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This 2019 can be the best year yet without making crazy unrealistic declarations to lose fifteen pounds, buy a Porsche, or find your soulmate. Instead, this is your year to transform your life from the inside out and it doesn’t require money, relocation, or relationship confrontations.
The process is a practice transforming how you act, think, and feel. The benefits are that you no longer walk in a monotonous sleep state following the crowd, avoiding the truth, and using anything out there as a substitute to escape feelings of depression, confusion, and sadness. We’ve existed in this state far too long and it’s killing us. Outrageous New Year’s Resolutions with hard to sustain goals are not going to solve what is the core of our issues. How much self-loathing can we stomach until we realize that taking the easy route ends no where. There is no honor being a follower scapegoating others to bear the brunt of failure. This follow the leader game is a lose/lose for the entire world. If you’re exhausted by endless feelings of ‘nothingness’ than this is the year you become your own BFF. Here are the three exercises that will reincarnate your birthright to health, wealth, and happiness:
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Wakeful Awareness
The first step is to simply wake up and live in the moment. This first occurs by becoming aware of all the sensations that make up you. You’ll be amazed when you transition back to this natural state wondering how you ever survived before.
To get in the habit of this new thought process, start each morning scanning your body parts, feeling your blood pulsate, your toes wiggling, and your arms stretching. Next listen to the thoughts that pop up on awakening, and your feelings about them. Is your mind already racing reviewing your ‘to do’ list? Are you tired? Afraid to face the day? Then move to that place within that whispers truth. Is your spirit filled with joy or dread?
Next expand this present awareness by gazing around the room and letting your mind focus on an item as though it is the very first time you’ve seen it. Look at it noticing the shape, the way the light hits it, and the shape.
As you go through the day stretch these moments of ‘now’ and strive to keep this state of present awareness as you pass cars, people, and buildings. Don’t fret if this takes a while to master. With practice you will eventually have little difficulty in maintaining this state of ‘now.’
Counselor’s Tip: With this step it is as though you are born again each day inspired and delighted in all that you are lucky enough to experience. You possess the joy of a child and it’s wonderful.
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Become the Watcher
With awareness in the present you can now begin to watch your space without judgment. Practice examining events and people as a separate entity. Realize that all of this is somehow separate and not connected to you personally. Imagine that this is a movie and you are the director seeing all of the elements of the scenes. Listen without your feelings getting hurt or inflated. What does that person’s body language have to say? Do their words match the feelings on their face? How do I look approaching them? Am I conveying what I truly think? If not, why so? What does my hiding really indicate?
It’s important to maintain a sense of calm to really see the big picture and the little moments that lead you to greater understanding of yourself and others. Messages are peaking through handing you puzzle pieces that clarify once that was confusing and hard to understand. It’s as though you are a detective discovering yourself and your surroundings in a peaceful and gentle way. These moments have always been available to you and will always be there to help with the simple process of moving your perspective to watchful awareness.
Counselor’s Tip: Nonjudgmental watching is the key to assimilating more positive methods of relating to yourself and others creating better relationships in all facets of your life.
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Listen to the Trinity Within
The last step has to do with taking that information and getting to trust and attune to the messages and living by them. This is the beginning of getting to know yourself. You are made of a unique combination of a what I call the holy trinity of you. There is no one like you in the entire universe; so there is no one that will ever be able to comfort and advise you better than this gift of the trinity within. The mind, soul, and body are constantly trying to assist you. As you begin to listen to them weaving all the clues and ideas together, life will start to make more sense and you will make wiser decisions.
The benefits of the 2019 renewal include: increased creativity, discernment of others, better sleep, greater intimacy, and inner direction leading you to find ways to follow your passion.
The result is greater success physically, mentally, and spiritually. Wow! How wonderful is that! No books, no counselors, no outside guidance needed. Who knew you had the answers to your questions all along. A built in GPS tailored specifically to your mind, body, and spirit.
Counselor’s Tip: When you are comfortable and understand yourself, your energy raises and it attracts others that resonate on your level and doors open up more easily to your evolution and growth.
Happy New Year to all of the magnificent parts of you. Let them guide you with love and compassion.
April Kirkwood holds a Masters degrees in both school and community mental health counseling. After twenty-five years working as an educator, she is now a certified Licensed Professional Counselor working with those who have experienced emotional abuse, divorce, molestation, and addiction. April is the author of, Working My Way Back To Me, sharing the story of her #MeToo focusing on the transformation from #MeToo into #NowME.She shares the a process of Life with Love; Let it Happen which helps patients heal and rebuild their lives after pain and is involved in Post Modern Bomb Shells. She is available for book readings, keynote speaking, and coaching.Please visit: aprilkirkwood.com for more information.
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