Sometimes I really grapple with what an amazing life I have. Don’t get me wrong, I have the same struggles and insecurities and day-to-day challenges to wade through, as anyone else it’s just that the magic that seems to pop up on almost a daily basis is profound. For instance, in the middle of a mildly stressful consulting gig over the past few weeks, I managed to create new financial opportunities, meet with pathfinders and celebrities who are open to collaboration, eaten at some of the best restaurants and stayed at some of the finest hotels on the west coast (despite my moderate income over the past few months) and so much more. What I have learned through the years is that to live a life of fulfillment, I have to create an energy field around me that actually attracts like-minded people and exhilarating events into my life.
Let me explain …
When a problem arises, it is easy to fall prey to the ego … the part of us that lives somewhere in our unconscious mind and actually coaxes us into believing that a situation is bad or that we are victims of circumstance or that nothing we do can make a difference as somehow we are flawed or just have bad luck. It is the ego’s full time job to challenge us in life and to pull us from a more spiritual path into a slightly denser, more difficult plane of existence. The ego tells us to eat the chocolate cake when we are in a healthy zone; to get sick on a day when we have an important job interview or event; to bypass the healthy partner for the slightly more dysfunctional one standing right behind him; or, the ego convinces us that we are simply victims of all that happens around us … as if life wasn’t already challenging enough.
Some days I wake up and realize that I am the master of my own Universe and remember to stretch, exercise, meditate, make a smoothie and take vitamins; and to focus on my intentions for the day and celebrate. Other days I wake up and am immediately ambushed by some distraction that causes stress or a sense of urgency, convincing me to dismiss my healthy morning ritual for some seemingly more important challenge that has arisen. On these days, my body feels tense and I cannot seem to evict the fretful thoughts from my mind. It is only when I remember to take a deep breath, exhale and literally do something different … something to reconnect me to my higher self … that the illusions around me become less seductive and no matter what’s going on in the world, I am at peace again with the divine order of life once again
So, here’s the secret … not the movie Secret but the one that I use to personally overcome challenges and get back into the zone. This doesn’t mean that the people or situations change but rather, you change your way of looking and engaging with those individuals or challenges.
1) When life seems to be pulling you in a direction that you would rather not be going in, simply STOP. Take a deep breath, as usually when we are stressed we breathe more shallowly.
2) Then, meditate and clear your mind. This can be a challenge when stress is involved but it is the single, most pivotal tool in changing your worldview. If you can’t simply sit down and meditate, then dance, workout … do something to pull you out of your head and to reduce the stress levels … something to pull you out of the fretting and into the moment.
3) Once you are able to get back into the moment and slow down your thoughts, do something symbolic of what you wish to have expressed in your external world. For example, write out your intentions and focus on them … visualize them happening and leave room for them to unfold in even more magical ways that you could have ever imagined. Another symbolic act would be to create a ritual or form of celebration, be it lighting a candle and burning a small piece of paper with something written on it that you wish to focus on … or take a bath and listen to an inspirational lecture … or cut out pictures of scenes you would like to be in and place them on your mirror where you see them often. Be creative … go out in nature … sit by a fire … go to your favorite coffee shop or getaway place.
4) Once you’ve changed your energy field, tap into how you’re feeling. If you’ve successfully managed to breathe, still your mind and focus on your higher visions and intentions, then you will most likely be calmer and more upbeat. Immediately, with this new state of mind, your life will instantly look better. If you feel stressed or your mood hasn’t shifted, don’t get discouraged. Just breathe again, meditate again and keep visioning your intentions until you feel stronger and more balanced.
This has been one of my greatest approaches to creating a life filled with joy, adventure, love, laughter and magic!
Again, be patient with yourself and try to be observant of what the potholes of ego are that you fall into from time to time … is it brought on by work … a family member or friend … your living situation, etc.? Once you identify the triggers of the ego, you can go about changing them … shifting your life in some way to reduce those occurrences and making a promise to yourself that when they do arise, to simply STOP and go through the above process until you remember who you truly are and what your higher life purpose really is ☺
Following this very simple process will support you in having the most amazing year yet!
With love and eternal hugs,
Cat
Hi Cat,
Thank you for this practice – I appreciate the reminder to envision and to change my energy state, like with dance. I teach conflict resolution and heartfelt relationships and stopping and clearing the mind is the first thing we do, just like Step 1 and 2 in your practice.
I have a suggested addition. I just listened to Oprah’s interview with Gary Zukav and he talks about how important intention is in everything we do and say – the energy we bring to it, and that when you dig down, love and fear are the underlying intentions behind everything. So weaving love into whatever we envision in your step 3 would help us on the path to joy and fulfillment.