Self-Connection Container – Holding Space for Self-Love

Self-Connection Container – Holding Space for Self-Love

I’m in Peru, it’s late, dark and cold. I’m by myself on a train, heading to a little town of Aguas Calientes with a huge mission of trying to get a ticket to Machu Picchu for two day’s time. Now if you’ve been to Machu Picchu, you probably know how this is definitely a task where people will straight out tell you, no mincing of words

‘Forget about it! You’re dreaming it’s never going to happen!’

But somehow, I knew, I had to make this happen. There was no way I was prepared to accept this as truth without first fully committing to self and giving it a ‘Red Hot Go’ – I chose to try. What else could it do? It was not acceptable to me, having travelled half way around the world to not see this wonder and fulfil one of my lifetime dreams.

My heart is pounding out of my chest, anxiety and stress rising. I feel it taking hold, I am losing my centre, becoming disconnected and ungrounded. Fear is beginning to take hold, understandably, the stakes are high.

I take a deep breath, close my eyes and tap into my ‘Self-Connection Container’. A small activity I have created for myself that holds space for me to: 

Trust self
Accept the moment
Allow for flow, and
Ground in reality. 

No need to work harder, just be, fully connected with self, setting me up in positive flowing energy versus blocked stagnant and stressed energy. I am focused on finding those natural moments in the day, to apply this micro-self check-in, allow for micro-actions and build micro-wins.

I activate my container and feel grounded and positive. Accepting flow and intending for a little magic to help me. I sit back into my seat, close my eyes and connect to my breath.

The train’s late, it pulls in and the person who was meant to meet me at this station is not there. Where do I go! What do I do! Everything is shut, even the markets are quiet, no-one. I know I need to get to the cultural building, not even my internet is working.

Suddenly a couple appears, speaking, I hear their American. I run up to them.

‘Hello, sorry, are you able to help me?”

They know exactly where to go and walk me there, the relief is immense. As we get to the building the queue is beginning to be ushered into the building, I thank them and run to join the que.

There are so many people, I breathe, remain in my Self-Connection Container, also continue to ask for a little magic. I manage to remain calm and ground.

Slowly winding up the stairs, across the hall, down the stairs to the other I finally get to the counter, they literally laugh saying no way.

“Please, it is the only day I can do it, I will take anything you have.” I beg. There’s a shift in her face,

“Are you on your own?” she asks “Yes!” I announce

“You’re lucking, we have one ticket left for midday, route three”

‘I’ll take it!”

I leave the building, ticket in hand, ecstatic with joy! The Internet back online, I find my hotel, collapse into bed and a relieved sleep.

Jet lagged, I wake up, it’s 4am. Again, I feel stressed and anxious. I now need to organise a bus ticket, how am I going to do that? Are the queues the same as getting the ticket? I might still miss getting to Machu Picchu. I begin to panic. I call my daughter, maybe she can help, she was here a few months earlier. She googles where I need to go, it’s now 5am and the office opens at 5:30am, I better get there straight away if I’m going to make it and get a bus ticket for today to see Machu Picchu.

My phone goes, it’s the beautiful Auqui, my guide that I am meant to meet with later in the day and the rest of the people I am travelling with. He’s asking me 

“Why are you going to get to the bus stop now, and don’t worry I don’t need it for today.”

I go into a complete meltdown, I am fully confused. I don’t even understand what he is saying to me clearly. I walk back into the hotel, sitting in the lobby. The tears begin to break. It’s all too much.

He calmly explains to me, I have got my days mixed up and all is OK!  My ticket is for tomorrow, not for today. Finally, it sinks in, and the panic subsides. I look around, taking in my environment and realise I am not evening sitting in my hotel, I have walked into the wrong one. I laugh. How crazy!

Why do I share this story? It was one of the most visceral reminders to me of how important it is to set up my energy in a way that supports me, holds me, in a space of self-connection and grounded reality.

When the stakes were really high, I remembered to activate and step into my ‘Self-Connection Container’ building my foundations to manage and operate from a place of trust, grounded self-awareness and flow. I allowed myself to use my breath, stay calm and work towards solutions. Creating flow.

The next morning, I forgot to set up my ‘Self-Connection Container’, stress and anxiety to hold. I was disconnected from myself, not grounded and operating from a place of fear and I went into collapse.

The same applies in everyday life. It is so important to capture yourselves in those natural moments, have a quick, micro self check-in, take micro-actions, and acknowledge our micro-wins.

Activating your quick and simple ‘Self-Connection Container’ day to day, moment to moment, whenever you need. It is the key for moving in self-love, connection, trust and ground flow. A big reminder to me of where I want to live from, in a space I create, where I hold myself in safety and love.

This comes with practice. You don’t need to learn this alone, I am here to teach and guide you.

Finally, after calming down, remembering and stepping into my ‘Self-Connection Container’, I took myself to breakfast staring out at the beautiful Peruvian mountains, reflecting on how impactful it is to be connected with self, at all times the feeling of great peace melted through me.

The next day, I had the absolute joy of my life. All was well, I connected with self, found my bus, walked into the beautiful Machu Picchu, connecting in with the immense light city energy of this incredibly sacred site - How blessed I am.

Kim xxx