I'm home and done with Fall travel, workshops, and retreats. It has been the busiest Fall I can remember, with more programs than usual, plus keeping up with the Buddha Chicks™. Whoa, what an incredible group of women they are! So passionate about their growth—just like me!
Lately, I find myself saying to others that all this activity has been a "good busy," meaning I am enjoying every single moment of it. I hope that you are experiencing joy in your life, too.
But if you're not, or struggling with a pesky issue, consider this.
I've just send out my November newsletter, resplendent in its new monthly format with a theme: "Letting Go." I really enjoyed creating it, especially the Guided Meditation for letting go which is enclosed within. It can help you release an issue, habit, relationship, worry, fear, and more.
I continue to find Guided Meditations very helpful, especially if you are a visual person as I am. We can "imagine" quite well and create new energy streams of healing within ourselves as a result.
So, i f you haven't received your copy of "November Noticings" yet, just e-me:
jan (at) awakened living (dot) com OR through the Contact Box on this site
and I will send you one right away!
(I do not share your email address with anyone, ever.)
And, as of this writing, I will not be doing programs in Florida this winter. I've opted to stay here in Michigan and develop more web-based projects, online courses, and resources so I can connect with more of you than ever. (Make sure you are on my email list to receive notifications of these exciting developments and the next Buddha Chick™ course schedule.)
I hope you'll enjoy this essay I've posted here, mostly as a reminder to those of you who DO live in the snowbelt where gray days prevail, don't forget to Inspire Yourself.
Any of us can become quite dependent on others to lift us out of doldrums or lackadaisical ways of operating. Living as our truest self invites us to uplift and inspire our self when we need it. This essay offers 3 important suggestions for doing just that.
May inspiration and energy be yours today!
Inspire Yourself!
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
~Anais Nin
I love this quote by diarist Anais Nin. In fact, it is one of the most inspired sentiments of wisdom I have ever come across. When the day arrives that we know we need to make a significant change in our life, it may feel risky, even frightening to do so. But we also know, deep within our being, that this change must absolutely be made-now!-because it is just too painful to stay as way we are.
How can we motivate and inspire ourselves to make such a life change?
We begin by getting in touch with our deepest desire for ourselves; what it is that we really want for ourselves. Any change that we aspire to make will be successful only if it is sourced in authentic desire for our greater good. Our personal passion is the fuel with which we launch our journey, no matter what that journey might be-changing our appearance, getting a new job, creating a loving relationship, or saving money to buy a house. The principle is the same.
Allow me to suggest 3 simple strategies you can use throughout the day to keep this passion alive and burning brightly, so the change you desire can become a vivid reality.
Give Yourself a Morning Infusion
The activities in which you engage the first 30-minutes of the day will determine the tone of your day. Jumpstart your day with a hefty dose of self-motivation. Rise 15-minutes earlier than usual and infuse your body, mind, and spirit with “good stuff.” Choose activities that enliven you and create a positive mindset. If you are a slow starter, you might prefer to sit quietly, admire the beauty outside your windows, take a reflective walk in nature, read something inspirational, or journal. Leave the television off and listen to music instead. If you are a more active type, engaging in morning exercise or a brisk walk out-of-doors may be just what you need to charge your batteries for the day. Either way, notice how your morning choice of activities either energizes you or creates lethargy and choose the former.
Choose the Company You Keep
The changes we wish to make can be buoyed or dashed by the sentiments of those around us. Simply put, it’s wise to spend time with those who are supportive of our desire and to avoid those who might negate our cause. Don’t allow “Dream Stealers,” to deflate your high hopes or dampen your enthusiasm. Find a buddy who is wiling to be a faithful and supportive traveling companion. Ask him or her if he or she is willing to help you be accountable; to be a cheerleader when things are going well; a shoulder to lean on when the going gets tough. Set up regular check-in times if you can. These can be done over the telephone or in-person.
Perhaps your buddy might even like to make this change right along with you. There is tremendous power in having someone (or an entire group) support you, join in with you, in a similar cause. This is why Twelve Step groups are formed and why they work. There is success in numbers. They know that inspiration flows when “two or more are gathered.”
Make An Honest Assessment
At the end of your day, take time for reflection. Sit quietly and look back at how you were with yourself today. Did you stay true to your hope for yourself? Did your passion stay high? Did you take baby steps toward the change you desire? Notice, better yet, write down in a journal the successes to be found in your day. If there weren’t any, that’s alright. Note those as well.
This exercise is important because it holds each of us accountable. We take full responsibility for the choices we made. We admit how we may have let ourselves down; we pat ourselves on the back for how we kept our spirits up. No matter what happened, we tell the truth about how we did and make a vow to begin again tomorrow. This attitude, “one day at a time,” is the motto of many self-help groups and it is true. Step-by-step, one moment at a time, is how change happens, especially significant change. It is also true that every morning we can begin again. It only takes permission from our passionate self to do so.
Remember, it takes at least 21 days for a new habit to take hold. 90 days for one to become an important part of our lifestyle. In the words of Lao Tzu, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It is true. The first step is the most important. Enhanced with regular infusions of inspiration, the support of loving companions, and a well-honed ability to hold ourselves accountable, we will move slowly, but steadily, in the direction of our dreams.
©2010, Janice Lynne Lundy
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