Going from Confidence to Calm...Windows To Your Soul

Is your Soul suffering? Are you aware of it? If you feel unclear, or that you lack focus or direction, it’s likely that you are feeling soul-disconnect.

In the first decade, we’re Super Girl, hands on hips with an ‘I CAN’ attitude. In the second decade, something happens. A shroud of mystery around blossoming womanhood, societal expectations, hormonal infusion and for many, a slow march to an externalized proclivity. How do I look, what does s/he think of me, why am I different from others, and the sway of the multi-hundred billion beauty industry assails our every sense. In the third decade, the ‘I have to’ starts. Whether growing a family or a career, whether partnered or alone, there’s deeply internalized pressure to get it right, get it done, do it now. I have to…I have to…I have to.

Along the way, we become disconnected from our Soul, the strong, self-loving, spiritually-filled girl-child in us whose bright eyes see clearly, with purpose and love. By the fourth decade, you start yearning for ‘more than this.’ As a coach, often I hear ‘I know I’m so lucky, but I feel empty inside.’ Also, me…before I started my trek to a conscious existence that took my entire fourth decade. Then, I suffered for the onset of my 50th year, and now five years later, I feel free and connected.

I’ve learned and now teach others the tools which help you see; Windows to the Soul.

Prayer is the most obvious soul-connection; but if you pray, do you actually feel the linking with your Soul, with Gd? My own prayer-practice started with just attempting to clear my mind [heroic effort!], then moving to conquer a meditative space, then breaking through a fear-barrier of the greatest unknown [Is there a Gd?] to find prayer. Honestly, I don’t ‘get there’ every time, but I know what it feels like now so I know where I’m heading.

Creativity is a multi-faceted gem offering your own formation, through your own senses and life experience to feel, find and connect. There are countless creative outlets you can use. You do not have to be ‘an Artist’ to construct the most fabulous creation of simple beauty to help you ascend.

Nature beguiles; its beauty and power can wrap you in an awe that can astonish the mind and spirit. From the simple acorn turned oak, to the colossal pounding of never-ending surf; from a cool breeze on a hot face to the phenomenon of a green leaf turning red, nature offers limitless opportunity to connect to your own Soul.

Song soothes and song stimulates. Have you felt it? Whether attending your first rock concert as a teen with the pounding base and exhilarating music making your heart rush, or from a heartrending melody bringing tears to your eyes from its mournful rhythm…music can heal and help you connect more deeply than you can imagine.

To gain clarity in your life, choose any or all windows, clean them, open your eyes and look through to see your Soul, swaying, dancing, creating in joy on the other side.

Going from Confidence to Calm...Go There and Look Back

Being ‘present’ does not mean that you cannot imagine your future. Quite the contrary.

It is only if you are mindful of this moment-of how you feel, of what you are doing and thinking-that you can imagine the future you want to create. Mostly, we are mindless of moments passing. We think there will always be another moment. Those of us who have been faced with the cruel reality of a sudden death of a loved one know this is a myth. But you don’t have to have suffer a tragic loss to realize that time passes quickly. Today is already yesterday’s tomorrow. Did you do, today, what you wanted to do ‘tomorrow’?

When you live in a mindful way, you live in a conscious state of your existence-how do I feel right now? Am I enjoying my work, my relationship, my life? Do I feel fulfilled? If you find a positive response to your self-exploration, you know you are on the right track of life.  If you are perfectly happy living in this way-great!  Live! Be satisfyingly productive, move through life with intention and feel joy every day in knowing you are living ‘on purpose!’

If, however, you are wondering about a different future….Go There and Look Back.Go to the future that is on your mind. Is it one year? When you graduate? Get married? When your kids are gone from the house? When you turn 50? When you retire? Your old age? On your death bed? Whenever it is, Go There and Look Back.

What does that actually mean?! How do you do that? Make some quiet time. Get comfortable, breathe. Select that point that is on your mind and focus on it. Try to picture it in exactly the way you want it to be. What does it look like? How do you feel in it? What are you doing? Write it all out, be specific and highly detailed; draw the picture if art is your thing. Journal, pray, meditate, walk, hike, run-go wherever you can breathe and think, then write.

Then, work backwards in your mind from then to now. If that is your desired future, what do you need to do now to create that? What are the steps, the information, the resources? What permission do you need-from yourself-to be in that place? What can you do now to move in the direction you clearly want to go? Be specific and write it down. Then, when you get out of focus, you have the map to get back on track.

This is such a simple, but important exercise. Most people just worry or wish for a questionable future. When you Go There and Look Back and are clear on what you want that future to look like and be like, then you do things today consciously and even subconsciously to move you in the direction of your desired future. What if you change your mind? No problem! Life changes. Just go to the new place and look back.