How you experience life and how you experience your experiences, is your creation, your choice. The spirituality field is ripe with topics about shifting from auto-pilot and non-awareness to creating inner peace. And yet, it seems elusive even if it’s not. Auto-pilot rather than ask, “what’s going on here? Why do I feel the way I do? I don’t like feeling this way, how can I feel better”? But first, let’s talk about why might so many of us feel awful.
There’s a lot of contrast in the world and it’s the stuff “feeling awful” can come from. What’s good about contrast is it’s in our face. Because it’s so obvious it’s teaching us to look out for one another. It asks us to care more about one another and shows us our choices. Actually the more the contrast the more clear our choices are. At least that’s how it shows up for me. But it’s also very easy for me to be able to think less loving thoughts while experiencing contrast. And then I hear myself complaining that others are being less loving. It’s good to laugh at what we notice.
Humanity is learning to master some things. Perhaps inner peace is one of those things. Uh-oh, I feel a song coming on.
You, me, all of us, are learning how to master different things in our lives. As I look at current events and I’m looking around and seeing people acting out so much, it’s very challenging for me. I’m challenged to not get attached to who I want someone to be. How I think they should be. And before I know it, I’m out of alignment with feeling peace.
It’s my preference to feel good about myself and others. It’s a space where I allow myself to be who I am and allow others to be who they are. This shows up even more powerfully when I allow myself to be ok with sitting in a challenging moment as well. Or when I allow someone else to be how they are in their challenging moment. I can love myself and others in all moments. Truthfully, it’s easier some days and more difficult on other days. I’m laughing as I write this because in just writing about how it’s easier and more difficult on some days, I recognize a beautiful opportunity for even greater love. Oh, human lifetime aren’t you cute!?
In shifting from auto-pilot and non-awareness I’m creating my own inner peace.
That feeling of being in balance, even on those challenging days, allows for more inspiration within me.
Inspiring ideas and beneficent thoughts appear more easily because I’m not swimming in the discouragement of feeling that I could be better. Instead, it’s becoming more common for me to sit in whatever is appearing for me without getting negatively activated by it.
I can live more easily in all moments, not just the peaceful ones.
Allowing for inner peace encourages me to act on my most passionate ideas but now without judgment. That energy of allowing for more self-love ripples out to all of humanity and the collective consciousness. Or so I believe.
There’s a choice in every moment and while we’re not conscious of our choices in every moment, those choices are still there waiting for us.
Becoming more self-aware I ask myself in the higher contrast moments, “why do I feel this way”? What’s this about? Why do I feel threatened? Why am I so fearful”? If I’m discouraged and disillusioned, I ask “what can I do to make things better”? Or better yet, “how can I be with these feelings”? Often I react before I ask myself these helpful questions. But more and more I’m noticing that what would have irked me some time ago, now does not. No high fives. Just more awareness.
Along the lines of wishing others to be different, here’s what might be nice. Before diving into dissecting what certain human beings could do better, we could instead look to ourselves to make a contribution in a wider space. In our home, community, town, country, and then work up to the planet. The best part is this naturally evolves just by loving oneself first. If it assists us further one can also practice habits, thoughts, and use words that lift us rather than demean us.
Anyone can shift from auto-pilot and non-awareness to creating inner peace in more moments throughout their day.
Habits are a by-product but sometimes they can be the catalyst too. I have an entire course on the power of our thoughts, habits, words we choose to use and noticing patterns. There are ways to practice becoming more self-aware. Your spirit is your spirit no matter your habits. But how nice to support yourself with positive practices that nurture you and that you can choose to do most days. We can practice self-awareness and self-care, first thing in the morning before we even set foot outside of our home. Before the day starts coming at us and possibly get triggered now and again. Why not set a really great tone for ourselves for the remainder of the day?
That’s why, in the next few posts, I’m going to write about the morning awakening habits I currently practice. And, if you don’t already have a morning awakening practice, perhaps you’ll be encouraged to create yours.