Finding the words

Self knowledge is the beginning of self improvement. ~ Spanish Proverb

I was in the 2nd grade when I first started journaling.   Little did I know how therapeutic it was or that as an adult I would be guiding people to find the words to express so they can be authentically happy.

Do you ever wonder what happens to the words we hide from ourself or others?  Where do those masked emotions (you know the ones: anger, hurt, worry, sadness) and repressed thoughts go?  Well, if you have ever had the urge to cry while in a deep lunge on your yoga mat–it becomes apparent that those emotions stay close to home.  Yes, they become buried in our bodies.  And, as much as we would like to forget- our bodies remember everything. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

You are beginning to know what I am talking about.  As you sit and read, you may move slightly and feel the stiffness.  Guess what?  A major part of that uncomfortableness has to do with words that fell to silence.  So yes, rolling out your yoga mat and sliding back into child’s pose or doing a round of sun salutation will do wonders…but the more you open up your body…the more you will realize you have something to say.

Personally, I resort back to my practice as a 2nd grader and journal to prepare me for the words I want to say to myself or to a loved one.  The main difference is that I switched from the pencil to notebook to an online journal.

Whatever works for you, start capturing your words and soon you will be ready to say what really needs to be said.  Try filling in the dots to get your journal started:  ”I am most afraid of…”  ”I am most myself when…”   Namaste.

Feeling a bit stuck?

“As there were no real answers in her life. She was in abeyance. Stuck in a pattern of waiting for a future she could not guess.” ~Anya Seton

The story: When I made the life choice to leave the world of the 9-5 job, I knew I was in for a fun and challenging entrepreneur ride. I launched into spending time attending trainings and seminars, traveling, and creating a beautiful brand for my company which was natural and extremely exciting. Sound blissful? Well don’t let the joy ride mislead you; I still can feel just as stuck, if not more, than I did in the monotony of my corporate career.

As a creative visionary, it is more natural for me to have my head in the clouds dreaming, creating, and learning than actually placing my feet on a firm surface and ‘doing’. This time I realized my reason for being stuck wasn’t because of the monotony of the corporate day, it was because I had too much freedom. I realized that I had forgone daily structure and it was my necessity in my new career world.

Time for action. I turned to my yoga mat and surrendered in chid’s pose. I began my practice focused on being grounded and allowing “they will to be done.” I moved through a beautiful flow tapping into every hip opener I could think of and eventually found myself at extreme peace in double pigeon. After my ending meditation, I fluttered my eyes open and felt safe and unstuck. My hips were open, my body radiated with energy, and my mind was clear. I rolled up my mat and got to the business of getting things done.

What has caused you to be in this temporary state of being stuck? What do you really need? Grounding, self-confidence, or maybe a vision?

Are you hiding from you?

We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.

~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

The Story: I was talking with a fellow coach this week about my desire to find a new geographical location to live and continue with my teaching, coaching, and energy healing work.  She asked where I had lived- and I could hear her smile as I rattled off 15 places in the last 10 years.  Naturally, she wanted to know why I had felt the desire to leave each time.  Each move had its own practical reason, but as I began each explanation she said she felt her throat closing.  And, it was obvious as her voice became a hoarse whisper.  She asked what this meant to me and it hit me like a lighting bolt.  I told her it was me suffocating when I started to feel my spirit was being stifled.  Yes!  Every time I felt the desire to move, I realized I had surrounded myself in an environment where I felt the need to hide from my true spiritual nature.  In subtle ways, I had became silent and had stopped being the true me.  I can see it now and will choose places/situations in life where I will speak and act my truth.

Time for action: Recognize when you feel most uncomfortable in life.  When do you feel like screaming because everything feels wrong?  What aspects of you are you hiding?  What role are you playing for someone else instead of being truly you?  Extend your arms out to the side. And slightly tilt your head back to the sky.  Breathe in and commit to being all of you. Leave hide-n-seek to recess.  Speak with Coach Wendy.