Hi there. We are now five months into 2016 and have settled into one of my favorite seasons of the year, Spring! The saying “Spring Cleaning” may be cliché, but lets not toss it out just yet because there just might be something to it. Can you recall certain times of the year where you intuitively felt the inner nudge to push the pause button, take inventory of yourself and present life, clutter-clear, and create space for a fresh start that was in alignment with you at that specific time in your life? Nature is wise, expansive, and a constant reminder of the natural rhythms of life. Spring is one of those times of the year where we are being invited to “lighten” up our body, mind, and spirit as we move into longer days filled with the vibrant sun and warm air.
Lately my inner compass has been guiding me to loosen the grip on the things that no longer serve me and begin to open myself up to new possibilities and ways of being, doing, and having. Exciting, yet unsettling at the same time when it feels like the ground beneath your feet is disintegrating. As I allowed myself to become curious about my current life experiences I became aware of the bigger picture and divine support behind the scene working on my behalf shall we say. Just as I began to allow my heart to feel peace with the unknown and give my adrenal glands “Fight or Flight” response a day off, the small ego self reared its flashing presence with “Alert, Danger, Run”. Quite an unhealthy perpetual cycle producing the same experiences yet we find ourself desiring something entirely new, better, healthier! Lets just call it out like it is, crazy-town, clearly.
Sometimes we find ourselves hitting rock bottom before we say, “This is no way to live” and choose to start making pivotal changes, while other times, we may be living gracefully in the flow and stumble upon a minor wake. Either way, both are an invitation to tune in and reroute. I have come to find the best way to move forward is not with force, but rather with gentle daily action accompanied with self-compassion. To often when life presents us with an opportunity to learn and grow, our sabotaging inner critic finds any way it can to point the finger back at self with blame and then we are off, “Fight or Flight”. Endless story? Not exactly. The gift of being human is the ability to discern and choose. At any point in time you can choose a new story and which emotion you want to feed, love or fear. And, at the same time, although we desire to create a new story and complete the goals we have set for ourself, it is often difficult without a roadmap. This spring, maybe its time to create your own personal roadmap and one that embraces fluidity. Have a plan, set your goals, but do so in pencil to allow miracles and the mystery of each day to manifest lovely experiences.
Four Tools to Help You Succeed with Your Goals in 2016:
1: Become Clear: Instead of occupying lines on paper with what “looks good”, become curious about what fills your heart with grace and the deeper yearnings you would like to see manifested in 2016. Take time out for quiet contemplation with your journey, freely allow your intentions to surface, then let the pen flow.
2: Create A Road Map: Now that you are clear on your desires, go back over your list and choose the top 3 that are the most meaningful. Get 3 clean sheets of paper and write each intention separately at the top. Underneath each intention, write a personal map of how you will get from A to Z. Establish realistic short-term goals that are in direct correlation with your long-term intention.
3: Make it Visible: You know the saying “Out of sight out of mind”. Most certainly relevant! Set yourself up for success by making your intentions visible. Maybe you create an inspiring collage along with your road map and place them both somewhere that you will be exposed to on a daily basis, or you decide to create a special place in a part of your home where you spend 5 minutes each day in joy as you sit with your intentions.
4: Ignite the “Feeling Body”: How do you want to feel when your intentions are manifested? Instead of waiting until things change externally, be the change NOW internally. Take 5 or 10 minutes each morning and before bed to embody the feeling of your intentions manifested. Maybe you feel joy, ease, grace, flow, expansion etc. Whatever the feeling is, allow it to infuse every cell of your being. Let this be your driving force, it is much more fueling and less exhausting.
If along the way you find yourself reaching out for a lifeline to help keep you accountable and offer new insights along your journey the team at Vitalia Natural Medicine is happy to be of healthy support!
Journey into Health & Wholeness, Dr. Juliana Marie, ND, RN