Being awake to life and living it bravely sometimes means we will be faced with difficult things we didn't want or choose. It is simply the fact of life. Bad, uncomfortable, scary, unpredictable things happen.

We do, however, have a choice around how we relate to those circumstances and the meaning we give them. And this part that is ours can amplify our pain and suffering or it can ease it.

​Resisting something we don't want takes energy. So when we give energy to what we don't want, we are strengthening it. 

If we can be with our pain in a curious, compassionate way, instead of resisting it, it no longer has power over us. It is just there. It is just a feeling to be experienced and information to be taken in, instead of a problem to be solved. 

Let your feelings and experiences be, don't push them away.

Be curious and ask: What message do you (feeling) have for me? What am I invited to learn through this? 

We use the power of our imagination all the time, but we often use it to imagine scenarios that disempower us and make us feel limited.

Instead of imagining more of what we don’t want, we can use the power of imagination in the way it empowers us - by imagining possibilities.

​How?

Intentionally set aside time and imagine yourself in a situation you would love to experience. The most important part is to connect to the feeling of what you'd like to experience and let yourself be anchored in that state for as long as you can. What seems possible for you in this state? What actions can you take? 

​This can be a great exercise if you have a difficult conversation coming up or if you are anticipating a situation that makes you feel uneasy or anxious. It is a wonderful tool for manifesting fun, exciting things in your life.

I have a vivid memory of the time I said something that, in the past would take me into a full shame and self-judgment spiral. But that time, there was lightness about it. I couldn't stop laughing at myself.

I felt that something was different about me. Unlike previous times, I didn't feel like that moment defined me in any way or that it made me flawed or broken. It was just a funny moment.

This moment made me think of other ways in which healing and growth shows up internally. 

• Laughing at ourselves, taking things less seriously & personally

• Seeking out more pleasure, fun, and joy

• Being more creative, spontaneous, and open-minded

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• Giving yourself more choices

 
As we heal, we stop using all of our energy to control situations and to protect ourselves from perceived dangers.
 
And the less we do that, we have more energy (life force) to create and connect to experiences that are light and enjoyable.
 
We understand that our ‘mistakes’ don’t make us less worthy, capable, or lovable.
 
We feel free and see choices that previously weren’t obvious to us.
 
What would you add to this list? Have you noticed any similar shifts in yourself?

​When you authentically want something, the desire in itself is your permission to pursue it.

It doesn’t have to be analyzed or explained with logic, because true desire comes from the heart.

It doesn’t have to be approved by others because it was meant for you to realize.

Consider:
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What desire would you pursue if you gave yourself permission to do so?