Tag: challenge

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Reflect. Plant seeds. Rest.

Lessons learned

2020 has been an incredible teacher, if you were in the space to hear and receive the lessons. For me, some of the greatest lessons and take-aways have been:

  • Stepping into my spiritual gifts
  • Become a student grounded in the art of boundary setting
  • Connecting with my ancestors
  • Opening myself to relationships with incredible teachers
  • Allowing spirit and faith to guide my steps
  • The power of exploring and fostering my inner sanctum
  • Shifting my perspective on loss

This is not an exhaustive list. It currently feels critically important to acknowledge the seeds that this year has planted. The seeds that I will continue to foster with intention and allow to bloom in their own time.

May we learn from winter

Winter is a season of rest and hibernation. A season of internal preparations. As the leaves fall from the trees, leaving barren limbs – the tree is focusing on replenishing it’s energy. Simultaneously, as it dropped its leaves, it has spread it’s seeds- Seeds of new life and ideas.

May we learn from this awesome and powerful season – which, in the case of 2020, has metaphorically been carrying on through the year.

Call to action

To prepare for the challenge and call to action below, I invite you to get grounded. Some of the ways I ground are through yoga asana flows, meditation with my plants and music. A current favorite song is Grounded by Ari Lennox

Take a few moments and some deep breaths as you explore these questions:

  • What do I desire?
  • What do I want to create for myself?
  • How can I foster my imagination?
  • What does it mean to live with intention?
  • What “seeds” can I plant now – knowing that they will grow later?

Invite your answers to guide you and then allow yourself to rest knowing that the ideas -as seeds- have been planted.

I’m glad my words were able to reach you. Hello solstice.

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Lead with Love

I have grown and shifted in ways that I did not know was possible in the past 6 months. With the goal of fostering my healthiest and happiest self, I removed myself from situations and relationships. I began to open up to my family about various aspects of myself that I kept hidden away. My awareness of the relationship between mind and body grew. I began to lead with love; a love that starts deep within and radiates out of me.

Where I was

Reflecting on the person that I was 6 months ago, I remember playing small, being ambitious, feeling overwhelmed with life situations, and existing in a state of fear and anxiety. Intense, vivid nightmares, panic attacks, and fatigue were regular. Above all, I had more questions than answers and I felt something pushing me. This was something I did not understand and that scared me.

The time for change is now

I discussed my fears and concerns with my family members, co-workers, my therapist, and some friends. The responses and advice that I got varied. With each conversation, my narrative about the push that I was feeling became more clear. The time for change, the time to take a leap without a clear next step, the time for faith, the time to lead with love was now. For context, I am known as a very meticulous, detail oriented person who is always following a set plan. Consequently, this shift appeared out of character. Today, I see that I was preparing to stand more fully in my self and my truth.

Allowing love to flow

My perspective about my goals and desires began to morph. I made moves with joy and love in mind. The fear around the shift began to fade. Gradually, the doubt became less crippling and before I knew it, I walked with the lightness of liberation. I had unburdened myself mentally, emotionally, and physically. This freedom opened up space for creativity and presence, which produced the outcome that you are reading and seeing now. Words, movement, and art that flow freely from a place of love, endless and deep within me. I no longer hide my creative side from myself and the world. I need not censor and move from a place of lack or judgement.

Part of the process

The words may seem simple, but the process involved awareness and was (and continues to be) gradual. Every interaction provides an opportunity; a choice to think and move differently; a space to inquire “what is motivating my response?”. In my case, the default was usually with the goal of other peoples comfort at my own expense. Thankfully, there are more moments when I choose a new option; I move, react and lead with love and respect for myself.

Magnificent multi-faceted being

A few months ago, I was fearful of myself and my magnificent, multifaceted self. Can I be an academic researcher, a dancer, an emotional being, a mover, a yogi, a lover, a plant, a creative, a friend, etc. all at once? The prospect was overwhelming. Today, I stand in the truth. I am a beautiful multi-dimensional being. I am enough. I am always worthy. I can be all of me at one time; now. Leading with love makes it a challenge for fear to deepen its roots. When the opportunity presents itself, which will you choose — love or fear?

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Deconstructing self-doubt

This is a self-awareness exercise. Feel free to take a few minutes to answer these questions.
  • Where does self-doubt live in your life? 
  • Does it manifest in your actions, words and/or thoughts? 
  • When is the last time you doubted yourself or your abilities? 
  • What fueled your doubt? 
  • Is the source of your doubt subjective or objective?
    • Objective – Observation of measurable facts
    • Subjective – Personal opinions, assumptions, interpretations, and beliefs
  • How do you respond to self-doubt?
  • What actions do you take to combat doubt? 

Take a look at self part 1: doubt and procrastination for the tips I use to combat my doubt.
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Movement and stagnation

In this week’s blog post, I talk about movement and stagnation. What are some ways that you move mentally, emotionally, physically and/or socially? Write them down and see if you can put two of them into practice this week. If you feel like you are not able to or feel stuck, take some time to think about what is getting in the way. Is something out of alignment for you? Are there thoughts and feelings taking up space and preventing you from moving?

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Take your ideas for a walk

List 2 or 3 ideas, thoughts, or aspirations that are important to you. They can be related to anything.
  1. Plan: Under each thought, write out some steps that you would have to take to turn your idea into reality. You can work from the present moment or think about it in reverse as if it is the moment before your idea becomes tangible. The number of steps will vary, but do your best to go into detail. It will make the next step easier. There is no time frame on how long you spend in the planning stage, but be careful to not get caught up in the minute details. Finding a happy medium between too much and too little detail takes practice.
  2. Execute: Pick one of the ideas or thoughts and start to implement the steps from the planning stage. As you progress through each step, take note of your feelings. Are you excited, overwhelmed, confused, bored, insecure, optimistic or something else? Allow these feelings to guide you. If confused, take a second to gain some clarity perhaps through research or conversation with others. If overwhelmed, take a second to pause. There are no deadlines unless you self-impose and if there are deadlines, a moment to pause will do more good than harm. If insecure, try the self-inquisition challenge to get to the root of your insecurity. If excited, take a moment to pause and then keep on moving. Keep moving through the steps until your thought or idea has been manifested.
  3. Do it again: Take note of what you learned during the planning and executing phases and do it all again, with the same idea or with a new one. It is completely up to you!

take a look at Show Up for Yourself: PED for some inspiration.