Integrate #1: Find Comfort
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Integrate: Home
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1: Find Comfort
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2: Hold Space
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3: Create Ease
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4: Practice Intention
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5: Get Curious
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6: Be Vulnerable
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7: Live in Contradiction
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8: Explore Possibility
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9: Practice Ease
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10: Empower Change
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11: Stay Connected
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12: Your Fresh Chapter
Integrate Series Theme #1: Finding Comfort
As you integrate back into your daily life, it can sometimes feel difficult to articulate your experience to friends and family who ask, “How was your trip?”
Perhaps people expect to hear about the once-in-a-lifetime moments and might even assume you have been on vacation. For many of us, it can take weeks (or even months) to process an experience like this and it can feel jarring to have someone looking for a brief response. In those moments, it’s important to remind yourself that your friends and family likely mean well and ultimately, you’re in charge of what and how much you share.
If you find yourself in moments that feel chaotic or uncertain, come back to what brings you comfort. You can tap into your tribe to share your highs and lows, focus your energy on the people in your life who really want to understand your experience or find small rituals to take you back to the feeling you had while you were away. This could be writing morning pages, lighting a candle, or even just taking a couple of deep breaths with your feet on the ground.
Activity
Reflecting back to your time when we were together – what was it that brought you comfort? What is a routine that brings you comfort at home? Who is a person that brings you comfort? This could be activities, people, pets, etc.
Carve out 30 minutes in your schedule this week to focus on doing something that brings you comfort.
Books, Blog Posts, or Articles
On Solitude
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PASSAGE BY RAINER RILKE
“Love your solitude and bear with sweet-sounding lamentation the suffering it causes you. For those who are near you are far, you say…And when what is near to you is far, then your distance is already among the stars and very large: rejoice in your growth, in which you can naturally take no one with you, and be kind to those who remain behind and be sure and calm before them and do not torment them with your doubts and do not frighten them with your confidence or joy, which they could not understand.
Seek yourself some sort of loyal community with them, which need not necessarily change as you yourself become different and again different; love in them life in an unfamiliar form…Avoid contributing material to the drama that is already stretched taut between people…Ask no advice from them and count upon no understanding, but believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance and trust that in this love there is strength and a blessing.” ~ Rainer Rilke
Write or Create
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Reflection Prompts
There is no right way to tackle the reflection prompts below. You can answer any, all or none of the questions. You can either write the answers in a more traditional journaling format (either in a physical journal or an online journal) or you could explore the creative process of art journaling. Or, sit down with someone in your life and ask these questions of each other. Whatever reflection mode you choose, you are welcome to answer any, all, or none of the questions. This is simply an opportunity to carve out some time to reflect and see what emerges.
- What has been both the high and the low of reentry?
- Who or what might bring me a sense of connection?
- How can I find comfort in moments that feel challenging?