Getting Out of Your Own Way

I’ve been having some “aha” moments and mini-epiphanies as we make our way into 2020. They hit me in a powerful way that’s already helping me grow.

Yet when I look at these messages from spirit, they seem remarkably simple. They are things I either knew already (intellectually, anyway), or probably should have known.

That doesn’t make them any less profound.

My new realizations came to me during a couple of different workshops focused on setting goals and planning for the year to come.

One can be summed up as, “Less is more. Don’t try to do ALL THE THINGS. Do fewer things in a more focused way.” Um, duh. But it feels so huge to give myself permission to do this!

The other, shared by a wise woman who led us on a goal-setting meditation, is to set goals that reflect values and feelings you want to have, and then do things each day that allow you to feel that way NOW. This will bring your success into your present moment, thus drawing your goals to you. I feel like I’d heard this before, but it was powerfully brought home to me by the feelings of confidence and leadership that I experienced during my visioning process.

If I knew these things already, then why are they affecting me so profoundly now? I think it’s because we tend to get in our own way.

Our old patterns and habits of being take over. We run on auto-pilot more often than we might care to admit.

When we do the deep inner work of clearing those old patterns, it creates space in the psyche. It leaves room for new growth. The lessons that come in at this auspicious point might be super simple, but we have the inner space for them, now.

I’ve been doing that work of clearing old patterns for more than a year now. As I’ve de-cluttered my physical spaces, I’ve done the same to my inner sanctum.

So perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that these seemingly simple realizations are creating a huge impact. I made space for them.

How can you do the same? Some of the ways I’ve been creating inner space include:

De-cluttering my home. It might not seem connected on the surface, but by purging and organizing our physical possessions, we’re changing our energy field. I’ve done a lot of this throughout the past year, and there’s still more to do. But it’s already having a positive effect.

Doing Shadow Work. This involves taking a close look at what’s not working in your life, and then figuring out why. When there’s a situation in your life that you’re don’t want, acknowledge that there is actually part of you that does want this. Shine the light on old beliefs, fears, and doubts that cause you to hold yourself back. Shadow work is too complex to summarize here, but check out this article if you want to learn more.

Journaling. Part of my own work with my Shadow involves regular journaling. I take time to shine the light on that part of me that wants to sabotage my success or hold me back. I dialogue with her on the page. Most often, our Shadow self just wants to be seen and heard. They want to keep us safe.

Doing LOA practices. Changing old beliefs that no longer serve you takes some focus. It’s a matter of cultivating a focus on what you do want, as well as releasing what you no longer need. I’ve been using various Law of Attraction (LOA) processes each day, to raise my energy vibration and focus on my big dreams. Jeannette Maw’s Good Vibe blog has a lot more about this, if you’re curious.

Meditation. Having a daily spiritual practice is an integral part of my life. Meditation is such a powerful way to create space between your inner spirit and the monkey mind. It makes it possible to quickly notice when you’ve gotten sucked into an old and unhelpful pattern.

Getting out of your own way and making space for personal growth takes some dedication. It requires time to regularly look within. It demands that you be willing to see the negative things as well as the positive.

It takes work – but the benefits are well worth it.

Pick something simple that takes just 10 minutes or so each day, and get started. When you create space in your psyche, those epiphanies will start flooding in, making your life simpler and more joyful.