Two steps to get out of your own way

In the previous article we discussed the Law of Neutrality. This law reminded us to stay calm and let go of attachment to our outcomes.

This week, we’re going to examine the Law of Will, which asks us to leave the wants of our ego behind and realize that our personal will is also Divine Will.

This week, we’re going to learn how to get out of our own way.

If you’ve been following along and doing your homework, you’ve probably encountered some challenges to your efforts. Maybe you felt resistance, maybe you just thought you couldn’t complete your task, or maybe you didn’t want to pursue that outcome anymore.

No matter where you are, it’s now time to stop and examine your current state.

We’re not going to look at how far you may have yet to go. Let’s instead look at how far you have come, what you have achieved, and your perceptions about those results.

Looking back at the goal you set forth when you began this program, what have you accomplished in your pursuit of it?

How do you feel about your results so far?

If you are happy with what you have accomplished, then there is not much need for you to read further. Bookmark this article as a reminder to revisit it if and when you do encounter resistance. For now, you may go look at pictures of cats on Facebook, or stay focused on achieving your next benchmark.

This article is for those of you who are not feeling satisfied with where you are in relation to your goal.

Are you hearing those negative internal loops? You probably know them. They sound like, “This is too hard,” “I’ll never get ahead,” “I can’t do this. Why did I even try?” “I’m don’t know what I’m doing,” or “It’s already been done by somebody else.”

Those thoughts are coming from an ego-based story that you learned and internalized a long time ago. It’s time to let them go.

When we focus on what we have not achieved, or how we are not living the life of our dreams, we exist in a state of lack. We’re focused on what we do not have instead of realizing gratitude for what we have accomplished and what we have been blessed with in our lives.

This is where our ego-mind gets in the way and keeps us in our comfort zone.

Even though we may not be happy with our life as it exists, it is familiar and comfortable in some ways. That’s what makes it dangerous to our growth.

Comfort, like a frog in a slowly-warming pot of water, will lead to the death of our dreams.

When I work with clients who have an entrepreneurial goal, it has been eye-opening for many of them to realize that the fear of success is far more powerful than the fear of failure.

If they fail, they can keep on being who they are: same familiar life, same familiar friends, same familiar struggles; but if they succeed, then their life changes.

In success, they will have to be a different person as they run their business, learn new skills, meet new friends and associates, and let go of the things that have held them back (which includes subconscious beliefs, material things, and quite possibly, negative family members and friends).

That’s a scary thought. It is one that limits many, many people.

It is possible to overcome these fears and develop a new outlook. Hypnotherapy is one avenue, counseling or coaching is another. Either way, one key to success is to have a positive supporter/mentor guiding you on your path to change.

As humans, we’re wired to see what’s different. We tend to compare ourselves to others whom we admire and focus on where we fall short rather than making a plan to aspire and achieve.

That’s our ego getting in the way.

When we begin to refocus and reprogram our subconscious to see the good things that we have in our life, then we move to a foundation of gratitude and begin to open the doors to the Divine Will guiding us.

In an earlier article, I mentioned that your dreams do not come from a vacuum. God, The Source, The Universe or The Divine does not toy with us. It does not present ideas of achievement to us as though they were carrots dangling before a horse.
We can achieve every goal, every dream, in our mind when we realize that it is being given to us from a supportive source that wants us to succeed.

The Universe wants us to make this physical realm better. We’re here to improve it.

Our ego-mind keeps us small. Not because it’s trying to harm us, it just doesn’t know any better. In its way, our ego is protecting us from the hurt of failure, the hurt of success, or maybe of just being hurt period.

It is working from fear.

The Universe is coming to us from love. That is a much more powerful emotion.

Let’s get to work.

Gratitude is our expression of love back to the Universe.

By realizing and acknowledging the things which bless our lives, we are letting the Universe know that we are paying attention to it and saying, “Thank You.”

One of the most important assignments I give to my clients is to perform gratitude exercises.

Mainly, I suggest that they purchase a copy of The Five-Minute Journal from Amazon and begin filling it out immediately.

These exercises also play an important role in re-aligning our RAS to perceive the good things in our lives instead of constantly focusing our shortcomings.

In doing so, we begin sense the abundance of positive energy in our surroundings and see that we are deserving and worthy of more good things.

Remember to look from gratitude, not from lack.

Maybe you’ve only made baby steps. That’s OK.

If you don’t feel like those small outcomes are good enough to get you where you want to go within your desired timeframe, then we need to look at re-tooling your actions or re-evaluating your deadline.

Examining your progress at this time must come from a place of gratitude for your accomplishments.

If you are having a difficult time quieting the negative feelings or voices that you have about your progress, please realize that this is just your ego distracting you with false, learned beliefs.

Rather than listening to and falling prey to those negative perceptions, take a moment to stop, breathe and think.

We’ll take up action later in this article.

For now, it’s time to just stop for a moment and become an observer of your actions. No judgement, no emotion, just objective observation.

Why? Because we need to examine if the actions that you have been taking are actually moving you toward your goal.

What if they were actually moving you away from your objective, or worse yet, not moving you anywhere productive at all?

As we progress through the next few steps, keep in mind that this exercise is intended to come from a place of gratitude.

Reinforce what you have completed – that’s where you will build your strength to keep going.

Action Step #1: Write down your accomplishments.

Make a list of every single achievement, no matter how large or small, that has brought you closer to your goal.

If you were to draw a map of your progress, how far would you be along your path to accomplishment?

START -------------------------------------------------------------- GOAL

It is important for you to fully realize at this moment that there are no failures. There are only mistaken timeframes.

If you have not accomplished your outcome, evaluate your progress and set a new date for achievement. Congratulations on having moved ahead. Your path to achievement is now shorter, your goal closer, than it was when you began this program.

Action Step #2:

When you feel fear or apprehension creeping in, follow these three actions.

1) Stop.

2) Meditate.

3) Listen to your higher consciousness.

Take a deep breath, relax and take intentional action.

Ask your fear why it is there.

If it won’t answer, ask your Higher Consciousness for insight.

The answer to this question is key in understanding how a part of your subconscious is trying to help you by holding you back.

Once you understand the motivations for the fear, gently thank them and let them know that they no longer have a place in your life. It’s time for them change their job and help you move forward to achieve your Highest Purpose.

Enter a comment below and let us know how you are doing on your journey. What did you learn this week?