Love All Versions of You

There is the visible you that shows up in front of your colleagues. Then there is the inner you who can only show up in front of close friends. Not to mention the version of you that is known best to family members. The shadow you is one whom you try your best to ignore. The truth is that you are not just a simple person who can be understood in a glance. There are many versions of your personality, some loveable and others not so much that make up the composite you!

Can You Spread the Love?

When we speak of Self Love, it means that you need to integrate and shower love on all these different versions of yourself. It’s not enough to be a good person in public and love that image. You also need to be kind to yourself in private by accepting your flaws and character quirks. If you decide this is a good idea, you will pursue Self Love.  Initially there is a whole lot of enthusiasm to do this. To change the way you view yourself in a positive manner.

Watch Your Self Talk

Unfortunately we are creatures of habit. We rarely manage to change anything before we slump right back into old patterns. This destructive habit is not restricted to those who are new on the path to spiritual ascension, even seasoned veterans can fall into this trap. It just needs something ordinary to go wrong before you toss aside Self Love for Self Criticism. Suddenly your inner critic is flaying you with all the negativity possible and your bubble of love and security bursts.

Use Self Doubt as a Stepping Stone

Our behaviour needs to be supported by our thoughts if we want to develop Self Love. One of the primary motivators to keep loving yourself is to actually know what you want to do. Some of us don’t do anything related to our life purpose and feel frustrated. Others decide they have found their life purpose and begin working towards it, only to realize that it doesn’t really resonate with them after some time. To keep yourself motivated you need to dig deep into what you really want.

Keep Loving Yourself

The best way to stay on track is to do small tasks and approve of yourself. Do things that you know you are skilled at and if you can help someone else that’s an added bonus. The kickback of completing a task successfully can be a very happy inner voice that silences your inner critic. Show your inner child love and your Self Love will begin to peak. Be considerate of your own feelings and thoughts as you would be of another person’s. It will surprise you how well you begin to treat yourself in some time.

Affirmation – “ I love and accept all versions of me.  I become my own best friend and improve myself with every passing day.”

I Can Do It

The simple fact of life is that you can do whatever you set your mind to. If it is possible for someone you admire or envy to achieve what you want, it is equally possible for you to achieve it. All it takes is getting over that part of you which craves the security of life as it knows it now. With success comes change and that is never easy to handle. Many hope to have their dreams fulfilled but still continue to live the present lives they lead. Not realizing how foolish that sentiment is, they hope for change without letting change come.

Allow Your Soul to Evolve

We are here on Earth to grow, to learn, to evolve. As spiritual beings we have chosen a corporeal form to speed up learning the lessons that will help evolve our soul to the next level. Yet time and again we forget our divine origins and begin to believe the lie that we are our bodies. Give yourself permission to think beyond what is socially acceptable. To learn lessons that you came down to Earth for and to make up for all the lost time you need to start now. Each day you wait is like a day you have wasted away. Nothing ever stays the same and you need to change along with it. Fulfill the life purpose your soul has chosen.

Take Care of Your Human

One of the main reasons why we are unable to fulfill the life purpose we have come down to Earth with is that we get distracted by the human form. There are the five senses giving us sensory overload of pleasures of the flesh. Who then has the time to indulge in quite fortitude and think about matters more spiritual? This is where the soul needs to guide the human form. Take care of the physical needs of the body, but don’t get so lost in the desires that you forget your original purpose. Eat healthy, exercise well and ensure that your human is able to support the cause of your soul.

Put Yourself in the Driver’s Seat

Distractions are a part and parcel of life on Earth. Some say they would achieve so much if they did not constantly have to care for others. This is just an excuse to pardon the distraction. Others feel that if they do not follow the ways of society they will not have money for their basic needs, so they must work and leave their life purpose alone. This is another distraction that you can do without. You need to put yourself in the driver’s seat and not let distractions like fear and anxiety lead you away from your life purpose. Don’t worry about things that may never happen, don’t plan for contingencies that are unlikely to come into play, instead focus on your passion.

When you stay true to the purpose of your life, your soul is happy and so are you. Affirm to yourself – “I live my life purpose with joy and abundance.”

Change is Inevitable: Accepting Your Spiritual Side

About ten years ago I did the Art of Living Course and was sharing my experience with family when my grandmother asked me, “Don’t you know how to live life?”

I recently spoke with a friend about a Heal Your Life Workshop, and the first question I was asked was, “What’s wrong with your life?”

Over the years I have let the doubts and criticism of family and friends roll off like water rolls off the back of a duck. However there was a time when it used to stick. There was a time when although I wanted to do these spiritual courses and workshops, I was worried about what people who came to know about it would think of me.

The opinion of my family members and loved ones mattered and I wanted to keep up the appearance of being “normal”. However life kept going crazier and crazier on me and at one point of time I could no longer keep up with all that seemed to be flooding into my state of being.  I knew I needed some help and I knew where I could get, so I finally got over all the mental blocks and went for it.

That’s the point when I said to myself, “OK. Stop. Inhale. Listen. Assimilate. Exhale.... And now prioritize.” There will always be people who disagree with what you say. No two people have the same journey to make in this world. So it’s alright to be a bit different from other people around you. It is absolutely fine to pursue what you are interested in, especially when you are not harming anyone else. After that it was just a matter of picking and choosing what I wanted to learn and when. And I can honestly say that it has been one of the most enriching periods of my life.

Now that you have decided to accept the change, the point is where do you begin? These are a few questions to get you started:

Do I enjoy my life every day?
Am I happy with my job/career?
Am I making a difference?
Is there anything holding me back?

As you think about what all you are not quite satisfied with in your life, you will begin to come up with suggestions to make changes – big and small – to get to where you really want to be. If part of that process involves investing in yourself, so be it. Find the experts who can help you. Make sure you get nice positive vibes from them and are willing to trust them with the intimate details of your life.  Remember that in order for them to help you, they need to see the bare you. Once they can figure out what you need, they can guide you in a manner that can send your life soaring. The only way to find out if it works, is to experience it once.

Affirmation – “All that I need for my spiritual and emotional growth: resources, courses, teachers, books and more, are sent to me now.”

Spirituality and Solitude

Practices that lead to spiritual well being are often mired in solitude. It is important to be comfortable in your own skin, to love yourself, if you are to become a more spiritual person. Being spiritual does not mean being religious. Spirituality cares nothing for traditions and customs prescribed centuries ago to appease gods and goddesses of lore. Spirituality seeks to connect you with your own higher self. To help you realize that everything that you are hunting for in this world, is already a part of you.

Why do you need solitude to experience your spiritual self?

The decisions you take through the day are based on logic, scientific reasoning and calculated risks. This material aspect of your lives needs inputs from external sources. You speak with all manners of people, family members, friends, colleagues, and even some whom you may not necessarily like for these inputs. It usually centers on your financial goals and involves doing better than the others around you.

Your spiritual self is not in the picture at all. In fact it is so deep in hiding that even when you wish for some sane advice from it, you can’t reach it amongst the chaos of your daily life. To be able to listen to that soft spoken, polite and well meaning spiritual self you need more than silence around you. You need peace of mind and that can only be achieved when your mind is not constantly looking for other people it can engage with. It can only happen when you are all by yourself.

Looking within can be uncomfortable and scary!

When you begin looking within yourself rather than relying on external inputs, you may initially be at a loss. You won’t know how to proceed with having a conversation with yourself. It can feel foolish asking yourself a question and expecting yourself to reply. Then the replies start coming, but they are not from the spiritual self which is shy, but from the more brazen ego.  The messages from the ego are never loving and definitely never spiritual.

It can be frightening to find such strong negative emotions flowing out from within you. You will be seriously tempted to break off with the self exploratory solitude, but you must persist for it is only when you can silence the ego, will you be able to pay attention to your true self. It is only when the negativity has had its say and been flushed out that the spiritual self will come out to play. Tentatively at first, and then with greater confidence you will be able to connect with your inner spirituality.

How does being spiritual help?

Spirituality believes in PIF (Pay It Forward). Doing random deeds of kindness to help someone in need is a great way of sending out a message to the universe that you are open to helping others and receiving help. Paying for an extra cup of coffee for someone who can’t afford it, paying the car toll for the vehicle behind you on the toll plaza, or just helping someone carry their bags can be simple acts of kindness which you can do.

The idea is that when you affirm, “I will help all who I can today”, the Law of Attraction immediately responds with “You will be helped by all who can today.” So be spiritual, do random acts of kindness and know in your heart that you are paying it forward. Trust in the quick response of the universe when you are in need of help the next time. That’s why getting in touch with your spiritual self is so important.