I deserve more.

The moment you realize you deserve more is the moment you may also realize some changes have to be made to get more. I remember when I first actually realized I wanted and deserved more it was a beautiful and conflicting moment all at the same time - I felt like more was beyond my reach. Kind of like this is just the way life is - for me. 

A hard pill to keep swallowing and I'm grateful that I discovered this is not true. My next favorite moment was when I realized I could create a different reality for myself - if I was willing to put in the time necessary. 

The start is often what stops us. Because what you may have also discovered for yourself - sometimes even though we are willing our current patterns, habits and routine can get in the way of us putting in the time and making the necessary changes. 

It's a lot to be honest. What I found helpful is taking things one step at a time. Not allowing myself to get overwhelmed. Taking breaks when I need to. Being gentle and compassionate with myself. Identifying and celebrating small and big wins. Reflecting, and redirecting. Allowing myself to have fun during the process. Oh yea and research. I'll talk about what I mean about research in the next post. 

OBSTACLES: 

Let's talk about some of the obstacles we face when making changes. Some of the ones that are common include: 

Our schedules, people including children, spouses, parents, siblings - just family, work, time management, resources and knowing where to begin. The biggest obstacle I discovered for myself is slowing my mind down. My mind can be an adrenaline junky. 

TOOLS: 

There are so many tools that help me to slow down my mind. One thing I do is just use whatever tool I can convince myself (my mind) to use in the moment - I'm not stuck on a routine or specifics - I just give my self credit for when I am able to use a tool or cultivate the habit I am working on - no matter what route I take to get there. The point is just to get there - to the place where I am practicing the new habit. My favorite tool lately is actually just walking. 

I use this guided walking mindfulness audio on audible - for me, it changed the game. When I started out using walking as a tool - i was not worrying about how many steps I was getting in, how many miles, how long the walk was, or getting my heart rate up - or any of that. I just walked. Putting on this audio helped keep my mind focused on the task at hand and actually helped gain some mental direction. Check it out when you get a chance. 

WHAT'S NEXT: 

In my next post I'll talk about what I mean about research and how the walking tool actually helps with the research process as well. 

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