Hi,
This is Therese Aconte.
Thanks so much for joining me for today's podcast.
Today I'd like to share some thoughts about sowing seeds of happiness and trusting our inner guidance in times of change.
I'd also like to share a bit about a personal experience that may be helpful to hear about and a guided practice.
But first,
A quote from Lao Tzu.
He said,
If you do not change direction,
You may end up where you're heading.
Change can be both exhilarating and scary.
Whether we wish to change careers,
Sell or purchase a home,
Move to a new city or country,
Begin or end a relationship,
Or anything that's new,
The future is unknown and can prompt feelings of fear and insecurity.
I moved to Italy from Seattle,
Washington,
Several years ago.
I was excited about my new life.
However,
As time went by,
I was feeling a bit lonely and things weren't quite falling into place the way I had imagined.
As the universe would have it,
I had a serendipitous chat with an American woman who had been living in the same town as me for 15 years or so at the time of our conversation.
She works for an American support organization and told me that she's watched people who have moved here from abroad come and go.
I'd been feeling a bit lonely on the day I saw her and was longing for connections on a deeper and more personal level.
She was so wise and said that I was at a crisis point,
Wondering if I would ever learn the language,
Make closer friends,
Establish a clientele,
And learn the subtleties between the United States and Italian cultures,
Among other aspects of my move.
I felt like she was a mind reader and was inside of my head.
The thing that helped me the most was when she said that what I was feeling was common and at the point at which most people left and returned home.
Wow,
What an incredible insight.
Although I had no intention of moving,
It made perfect sense and gave me a new perspective.
The challenges that come with change happen with any endeavor.
The reptilian part of our brain is hardwired to keep us safe,
So we're bound to question our decisions and wonder if we're on the right path when feelings of doubt and insecurity rear their frightening heads.
Our ancestors were on alert for their physical safety and had to fight or flee when their environment was threatened.
In modern times,
Our old brain kicks in when it perceives an emotional threat and can stop us in our tracks.
Fear is a common occurrence and something we are bound to experience when we stretch our comfort zone and embark on a new adventure.
The key is recognizing where the fear is coming from and tapping into our inner knowing for wisdom and guidance.
If you're at a precipice and wondering what your next steps are,
I'd like to share a guided practice that might enlighten you.
I invite you to begin by sitting or laying down in a comfortable position,
Taking a breath,
And closing your eyes.
If you like,
Put your hand on your heart and bring yourself into the present moment as you reflect on the following question.
What change have you been wanting to make but have been afraid to implement?
Be open to whatever answers arise,
Trusting your inner guidance to reveal whatever it is you need to know about the situation and your desired change.
Once again,
What change have you been wanting to make but have been afraid to implement?
Then,
With your eyes still closed on a scale of one to ten,
With one not at all important and ten extremely important,
How important is the change you wish to make?
Once again,
Pay attention to whatever number comes up for you,
Trusting that your inner wisdom will reveal whatever you need to know.
If the number that arose was a six or higher,
What's holding you back from moving forward?
There's no right or wrong answer,
No judgment around any of it,
Just your inner wisdom revealing itself for access and information.
Notice any feelings that emerge.
For instance,
As you contemplate the change,
Do you feel scared,
Excited,
Happy,
Ambivalent,
Or terrified?
If so,
Where do you notice those feelings in your body?
What is this part of your body wanting to tell you?
You can ask it directly.
And if you're feeling scared about making this change,
Are the thoughts that you're thinking about it true?
Or are they assumptions based on beliefs that are trying to keep you safe?
I invite you to take another breath,
Call on your inner wisdom,
And imagine yourself having already made the desired change.
And these changes don't have to be anything significant.
They can be as simple as wanting to learn a new skill.
Visualize yourself in this new situation,
Or think about it if you're not a visual person.
What are you doing?
Where are you?
Who are you with,
If anyone?
What sounds do you hear?
What else is in your environment?
And most importantly,
How do you feel?
Be open to the situation as it reveals itself to you in your mind's eye.
I'll be quiet for a few seconds.
Then when you're ready,
Take another breath.
Ask your higher self if there's anything else you need to know.
If there's anything you need to do.
If there is,
Ask for a definite lead.
Something that is clear and definitive and helps you see what steps to take next.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes,
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
Perhaps to the side.
Stretch a bit and bring yourself back into the present moment.
If you like,
Replay the track and go through the questions again if you need more clarity.
Or even write them down so you have them handy.
You might also like to write about your experience and see what else may be revealed.
Then trust your inner knowing to guide you.
If you found today's track helpful,
I'd love to read your comments.
Wishing you a beautiful journey and a wonderful day.
Bye for now.
