How the heck do I "Go Within!?"

If everyone keeps telling you to go within or look within and you would love to but have no idea how to start, I humbly offer you some tools. 

Here is a small sample of some things from my life coaching/spiritual counseling practice.  I provide these to you free of charge to help you on your journey.

Many blessings and warm aloha,

Amanda

There is a lot of love and light expressed by new agers, lightworkers, self help books, and friends and family. I LOVE it and it is NEEDED--but maybe there's not enough concrete instructions on how to help yourself when guidance of--"go within" is offered.

If you are asking others for advice because you are confused and struggling, "go within" may be one more thing to confuse you. If you knew how to "go within", you probably wouldn't be looking for help or feeling so lost. When one who struggles is told to go within without being given any of the tools to do so, it may leave the person feeling even more lost.

Love and light and strength are important but they are not the entire pie. They are pieces. Important pieces, but pieces.

I think it comes down to the fact that we all have our roles, some are the spreaders and supporters of love and light, and some are the teachers of how-to's and details. I think both are needed and valid and I understand that when you ask a question something and only the love and light side is sent as replies, you wind up feeling no better in your mind state than before you asked. You do feel loved and supported, which is helpful and needed, but are left feeling that you were given the pie without the fork to eat it with.

Many times we need some actual instructions. I have always been a teacher of some modality in my career life. I understand the need to sometimes present one with a plan or instructions for getting to know that inner self that you are searching for guidance from. Sometimes you need a phone number to be able to dial in to your own wisdom. Without the phone number, you're not sure how to reach your higher self. Once the connection is clear and you have dialed the number many times, you have commited that phone number to memory and can dial it on your own. But until then, someone needs to give you the number. :)

When we attend school or are raised by our parents we are given two things: Love and Tools.

LOVE --to support us and for us to learn to give to others in our journey through life.

TOOLS --to know how to go about doing that in ways that are helpful, appropriate, and successful.

So today I wanted to offer you some Tools.

I realized that personally --although I offer love too, I tend to be more inclined to offering tools, for that is my role. And it's ok. It's as ok as being one who is more inclined to offer boundless love and compassion. Both sides are needed and both sides are important. If you are looking for Tools today though, here are some basics from my arsenal.

HOW THE HECK DO I "GO WITHIN?"

TOOLS FOR GOING 'WITHIN'

 1. Every night before you go to bed, think of 5 things you are grateful for. No matter what kind of day you had- 5 things. You will find that once you commit to this, you won't need to make a point of it anymore. You will go through your days appreciating everything and everyone around you for what it is- be it a joy or a lesson to be learned.

2. Learn to notice everything. Put on your extra powered perception glasses and just 'notice' everything about a situation. If you don't notice everything while you're in the situation, take some time to reflect later. When you view your life in 'overview' mode, there is much to see that you don't notice when you are there but not 'present'.

3. Keep a dream journal by your bed. Dreams can hold incredible pieces to our puzzle. When you wake from a dream, grab the paper and pen and try not to move too much. Write in the dark if you'd like, but write down as much as you can, including the feeling you had in certain situations.

4. Notice fleeting thoughts and phrases that scurry through your mind. Pay attention!--they might come fast and go fast! But if something runs across your mind that doesn't seem to have anything to do with what you are currently involved in- make a mental note of it or write it down and look it up later. Almost always-it is a nudge to look into something.

5. Look for the gift in the present. No matter what is going on in the 'present'- there is a gift in it. Be it joy or a lesson- look for the gift in the situation instead of only seeing the fear, anguish, pain, etc. You may not even notice it right away, it may come later, but being aware will make it easier.

6. Always be willing to go through your lessons when they're presented to you. Do not run from them because they are hard or place blame on others. It is your lesson to deal with and although hard in the beginning, you will look back from the other side of the mountain with a sigh of relief and a feeling of intense satisfaction when you have climbed the mountain and waded through the issue.

7. Always speak your truth, but do it in a kind and non-invasive way. Never be afraid to speak up for yourself, but always do it with politeness and integrity.

8. Do not let problems with others 'fester'. Always do yourself and the other person the favor of being the bigger person and be willing to dive into the cestpool to wade through the crap to the clear water on the other side. The clear water is always there- show the other person you care enough to be honest and work through it for as long as it takes. No games- no gossip, no hiding true feelings. We can't read each other's minds as a rule-yet, do everyone in your life a favor and deal with them from a place of pure honesty.

Above all- be true to yourself, your feelings, your nudges, and your hunches. Do not let the way of the world or the way things 'seem to be done' in society matter to you. You never need to judge yourself against what others do or what the accepted method of society is. No one knows what is best for you than you. When others offer opinions, it is always infused with their own experiences because there is no other way to do it. Take what works for you and leave the rest. Always. With family, friends, spiritual teachers, society, government, doctors, teachers, etc. YOU are the only one who gets to make decisions for you.