these emotions are just like clouds passing by. So I felt like it just helped me ground, and so I was grounded and centered. And then I went back over to her at the table, and I sat down, and she kind of sniffled a little bit, and then she said, mommy, I want you closer. So I went closer to her, and then she gave me a hug, and. And then she started eating her oatmeal. And then. Which I loved this. Soon as she started eating her oatmeal, there was, like, these rays of sunshine just coming through a different window right onto us. And I just thought it was really cool. Just a beautiful metaphor of the clouds, the emotions that pass through us, the feelings that pass through us, and that there's always the sunshine behind the clouds. And. And I felt like there was just the cloud, the cloud, the cloud, and then the rays of the sun. So that is kind of the idea for today, you know, even for ourselves and especially for our children to not get. Don't take their feelings, their emotions too personally. Like, a lot of times I want to. The urge for me is to try to fix it or to change it or to tell them not to feel it, but just be like a cloud. Like, let it just. It's not like we're trying to stop a cloud. Imagine trying to stop a cloud. No, you can't go there, you can't look this way. You should look this way, you should go that way. You should do this, yada yada. The cloud is just going to pass and then the sun will be there. And I found that to be the case with pretty much all emotions, especially for kids and all of us. And then the funny thing is this morning I woke up and I was a little grumpy. I noticed, I noticed I was a little irritated. I was a little more impatient when we were making the. Started making the pancakes. And then Eleanor said something about give me a spatula. But she said spatula in such like a sweet and, you know, three year old kind of way that it just made me laugh. And I felt like there was, like the cloud was there and then it passed and then the laughter was the sunshine. And it made me think of this idea again of just like letting the clouds be. I didn't need to do anything about being grumpy and just that sunshine was able to come through. And our morning was awesome. If I would have tried to change it or tell myself there's something wrong with me and just really dive into the drama of it, then it probably would have been a different morning. But if I just breathe, do my best to stay centered, then something happens and the clouds pass by and the sunshine comes back. But it makes me think of the quote by Louisa May Alcott. I think I'm not afraid of storms. For I'm learning how to sail my ship and how great it is to learn how to sail our ships in whatever weather, whether it's rainy or cloudy or sunny or there's a storm. So being able to be so centered and so grounded in our truth, in our authentic self, that no matter the weather, no matter the emotions, that we learn to sail with grace, that we learn how to stay strong in our essence, in our centeredness, so that we don't get swayed by whatever weather is coming our way. So it's not to say that we shouldn't feel our feelings or emotions, but that just knowing that all these things pass and there is always sunshine. So this has been super helpful for me and I like to call it the clouds and the sunshine because it reminds me anytime I notice any of the clouds in me or, or clouds in my children or anyone else, that I also know that those clothes clouds will pass and the sunshine will come through again. So I hope this was helpful and I'm sending you lots of love as you learn how to sail your own ship and navigate all of the weather patterns that can come into our lives. All right. Lots of love.