Declutter & Lean In
It's Sunday morning and I wake up around 8am. I've forced myself not to look at my phone until after yoga, meditation and journaling. So by 930 I sit down with a cup of tea to look at my emails.
Mind you, my personal inbox always has at least 200 unread emails. But they're way back in the 500 odd emails that rest in my inbox. So I check my emails - flight agencies, random newsletters I've signed up to, people selling me courses, business coaches giving advice, journaling instructor courses.
I delete all the newest emails.
Not a single one of actual importance.
Later that day, I'm chatting with a friend of mine, Sarah. I mentioned something about a woman who is particularly successful in the online world. After a moment, Sarah responded; 'I don't follow or listen to any one anymore. Not business people, not yoga teachers. It's all distraction. I just do my own thing.' (she was referring to her own yoga/oils business).
That advice struck me. Because, being a curious woman, I tend to Google a lot, sign for a lot of newsletters, follow a lot of people on Facebook. As someone who tends to think other people know better, I can be swayed to watching videos and reading other people's work.
TO THE DETRIMENT OF MY OWN WORK.
So, today I implore you to do what I did and spend some time de-cluttering. This could be your physical environment - we've all seen those clutter shows on TV and read about the importance of decluttering.
““Cluttered home, cluttered mind.” ”
What I'm actually inspiring you to do today is to declutter your online world. Go through your inbox and delete all the newsletters you receive but never read, go through Facebook and cull or unfollow all the people who are distracting you.
Here's what really stuck with me after chatting with Sarah and being super-inspired by her comment;
//How much time & energy do we waste in reading those emails or even just the fact that we have to delete them?
//How much do we give our power away when we read a lot of magazines, articles and advice from other people instead of turning inwards?
Once you've decluttered, spend some time in meditation & then journaling - SPEND SOME TIME LEANING INWARDS.
What does this decluttering experience mean for you?
What does it mean to trust yourself more and turn inwards for advice?
Write your way home,
Katrina
#LTFI (lean the F in)
Photo by Kara Michelle on Unsplash
What Intuition Sounds Like
Years ago, in the midst of feeling completely lost, utterly useless and down in the dumps, I went researching (it's what I do).
Into the Google Search bar I typed;
'How to tell the voice of fear from intuition'?
See, when you are so caught up in your head and you've let all your voices have free range for two decades - well, there's a whole lot of warring going on up in your head.
At this confused and complicated time of my life, the voice of Intuition was not apparent to me.
Want to know why ?
Want to know what I learned from my research?
(and I sincerely wish I could link that very blog but I can no longer find it)
I found a beautiful blog and one sentence struck my core and remains part of my biggest message today;
Fear is the loud voice shouting while Discernment (Intuition) is a hand on your back gently guiding you, 'this is the way.'
Intuition speaks softly, in gestures, in symbols. Intuition requires your attention, your silence in order for it to be heard.
Intuition requires practice. Like a muscle it must be built. If you are now, like I was then, so caught up in the voices of your mind, you have trained your Rational thinking mind to be strong. You have flexed that muscle.
Now you must learn to flex your intuition.
How?
1. Daily card. Pick a card in the morning (Oracle Card) - choose just one and Journal on what you think/feel it means.
At the end of the day journal on what actually happened.
2. Guessing games - play with fast games where you don't think too much about it first. What colour is the car that's about to come around the corner ?Who's the next person who will call you.
3. Take yourself on an intuitive trip. Could be a 20 minute walk or a half day drive... or longer... simply go where you feel drawn. At every intersection take the turn that feels best for you. Play with this. Enjoy the process. Trust that you are heading in exactly the right direction.
4. Trust yourself. I know this can be hard and the best piece of advice I've ever read about this is --- don't beat yourself up if you're Intuition is wrong, if you get it wrong. Practice Self-Compassion here.
Write your way home,
Trin
Why Gabrielle Bernstein wrote a book on judgement
Judgement, judgement, judgement.....
I'd be lying if I said I didn't judge others and myself and so would you.
We all engage in judgemental behaviour. It's a pain-inducing habit that reinforces our separation. Gabrielle Bernstein recently released a book, 'The Judgement Detox' because she saw what Judgement was doing not only to her but to others.
In an interview with Lewis Howes, Gabby speaks about how judgement impacts our lives;
// blocks your power
// blocks your connection to relationship to higher power, to intuition, capacity to attract
// impacts our relationships
// keeps us small
// keeps us stuck in a low vibe
“Judgement comes from the moment of separation.”
Separation from who really are - the oneness, the light, the connectedness. When someone makes you feel inadequate, when someone makes you feel "less than", when you feel different, alone, better than, worse than. All of these are moments of separation that become thoughts that we keep thinking and we develop that separation by thinking over and over again.
"The wound from this separation is something that we run from all our lives," says Bernstein. Judgement is how we run (one of the ways we run, like addiction). Avoid feeling our deep rooted feelings and we use judgement in the same way. Seemingly we feel better for a moment in time.
We project out what we do not want to feel within and that becomes an addictive cycle. Putting it out that we want to feel it and then we unconsciously feel guilty.
Overcoming judgment
As always, in the moment, I advise you to take three deep breaths and observe. Witness the thoughts and processes.
When you have time, ask yourself some questions, get your pen out and analyse;
1.What or whom am I judging?
2. How does it make me feel?
3. Am i justified in that judgement?
4. Is there a situation in your past that has triggered this judgement?
5. Is this true?
6. Can you release this now? What will you need to do in order to release this trigger/feeling/judgement?
7. Who do you need to forgive to let this go?
8. What do you need to let go?
Write your way,
Katrina
Ps. For more information and full process, get your hands on Gabby's book.
How to LEAN IN to your EMOTIONS
// Feel It //
Lean IN.
We have to feel what’s coming up for us.
We distract ourselves by “doing” in myriad ways;
// social media (raising my hand here!! I’m scrolling for something unknown... because what needs to be made known is within me)
// TV
// surfing
// hiking
// working
//cleaning
// seeking out friends
// generally being busy
// what’s your distraction method of choice ???
But, but, but
When we suppress thoughts or emotions they come back with a vengeance. Scientists have studied this. The results are in. This is Fact.
We have to feel what we’re feeling; allow it time to shine so it can fall away gracefully.
Lean into what you’re feeling.
Explore it.
Feel it.
Then watch as it miraculously dissipates along with its control on you.
So -- here's some tips on leaning in;
1. As you go through out your day, pay attention to what you are feeling and acknowledge. 'I am feeling Angry'. Keep in mind you are a human having an emotion. You do not become your emotion. Eg. I am Angry - as often as you can focus on shifting your thinking away from being an emotion to being a human having an emotion. Note what this shift brings up for you.
2. Find a comfortable, quiet place where you can be alone and undisturbed, sit with your eyes closed. Focus on your breath. Ask yourself, 'What am I feeling,' allowing whatever comes up to arise - even if it is tears. Begin to label or name what you are feeling. Sit here. With all of these feelings.
3. Write to your emotions - engage, for example, anger in a discussion on the page. What does Anger need to say? How can you work with Anger? What does Anger need? Promise Anger you'll be a better listener from now on, rather than hiding from it or suppressing it.
Write your way,
Katrina
3 ways to shake a comparisonitis funk
Tackling a bout of COMPARISONITIS? It's alright - we ALL DO IT.
We all fall victim to the comparison bug from time to time. Often Comparison comes with voices that tell us we don't measure up, we aren't enough as we are.
"She's doing so well, I'm not."
"They've got such a beautiful family and they seem so happy but I'm still single and my life is a mess."
"She's got so much confidence, I wish I could walk into a room like her."
I'm sure you've got some gems of your own.
(feel free to head over to the FB group and share yours there)
Next time you're struck by these nasty thoughts - I invite you to take three deep breaths and observe your thoughts. What are they ? What's coming up for you?
When you get a chance, I invite you explore the meaning behind your Comparisonitis. You know, the part of comparing yourself that is making you feel belittled, ashamed, jealous.
Explore what that means by asking some of the following questions;
1. Why am I feeling X?
2. Is this something that I want to pursue (their lifestyle/health/relationships/whatever has got your knickers twisted)
3. Is this something I actually desire but have been denying myself? If yes, are there ways you can introduce this into your life?
4. If you have been denying this in your life or your desire -- why? Where did this come from? What was the root cause? Did someone tell you when you were little that artists don't make any money so you stopped painting while studying economics? What's the cause? Is it true? (really true?)
5. Are you measuring yourself against your own Yardstick? Or are you measuring yourself against someone else's map for life?
6. Write about and create your own ideals. What do you expect/hope for yourself? Use this to measure yourself against. ALSO - remember not everything in life goes as planned. You may have to revisit and readjust your Ideal as time passes and that's completely OKAY.
THREE WAYS TO STEP OUT OF A COMPARISON FUNK;
1. GRATITUDE - Nothing shakes a bad mood or lackful thinking like a good old Gratitude rant. Write it, list it, flow it, think it, say it out loud. Acknowledge and appreciate everything that you have in your life. Everything that you ARE. This will always shake you up into thinking about your abundance and sufficiency.
2. LIST YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS - spend some time reflecting on what you have already achieved - big and small. Again, this will shift you from lack to sufficiency.
3. WRITE ABOUT YOUR IDEAL. Reaffirm what it is that you want for your life and what you will measure yourself to.
Write your way,
Katrina
// image is from Pinterest however I don't know who originally created it //
Let go of these to FEEL BETTER about yourself...
Got that knot in your chest? Feeling a little (or a lot) meh? You know, mopey, procrastinating, watching series on netflix back to back, feeling stuck, moping around the house...
You've got a project you want to work on - application to study, a book you want to write, a business you want to start but you can't get yourself together enough to actually start (or continue) the damn thing.
I guarantee you'll feel BETTER if you quit engaging in the following behaviours;
1. COMPARING (Yep, Comparisonitis is a bitch and a sure-fire method to keep you feeling small)
2. JUDGING OTHERS (Judging others generally means you don't accept that characteristic or behaviour, or you exhibit the behaviour or characteristic but aren't aware so you project it, or there could be a level of envy or resentment)
3. Listening to the voice of FEAR rather than DISCERNMENT (hint: fear shouts while discernment whispers)
4. Playing the BLAME GAME (you could be avoiding accepting responsibility... among other things)
5. Engaging in VICTIM MENTALITY (what about me???)
6. PEOPLE PLEASING -- Get your FREE DOWNLOAD, 3 steps to stop people pleasing by clicking here
Becoming more aware of yourself - your thoughts and your behaviours - will enable you to see if you are engaging in these kinds of behaviours...
If you're reading this and identifying these behaviours but you're wondering, how the hell do I shift that? Start by just changing your state. Turn off the TV and on the music - dance, practice yoga, jump around. Take yourself on a walk, a jog or a swim. Get under a cold shower if you have to!
Pull yourself out of your slump because honey, no one else can do that for you!
“Pull out your pen and paper and remind yourself of who you really are”
1. Begin with a fountain of GRATITUDE. Acknowledge and appreciate all the good in your life and about yourself. Be specific. Eg. I'm grateful for the hair on my head, my blue eyes that see well, for my healthy body, my legs that walk me everywhere, my body that bends when I practice yoga... and on and on and on....
2. Write about everything you have achieved and accomplished so far.
3. Write out your dreams in positive, active language as though they are a reality NOW. What do you want in all areas of your life? How do you want to feel, who do you want to be, how do you want to spend your time?
(if you're feeling really down and this is wayyy too far, take it a step back. eg. Instead of staying "I earn millions of dollars" if you currently don't have a job and that seems ridiculous write about how abundant the world is and you know that there are lots of people in the world who were once in your position and now have millions so you can do it too. That you know you have a wealth of abundance within you to create and share)
4.. Write one action you will do today that will take you closer to this dream. One small step.
Go and do that one thing. Go, now.
Write your way home,
Katrina
Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash