Challenges and how to find a way out
“Life is an endless process of self-discovery.” ~ James Gardner
“Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It's a journey of discovery - there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair.” ~ Rick Warren
There is a lot of things going on in our lives. We struggle with relationships, finances, workplaces, ourselves. And at certain points if feels like everything is only piling up and adding to our frustrations. We face an overload of information that spills out through our mailboxes, phones, TVs - and at certain point, we get totally overwhelmed. But in a way, this is a good thing.
When we have enough and are at our “braking point” we are just millimetres away from finally breaking through the cocoon of the old comfort zone, and we are about to make changes that are necessary to improve things. Our feelings are the best barometer of how much further from achieving this improvement we have. If you are struggling, but you are comparing yourself to others and think that “you’re not that bad," you have a long way to go. If you don’t give a hoot anymore about what everyone else is doing, and want something to liberate you from this hopeless and bottomless pit, you are on the way out.
Why does it matter how we feel? Because unless we are totally unhappy and admit it to ourselves, we are not ready for change. As a general rule, we run ourselves to the bottom before we admit that things are crappy and we want a miracle to get us out of the hole. But guess what? YOU ARE THAT MIRACLE!
All you need to do is change the way you think. Get out from the victim mode and stop waiting for the rescue party to show up at your door. Kick the whining and complaining out, and get clear on what you want! Yes, intentions are very powerful and more so than you think. They bring the attitude of possibilities and clear vision of where you want to be. That is a first step on your way out. I’m sure there is a bit of work to be done from that point on, but it’s a start.
My grandma always said that “hell is paved with good intentions” and she was 100% right. You know why? Because intentions are not going to take you anywhere without ACTION! In fact, you need to write your intentions on a piece of paper and add the end-goals to it. What is the end-goal? The idea behind what you want and why. Let’s say I want a million dollars and that’s my intention, but I want it because it will give me the opportunity to help many people, and give me the chance to do what I love, enjoy the things that bring me joy and happiness, become a better person and love myself even more. That’s my end goal – I want to feel good about myself, my life and to help others. So, put your end goal down and for a minute or two imagine all these things that you plan on doing while you have your million dollars, feel the joy and happiness, and see the grateful faces of the people who will be positively affected by your generosity, and bask in it for a while.
Now it is time to take the next step on your journey - take action. Actions speak louder than words - in fact, they are more important than words. But don’t let yourself get overwhelmed again by wanting to do everything at once. It’s not going to happen. Take small steps. Start with unsubscribing from the places that bombard you with emails, which you cannot even sift through. Limit your time on social media and TV, and every time you lose focus bring your end-goals right in front of you, and bask in those great feelings you felt when you imagined all the good things happening.
There is another obstacle that you need to get over, and that’s your inner critic. That “inside voice” that always brings doubt to your attention, asking “who am I to be successful?” “I’m not qualified to do that,” and on and on and on. We all have one and wrestle with it from time to time, because it always seems to come up to discourage us from getting things done. But guess what? Every time you notice that you have those negative thoughts, it’s a GREAT thing! WHY? Because those are your subconscious limiting beliefs that are holding you back and sabotaging your efforts. So, once you come across one of them, write it down on the piece of paper and do your “Mirror work.” Stand in front of a mirror and even if it seems difficult, say it out loud to yourself: “despite the fact that I believe I am not good enough, qualified enough (or whatever you just discovered your limiting belief is), I fully accept and love myself." Make these statements in front of a mirror until you stop feeling resistance, several times a day for as long as it fells weird. And when it feels right then you will know that it is over the hump. One limiting belief less on the way to achieve your end-goal.
Commitment is another golden ingredient to your success. Once you unearth your limiting beliefs be 100% committed to eliminate them from your life. Do the mirror work every day. Stick with it. Repeat it several times a day if you have to. Be consistent. Don’t give up after just one day, saying “it's not working!” Think about how badly you want your end-goals to come true and don’t give away your power to doubts, negativity and self criticism. They are the tools of your conscious mind, which is supposed to keep you safe in your environment, but it also limits you from your greatest potential. Believe that you are an infinite Soul, who is unlimited, has undeniable potential and strength, and realize that there is nothing that can stop you from achieving those end-goals. There is plenty of “tools” out there to deal with those emotions that build energetical blockages in our filed. Reiki, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), Acupressure, or Qigong, are just a few, but Mirror Work is free for you to do any time you feel overwhelmed or unmotivated, when your mental resistance is at its strongest.
These are a few tips to get you further in your Spiritual growth. At times, we think that Spirituality has to be combined with religion or some specified rigid beliefs. And it’s far from truth. Spiritual growth is all about AWARENESS, shifting your subconscious, and it’s supposed to be fun - not a chore. So, take it easy on yourself and have fun with it.
Do it first thing in the morning after you brush your teeth. You are already in front of a mirror and your mind is fresh, so there is less resistance. You can address any limiting belief that you have about yourself at that time. Your weight issues, incompetence, anything you feel you are lacking, past failures, self-judgement, doubt, you name it. That’s the best time to address it. Also, do it 30 min before you go to bed, when your mind is relaxed and more opened to suggestions. At that time your subconscious absorbs it faster, and it’s easier to remove that old “programming” that has run your life for so long.
When you feel unmotivated – shift your focus to why you are doing it and what you want to accomplish. Remind yourself that you are done with the same old same old, and keep going. Do not give up when you feel resistance. After some time, especially if you don't see immediate results, you may feel and think this isn't for you - but please, DO NOT STOP! This feeling is a perfect indication that you are about to have a breakthrough, and get over that limiting pattern that is wanting to shift, but your mind does not want to let it go. Stick with it and keep going. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
When the opposite it true - you see the results coming, and you want to engage in additional things to get more or faster results. Don’t! You will only overwork your mind, so stick with small steps that work to avoid burnout. Get creative and if you think you don’t know how – remember the bigger picture, which is your end-goals, and feel that joy and positivity, the happiness and gratitude of having what you want. It may take time to get where you want to be, but in the process you will clear some of those negative and limiting beliefs that you will notice, and you will know how to eliminate this pesky inner critic that always dumped your spirits. It does not mean that you will be immuned to all negativity, but you will be more aware of it and will have perfect tools to get it out of your belief system.
Have fun and see you on “the other side” where the grass IS greener and life IS happier!
"The Master in the Art of Living draws no distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves it to others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himslef, he is always doing both." ~ James Michener
“Sometimes things aren't clear right away. That's where you need to be patient and persevere and see where things lead.” ~ Mary Pierce
