Hello Reader

Do you celebrate Easter?

For me, Easter is a time of reflection. There is a reason the story of the resurrection of Christ coincides with the spring. Easter symbolizes revival.

Just as years go through a cyclical death in the winter and revival in the spring, I believe that death and life are at play in our psyches all the time.

That is something I have observed in my family and that I inherited in my behaviors too. Until I became conscious of it.
​
I have seen my grandmother nursing her colon cancer (she knew something was wrong but kept it to herself). I believe she unconsciously chose death, because she wished to be reunited with her husband who had passed too soon.
​
My mother, last year, had a serious health scare at only 63.
A life-long smoker, she had to be hospitalized ten days after a respiratory crisis that almost costed her life. After her hospital stay I was trying to encourage her not to smoke again. I was hoping that this would be a wake-up call for her.
Unfortunately, only 12 hours after getting home, and despite the fact that it was painful and impaired her breathing, she lighted a cigarette and went back to smoking like nothing had happened.
She had almost died because of this habit.

I personally believe that, deep inside, when we follow these patterns, we make a choice that brings us closer to death.

I call these LIFE-DEPLETING patterns.

I don't judge my mom and grand-ma for making these choices. There is a lot in someone's life that can explain that someone would do. I used to engage in so many life-depleting habits!
But it does make me sad. And it does worry me because the health of my mother is deteriorating a lot faster due to these choices. She is facing the health issues of someone 15 years older than she is. I am scared for her.

I don't want this to happen to me. I don't want this to happen to you.
I don't want my daughter to ever worry about my health. I don't want my daughter to have to plan for long-term care for me while she's taking care of her own children. I don't want to be a burden to my daughter because of the life-depleting choices that I made, or the life-giving choices that I did not make.

This is why I strive to higher levels of health. Health is life.
​
When you choose to invest in your health, you choose to live. You choose to live without fear of illness. You choose to live to the fullest. You choose to live as long as you can.

I truly believe that we are meant to grow old full of life and vitality, so that not only our children don't have to worry about us, but we can actually support them when they are building their own family.

I believe we are meant to keep contributing in meaningful ways as we age.

And this is why I do what I do.

In my experience, at a personal level and with clients, you have to want to let go of these life-depleting patterns to find the way to flourishing and age with strength and confidence.

You have to be willing to mentally and voluntarily nail your past self to the cross, so that a new you can come to life.
​
We can make this choice each and every day.

I wrote more about this idea, inspired by the journey of the Christ at Easter, in a blog that you can read on my website.

In it, I share reflections about:

• Celebrating life
• How my burn out was a valley of death and how I came back to life after it
• The part of me I gladly want to let die and how mindfulness can support us in being the version of us we truly want to be
• How we need to let ourselves be happy

You can read it here: http://www.drjihanefarrell.com/blog-posts/easter-2022-the-version-of-you-that-you-would-gladly-let-die-includes-free-resources​

How to feel more youthful and more alive:

Can you see the version of you that you’d like to let go?

If you want more awareness of your life-depleting patterns, need help to let the limited version of yourself die, and if you feel ready to bring your better self to life, here is how I can help:

• I provide support and resources to help you create a mindfulness practice that will allow you choose a different reaction in situations of stress, pressure and you can have more peace in your relationships.
  To learn more, watch my webinar on Using mindfulness to buffer against stress​
• I am dedicated to help you understand your own life-depleting patterns. I have created a longevity assessment for this purpose. It’s a questionnaire that only takes 25 minutes to fill. It’s free of charge, and free of commitment. I use science-backed systems to score it and create your personalized report. It will give you the first step to feeling more youthful and more alive: awareness.​
  You can take it right here, right now, for free:

​

Get the first steps to feeling more youthful and alive

​
Talk soon,

Jihane