Mindful Monday: Life Happens, Presence Heals

Last week, I received some disappointing news. When I got off the phone, I noticed how unsettled and shaky my body felt — also a heaviness in my chest and a lack of grounding.

I started to dive back into my work, but after a few minutes, I stopped. I thought to myself, I’m going to sit and be with these feelings.

So, I got my journal and pen, took a few deep breaths, and wrote about what had happened and how I felt. I breathed deeply — in my body — and then began EFT Tapping, gently feeling the emotions as I tapped on the various meridian points.

Within just a few minutes, I noticed a shift.

My body began to settle, space opened within me, and calm arose.

Then, I felt a quiet strength emerging in my limbs and torso, and I heard the words, “I can.”

I felt connected to my essence — grateful to experience the qualities of support and strength naturally arising from within my soul.

Then, the words from John Lennon drifted through my mind like a melody:

“Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”

So true.

It felt good to acknowledge that many things are out of my control — and that it didn’t bother me anymore.

What mattered was how I chose to support myself, to focus on what was in my control. It felt really empowering.

It was also a reminder that qualities like strength, clarity, peace, and compassion are not found outside of us — they live within us.

The next day, I remembered a question someone had asked me:

“What are the benefits of meditation and mindfulness?”

This — what I experienced — is the answer.

I don’t meditate only when I’m stressed or when something difficult happens. I meditate every day. I practice mindfulness and use other tools every day — to stay present, grounded, and connected to my true essence.

So, when life brings the unexpected — and it will — I have a greater capacity to be here now, and greater access to my inner wisdom and resources.

Even writing about this brings forth feelings of aliveness. 

Life is full of surprises — some beautiful, joyful, and adventurous, others painful, scary, and unsettling.

The impulse to control is the voice of the ego, rooted in fear.

Our willingness to let go, trust, and be grounded in presence creates space for our soul to relax and receive support from the Divine.

We are all in this great school called Life — constantly learning and growing.

One of my most significant and most difficult lessons in my life came six years ago this week.

A drunk driver crashed into my house in the middle of the night — right into my living room, just a few feet from where I was sleeping.

That night, I had gone out for dinner at a friend’s house. When I returned home and went to bed, I was abruptly woken at around 3:30 am by a strange feeling that something was wrong. I slipped on my flip flops, opened my bedroom door cautiously, and saw a thick cloud of dust that filled the air, with pieces of debris wildly swirling all over the place.

I was in complete shock. My mind couldn’t make sense of it — it looked like a scene from a movie where the world was ending. I thought there may have been an explosion in our city, or worse, the world.

But it wasn’t the end of the world — it was the beginning of years of deep healing and working through trauma.

Interestingly, when my sister was allowed to go into my house several days later to retrieve a few belongings, she noticed a book beside my bed titled The End of Your World by Adyashanti. It wasn’t the literal end, but indeed, it became the end of a certain way of living — the death of the ego.

Life school had given me a doozy of a lesson — one of the most painful times of my life.

Yet, grace came in many forms: the love and support of my family, friends, community, and the incredible practitioners who helped me heal, as well as the loving support of the Divine.

As I write this now, I feel a softness in my body and warmth in my heart. It feels good to put these words down — to acknowledge both the pain and the strength, the perseverance, and the spiritual growth that emerged.

More recently, I have experienced the importance of acknowledging the grief and loss I have experienced these past six years. It is significant on many levels, and I’m not bypassing them in pursuit of the light.

I also see how every challenge has carried a gift.

These experiences have fueled my passion to support others on their journey of self-discovery. It is such an honour and a privilege when another soul shares their world and feelings with me; holding space for their struggles and witnessing their courage, vulnerability, and journey of transformation is a truly beautiful experience.

So, why do I have a spiritual practice? Why do I do what I do?

We can spend endless time and energy trying to control our outer world — to feel safe, peaceful, lovable, and whole — while the true solace, peace, and depth of love we seek are right here, in this moment, when we look inward.

We don’t know what’s going to happen from one moment to the next, but we can choose to meet life with presence, trust, and an open heart.

This choice is profoundly empowering and transformative.

If you’re moving through a challenging time or simply feel ready to take the next step in your life, you may be interested in private coaching. Reach out to schedule a free consult — I’d love to support you on your journey.

May we reclaim our true power and presence as we return home to ourselves, again and again and again.

With love,

Diane

(This photo is one of my favourite photos and memories. When this accident happened, my great-niece Maya, who at the time was three years old, came up to me out of the blue and said,"I want you to have my Teddy Bear." It was a precious moment.)