A Guide to a Year with Less Stress and More Alignment- Guest Christel Arcucci

Embark on a transformative journey with Christel Arcucci and me as we unlock the secrets to a less stressful year, blending practical wisdom with personal insight to guide you through the labyrinth of life's pressures. We all grapple with stress, yet few of us recognize its dual nature, shadowing even our happiest moments. This episode serves up a blend of mindfulness techniques and lifestyle tweaks to help you greet each day with tranquility and remain attuned to your inner compass amidst life's ceaseless buzz.

Wake up to the notion of 'slow mornings' and experience the sheer magic these tranquil beginnings can cast over the rest of your day. Christel and I dissect the morning rush, unveiling how it can throw off our day and discussing the surprising simplicity of micro-movements and deep breathing in reclaiming our calm. We also tackle the beast of overwhelm, breaking down how to slice through daunting tasks and the remarkable impact of syncing mind and body through movement to release stress's tight grip.

Finally, we navigate through the stormy waters of life's unpredictable challenges, sharing our own tales of finding peace in the midst of chaos. Delving into the profound wisdom of the Akashic Records, we reveal how tapping into our potential can reshape not just our present, but pave the way for a future steeped in intention. And if you're seeking even more upliftment, join Ivory in The Angel Room on Patreon, where the vibrational journey continues, promising to enlighten your surroundings and infuse your daily life with serenity.

Next Sunday's Topic: Raising the Vibration of a Room

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:33

Hi, welcome to the show. So glad to have you here today. The topic today we have our guest, christelle Arcucci, and she's going to be talking with me about reducing stress and living aligned. I think that's a great way to start the new year. Before we begin, hello to my listeners in Royal Leamington, spa, warwickshire so happy to have you here. I keep seeing you week after week, so thanks for being so loyal to the podcast. So, christelle, I know this was your requested topic and I love it. Like I said, for the new year, it's a great way to start. Why do you think this topic is so important?

Speaker 2: 2:13

To me working with stress, which is a reality in all of our lives, and knowing that it's an essential part of us living a better life. In navigating stress right, we cannot eliminate stress, so the key is to be able to work with the energy of stress and to know that the more ways we look at reducing stress in our lives and learning to work with it, more powerfully, it makes it easier for us to live aligned with our guidance or angels or intuition or purpose or whatever it is each person is looking at that it's like, rather than I can be happy when I'm not stressed or I can leave my purpose when I'm not stressed, which are completely impossible that it's more focused on utilizing the energy of stress, the challenges that arise, to help us live more aligned with love or purpose or truth or whatever it is for each listener.

Speaker 1: 3:25

I agree with all of that. It's throwing me back to my days in mental health, when I would go I was putting on these big events for health and I would run a table for mental health and I would give people a stress test, and that stress test it would show how having a baby and someone you love dying is equally stressful. And I think the important thing in that is that we always have stress is it can be good things. Getting a new job is stressful. Is losing a job so good things can be stressful too, which is why we really, no matter what we do, cannot eliminate stress.

Speaker 2: 4:01

Yes, exactly, and I'm so glad you brought that in, because the good things are stressors, and so it's that much more important to be able to. How do I work with stress in my everyday life? And the place that I really like to start, especially because this time of year, there's mega companies spending millions of dollars in advertising to tell us all we're not good enough and that we need to invest in this new fitness program or this new face cream or this, whatever you know and which, essentially, you know, new Year, new you is basically saying the you that I am now is not okay, is not good enough, and so, to me, the key with coming into a A healthier relationship with stress is looking at the everyday things that we're already doing, Rather than saying I need to go to the gym every day, I need to completely change my nutrition plan, I need to completely change how I relate to my children or my partner or my community. All of these things are overwhelming and therefore create more stress. Rather than looking at the everyday things that we're doing, when I work with clients and students, I always focus on the things we're already doing, which is grooming, self-grooming, getting ready for your day. Are you paying attention to how you're feeling when you're doing it? When you're getting dressed, are you paying attention to the colors of the fabric, the look of the fabric, how it feels on your body, or is it just like, okay, I got to throw something on and get going and I need to do whatever I do and get out the door and go, which is creating more stress, instead of slowing down to actually be in the process of preparing for the day, which is a beautiful practice?

Speaker 2: 6:14

The tricky part, of course, is changing the habit of being stressed when we're doing those things. In that example, it's like you're doing what needs to be done to get out the door to prepare for your day, or, if you're still working from home, you're doing what needs to be done, but the being and doing are completely disconnected, which, from my perspective, creates more stress. The key is to slow down, to be in the process of what you're doing. It can even be like a lot has happened for me in last month. As you know, I bought a business, I moved to Sedona. It's been a lot, and especially early December for me.

Speaker 2: 7:03

The pressure was so high, the stress was so high, how I would bring myself more into the moment of those preparing for my day or doing what needs to be done in my life is I would be in the experience. If I'm pumping the soap out of the dispenser into my hand, I would actually feel the soap landing in my hand. I would pay attention to turning on the faucet to be able to wash my hands. The feeling of rubbing my hands under the water and being in the experience helped me move from a high state of stress which washing my hands isn't an emergency. Yet my system was in the state of everything is an emergency. That process of being present in the sensual experience of something as simple as washing my hands would help me notice where I was holding tension in my body. I would notice I wasn't breathing as deeply the whole process of being in my experience. It didn't change the 4,000 things on my to-do list, but it changed my experience of the moment.

Speaker 1: 8:26

I think, along with what you're saying, it's reinforcing something. I was having this conversation with one of my sisters recently about that. We both like to have what I call a slow morning. That's where you're not in a rash, rash, rash, that you can take your time with everything you need to do. If I have to get up earlier to have it, fine, I need a slow morning. I think that helps me stay in the moment.

Speaker 2: 8:52

Yes, yes, that may be an essential part of what needs to happen Creating more time so that you aren't rushed, because the tricky part of rushing is oftentimes then something goes wrong, which takes more time.

Speaker 2: 9:12

If I'm rushing to put my mascara on, it's those times that I jab myself in the eye with the mascara. Oh yeah, I mean inevitably it happens that way Creating more spaciousness and time for ourselves. And also that practice of catching ourselves in the moment of rushing, of being in that like our system is in a fight or flight state and dialing it down to be like, okay, I have the amount of time I have For me, when I can simply shift out of a high stress fight or flight state into I will either make it on time or I won't. And rushing and feeling like an emergency isn't going to make things better and most likely it means I will hit every stoplight or I will jab myself with the mascara, excuse me. So that practice of giving ourselves more spaciousness, so powerful, and also in really slowing down, to be present in whatever we're doing, even if we are rushing.

Speaker 1: 10:17

Absolutely. There's something that I started doing a long time ago because I would tend to get overwhelmed because I'd take on too much, and that's just. You know the way I am Take on too much, and then I would get overwhelmed and then I'd sort of freeze and nothing would be getting done. And so what I started doing is telling myself what you know, what can you do today that's going to move your life forward? What can you do? That's going to be energy. Put that energy of worrying and stressing into moving forward and it's been a game changer too just to shift my thinking. That way it's helped a lot.

Speaker 2: 10:54

Yes, which is a great segue into one of the other practices. Right Is being in the experience of whatever we're doing and movement as a powerful way of shifting out of a stress state. So we talked a little bit about fight or flight and then you just brought in the element of freeze is like when we're in that overwhelm of like there are so many things to do that I just feel completely frozen, I can't take action on anything and it's just getting worse, because then my mind is spinning on all of the things I need to do and then I'm being hard on myself that I'm not getting the things done and I'm just completely stuck. So movement in that moment to move out of what I call the override mind right Is that when the mind is just endlessly spending, wasting a bunch of energy that isn't moving anything forward, is move from the override mind into the body by deepening the breath or moving the body in some way and it can be as simple as opening and closing your hands or moving your fingers or placing your hands on your own body can also help regulate the nervous system. Right To move out of these states of where the mind is just the main problem. Really right, like the mind is a powerful tool and it also is a big problem when it's out of alignment.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Yes, it is yes.

Speaker 2: 12:23

So bringing movement into the body or like for me it's like rocking back and forth, is like creating a little arch in my lower back and then rounding my back or swaying side to side, or moving the body, in a way, moving my breath so that I can help integrate, because basically, what we want is the mind working in alignment with the body and the heart and the soul.

Speaker 2: 12:52

Right, so that it isn't like the mind is trying to fix everything and it's in charge, disconnected from the body, of the heart, the soul. We want to bring the power of the mind into the body and a key way of doing that is small movements, what I call, with my clients, micro movements, and it can be like if you're sitting in a meeting or you're in a conversation with somebody and you're noticed, you're in that freeze state. It can be a subtle movement, you know. I mean it is powerful to like, shake the body and do that. There isn't always that opportunity to do that, but something as small as just rocking back and forth or rocking side to side, moving the fingers, ringing movement helps to connect, reconnect the mind into the body, which is a powerful way to shift out of a stress state I like that.

Speaker 1: 13:43

That's very simple thing, because for me it's always been, and it's been sort of like if I do one thing, I let's say I procrastinate and I've got a lot of things I need to do and I'm in that space You're talking about, where I'm blaming myself. Why haven't you done this? If I just pick one small thing and do it, everything else starts getting done. So I can see how, just like moving your body a little bit, getting the energy flowing, the chi moving in your body, would help you start making those outward moves too.

Speaker 2: 14:15

Exactly, Exactly, and I love that you brought up, you know, doing one small thing. When we're in that state of procrastination or overwhelm or a freeze state, it is good to pick something small that it's not like I didn't publish my book in 2023. So now it's to January 2nd. I'm a failure already. You know. I'm going to publish my book, right, which cannot be done today, Right? So then I, but I can also look at one small thing that I can do to move that project forward.

Speaker 2: 14:50

Or, if it's a really huge freeze state, but my mind is going off on the fact that I didn't publish my book in 2023. It's like, okay, but what can I do in this moment? Is to like, dial it back from this. Writing a book, as you know, because you have at least one book published that I know of that writing a book is an epic project, but if I'm in a freeze state focusing on that, I'm just going to stay there. So, dialing it way back to either look at one small step that I can take with the book project or, if it's a really intense freeze state, is to just look at my list to be like what one thing can I do right now to bring to, to short circuit that you know, to pattern, interrupt that freeze state and that can be taking a drink of water, taking a deep breath to say my intention is to publish my book in 2024.

Speaker 2: 15:48

And what can I do now to get out of freeze and back into a state of flow and finding small things so that we feel successful instead of staying obsessed with? For me, the book project I brought in. You know, it was like what's one small thing? I can look at my other list. Okay, there's a phone call I need to make today. I'm going to do that because that's something that can take five or 15 minutes, and then I can be like okay, what's the next thing to get back into motion.

Speaker 1: 16:19

I think that translates really well into all aspects of life, and one that I can think of is when you want to get your house organized and you know how clutter really makes it hard to focus, and it can be very cluttered to me as stressful. So I have this craft room. That is just it's been bothering me and I keep shutting the door. All I have to do is walk through it to go to my garage, and so I've been just sort of like you don't, you don't exist, because I don't want to see it. So I made myself organize like one drawer in the kitchen and then I was able to go in there and make great headway on that room. So I think it just can work with anything.

Speaker 2: 17:01

Yes, taking one small piece, one drawer or, you know, one countertop or one aspect of it to bring us out of the overwhelm and that often comes with being hard on ourselves.

Speaker 2: 17:16

Right, it's like the overwhelm and then beating ourselves up for the state of things instead of being like, okay, take a breath, what one small step can I take so that I feel successful and often, when we get back in motion, right like you focused on the kitchen first and then you made progress on the craft room, knowing that it sounds like that's a multiple session project, but knowing that that progress and also celebrating the progress, which is a big deal, like.

Speaker 2: 17:52

I am also a person that I like an organized, clean space and, having bought a business and moved in the same three day period, my house is still not organized, which creates stress for my system, and so I can either be focused on the stack of boxes that is next to me that's causing me stress, or I can focus on what has gotten done and to be like I'm going to choose to not let that stack of boxes cause me stress or let me get on that hamster wheel of being hard on myself, knowing that you know all of my things have been in storage for years now and they're finally out of storage.

Speaker 2: 18:35

So it's going to take a process for me to go through everything. So it is part, a big part, of reducing stress is not letting the override mind, the dysfunctional mind, the aspects of the mind that make us feel way more stressed, letting that be the CEO. Right, like that part of my brain is not the CEO. You know, to me, my soul self, my infinite self, is the CEO, and so it gets to decide. It's like having an employee that's freaking out about the stack of boxes. Oh my gosh, the stack of boxes is the biggest emergency ever. The sky is falling, the house is burning down, is to be like, I validate that because that's a part of me.

Speaker 2: 19:24

Right, it is a part of me. So trying to pretend that part of me doesn't exist is not going to be helpful, because then that part is just going to get louder, right? So for me to be like, I understand that stack of boxes is causing you stress. I'd really like for that stack of boxes to be unpacked and integrated as well. So let's take a breath together. Let me give you a hug.

Speaker 2: 19:48

Let's notice that beautiful shelf that you unpacked the other day, and with all the statues and the crystals by the door, doesn't that look beautiful? And also to you know, for me it's there are so many other priorities other than the stack of boxes right now. So knowing that for me it does cause me stress that it's there, the clutter of the boxes, but also knowing that it's going to be a process that it's going to take probably a couple of months because of all the other things that I'm doing, it's like knowing that once the house is completely unpacked, once the business is in motion and flowing and everything is great, oh yeah, then there will still be other challenges.

Speaker 1: 20:38

You've got to say something. That's the second time since we started the interview that I saw a white orb flying around behind you, so I know somebody's going to be watching this on YouTube and see that I'm just going to say yes, you did see that, yes. So it comes back to. There's so many times in life where we don't have control. We want something to happen, but we don't have control. To me, it's such a waste of our energy to rail against it when we can't change it Right?

Speaker 2: 21:09

Yeah, I totally agree that fighting against something is not helpful ever, even if it's myself. Right that it's like and knowing that, I also think it's important to bring in that a fight or flight state is a psychological, physiological state of being. It is a response of the nervous system. Don't get upset with ourselves about that happening right To be like oh, I feel like like.

Speaker 2: 21:41

Somebody sent me a text message yesterday following up about something that they had contacted me about on Sunday, which both Sunday and Monday were a holiday, and they're like what's going on with this? And it made me so angry. I was so angry. I was just like, oh, so my instant reaction was to go into a fight mode and to like fight against that person and why they were being unreasonable, which, of course, isn't going to help the thing. So for me it was recognizing that I was in a fight state. My nervous system immediately wanted to defend myself and to also make that person wrong, for you know, hounding me about this when they had contacted me on a Sunday, another following up on a Monday which is a holiday, which I can't even take care of the thing because the person I need to contact, their office is closed.

Speaker 2: 22:38

So, but? But bringing it back to, yes, I was triggered, activated into a fight nervous system state. I noticed it, I recognized it and I paused to dial myself down and to be like, like you said, fighting this, fighting this person, isn't what I want to do from my soul self, but my human self is like wow. So I think it's important to give ourselves compassion and recognition of when we get triggered into a fight or flight state, to be like all right, this is a natural response. So then, how can I dial myself down, regulate my nervous system in order to be able to communicate with myself or another person from a more grounded, clear state? And you know and it comes back to what you were saying about not fighting what is, not resisting, what is that is, to me, one of the most powerful practices that we can do right to Except what is and then to be like what can be done about it, if anything? But the main thing that can be done is to choose how much we let ourselves stress about it.

Speaker 1: 23:59

Absolutely, absolutely. I'm good. I'm laughing because I'm thinking about us recently meeting in Sedona trying to find a notary to sign a paper. While we went to one place, oh they're on vacation. We're like, oh well, we can go over to Staples. Staples like nope, we don't have that anymore. We're like, okay, it's a Saturday, we're not going to find anybody today, let's just call it. Let's just call it for today. And that's how. That's just one example of how it comes up in everyday life, those little moments where we could have freaked out. Why would we freak out on a store employee? It's not their fault. Somebody took a vacation. It's not their fault, it's a Saturday. It's not their fault, we're not going to find a notary anymore. But I also didn't want to waste any more energy worrying about that today. Neither did you. It was very clear let's just come back on a day when there's a notary.

Speaker 2: 24:52

Right, exactly, and not fighting. What is just being like this isn't going to happen, so let's redirect the energy to be like all right, well, then we're going to go back on with our day and figure out another time that it works to make this happen.

Speaker 1: 25:08

I want to take a moment here for you to talk a little bit about what? How would you describe the work that you do?

Speaker 2: 25:17

The work that I do predominantly is in the Akashic Records, which is for those listeners that don't know what that is. The way that I think about the Akashic Records is. It is a giant library of everything that has ever happened in the history, of everything ever happening. It's also a place where all potential exists, so any outcome that could happen is also there. My perspective of it is there is an enormous amount of free will in our lives, so it isn't like this is going to happen for me on January 2nd 2024, or this thing is definitely going to happen. There are so many possibilities. So I think that's one of the things that makes my work different is it's all focused on working in the Akashic Records, and I'm also a really big proponent of the embodiment aspect of that.

Speaker 2: 26:17

My background. I started as an energy healer and I was body worker and as a yoga teacher these practices of being more comfortable, confident and less stressed in our bodies. So my work in the Akashic Records is really looking at and reminding people what their power is in creating their present and the future going forward. For example, I had a reading many years ago it was probably 26, and the reader told me that I was going to have two children and I was devastated because I never wanted children and for a week I was just like I was so upset until I remembered that I get to choose if I have children or not. But it literally took me five days or so to remember that this reader telling me this doesn't mean it's definitely going to happen in my life. I have the choice of whether or not that happens.

Speaker 1: 27:24

Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 27:26

And so, for me, that is a key part of the work that I do in the Akashic Records is supporting people in landing in their body in this incredible meat suit that we're given an infinite soul in a body, and remembering our power to create the present and the future that we want individually, but also collectively.

Speaker 1: 27:50

Well, I wanted you to say that because, having talked about all this topic today, people need to know what you offer to, and I will say, if you're interested in talking to Christelle Moore and having a session with her, you can find her at sadonasoulsisterscom and she will be happy to see you. Do in person and virtual right, I do. I do both Great. Thank you so much for being a guest today, christelle. It was such a pleasure.

Speaker 2: 28:18

Yes, thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure connecting with you and connecting with your community as well.

Speaker 1: 28:23

I enjoyed it. I want to remind people to come over to Patreon. My Patreon page is also the Angel Room, and you can watch the extension of this podcast for free. You do not have to pay to join. To see that Next week's topic is raising the vibration of a room, so I think you might find that interesting. Take it as you will Room full of people or the room itself? We're going to be talking about both. In the meantime, may your angels surround you. May your angels protect you every moment, every day of your life. I'll see you next week.