“It doesn't matter where you have come from, it only matters where you are heading.” Oprah
In part one of The Simple Laws of Self Mastery, we explored the concept of BEING STILL and LISTENING TO OUR BODY with;
• The Law Of Noticing The Little Things
• The Law Of Living Life To Its Fullest
• The Law of Trusting Yourself
• The Law of Positive Self Talk
How did you go? Keeping a journal of your experiences, reflections and insights is a great way to measure just how far you have come. Keep in mind, the journey of Self Mastery is just that, a journey – there is no end just an adventure full of experiences. I often find it interesting that it seems to only be in times of stress and turmoil that we seek solace in our journal and when things are well, we think we don’t need to reflect on what is going right. I certainly have my share of down days, uncertainty and asking for guidance, however reflecting on my happy days is just as important as reflecting on my down days.
In this section we look at the concept of GROWTH and MOVING FORWARD. As a living being we are constantly growing and changing on a cellular level every second. In fact every living thing is constantly growing and changing. It is a truth that the only constant is change. With this being said, it is also true that the path of Self Mastery involves change and growth. The next few tools presented here are designed to help you direct your change, embrace your growth and support your learning journey.
Lets continue......
1. Law of Filling Your Own Cup
I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the faster time seems to fly. Life seems to happen at a frantic pace.... with more demands, more learning and more responsibility. Trying to juggle work, personal life, family, and social expectations can be exhausting. From my experience, this running around often comes at the expense of our inner journey. As life gets busier we tend to take less time for ourselves as we set about achieving our to-do lists. The irony is, if we took a few minutes a day to restore our own energies than we would have more energy to run our day. Imagine for a moment a glass of water that is full. Imagine you wake up in the morning and you are this full cup of water. You begin your day with getting ready, travelling to work, liaising with people throughout the day, taking phone calls, sending emails etc, Then you go home to family or catch up with friends. As you go about your day, you give a little bit of yourself to everyone– clients, family, friends, etc. If you get home feeling exhausted it’s because you have an empty cup. While it is lovely to give so much to others (some more than others), it is important to give to yourself as well.
We are energy beings, if we are always giving energy out, we must also take energy in. Life is about giving and receiving
• My question to you is this, how do you replenish your cup throughout the day?
• How often do you receive support from others or nurture yourself throughout the day?
• What types of things restore your energy?
2. Law of Exploring Your Senses
We all know we have five basic senses and a sixth sense, however before we awaken our sixth sense we must become more aware of our five basic senses. Spend time today noticing what you see, hear, smell, taste and feel. Have you ever taken yourself on an excursion for your sense? Perhaps going to an art gallery and immersing yourself in the creative beauty around you. Maybe going to your favourite restaurant and indulging in the buzz of the environment as well as the smell and taste of the foods. Or even a bush/ocean walk breathing in the serenity of nature.
• Make a time to explore your senses and feel the reaction of your body.
• Notice the joy and life that your body experiences as you give it permission to soak up the simple pleasures that sometimes we take for granted.
• Using your journal, name the experiences you have of your 5 senses. What do you see, hear, feel, taste, smell as you experience the day.
Perhaps you have heard the saying “in order to grow you must step out of your comfort zone”? Personally I find stepping out of my comfort zone too confronting. I’m actually a big scaredy-cat. In fact up until the age 14 I refused to speak to strangers. My mum would ask me to jump out the car and get milk and I would refuse. Instead I would cry in the back of the car begging her not to send me. I was petrified of people, preferring to stay in my bedroom and not go anywhere.... I have come a long way since then. I have had to stretch my comfort zone over and over including travelling overseas by myself , networking events and even presenting to hundreds of people all staring at me . So, when it comes to comfort zones, I prefer not to step out of it, but to stretch my comfort zone. Much like stretching a muscle, the more I stretch it, the more flexible it becomes. You see, once we do something new for the first time, while it may feel awkward or uncomfortable, once we have done it once, it no longer becomes new. If we repeat it, we may even become competent as it becomes familiar. All change happens under this same principle. Often we want something new, something to change whether that be more money, more peace, new relationships. The challenge for us is that in order for this change to occur, we must let go of how things currently are. We must do different things in order to get a different result. If not, the rule of insanity applies where we expect a different result by doing the same thing over and over. It is very normal to feel apprehensive about change because this means moving from a place that is familiar into a place that is unknown. The great thing however is that you have learnt many new skills your entire life, from learning to walk, talk, write, drive, etc and the next step is just another opportunity to learn another new skill. The one thing I am certain of is you cannot get to the next stepping stone by standing still on the current one. Take a leap of faith and you will reap the rewards – I promise.
• Think of a time you learnt something new, perhaps driving a car, learning a new role at work, playing a new sport, how did it feel to stretch your comfort zone?
• Think back over the last 5 years, how many time have you stretched your comfort zone? It could be something small like learning how you use a new phone or big like sky diving? Look at your list, how often do you stretch your comfort zone?
• If you are serious about wanting to grow with self mastery, take the time to plan two things you could do this week to stretch your comfort zone.
4. Law of Meeting New People
Do you have friends that have the same complaints, the same stories and the same dramas over and over? Or perhaps are you the person who is always telling the same story? Previously we spoke about stretching your comfort zone. A great way to do this is to meet new people. As you begin the path of self mastery you will embark on an exciting journey that unravels your previous beliefs, values and opens up new ways of thinking and being. When you do this, it can result in others around you perhaps questioning who you are and questioning what you are doing. If your friends do not grow with you, this may leave you questioning yourself and preventing your further growth. For this reason it is essential to meet like minded people who support your unfolding growth and any new beliefs you may have. Imagine having meaningful conversations with like minded people, laughing, sharing and supporting each other. Imagine feeling supported, understood and acknowledged. It is one of the most rewarding experiences you can give yourself. In the coaching field we call this the power of surrounding influences.
• Where are there opportunities for you to meet new people? Perhaps enrol in a course, visit a new hairdresser, take up a sport, or enrol in an art class.
• If you don’t have time for these things, immerse yourself in inspiring books and lectures to remind you of the spirit that lives inside you. People who have inspired me are;
• Dr Wayne Dyer, Cheryl Richardson, Denise Linn, Caroline Myss, Marcia Schmiroff, Anthony Salerno, Robert Holden, Dee Wallace, Byron Katie, and many more. Find a book or audio book that resinates for you and keep it as the voice that plays inside your head until it becomes habit.
That completes part 2 of our series. I hope this is proving helpful.
Remember to be kind and patient with yourself. You are learning a new way of being with new skills, now insights and new awareness.
May angels light your path .... and may you have the courage to follow it.
xx
Daniela
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