Non-negotiables.
Pledges of the Heart.
The fact that more and more of us are beginning to look inside rather than outside for our solutions is wonderful.
Unless we turn within,
We will continue to be run ragged by the rat race of the 21st century.
Most of our answers are to be found in inner space,
Not outer space.
Unfortunately,
The expansion of consciousness that is unquestionably taking place has also brought with it an unhelpful trend,
Which is the idea that little effort is required in order to achieve our goals.
The growing number of concepts that appear to offer a quick fix is worrying,
As they seem to suggest that anything that doesn't generate results quickly should somehow be viewed with scepticism and be avoided.
Although there is undoubtedly a quick fix for some people and some issues,
The idea that all problems,
Regardless of their origins,
Can be resolved with a few simple techniques laughs in the face of wisdom.
Change is a process and is rarely brought about by a single event.
This is what a singular approach to our problems would have us believe.
But the truth is we are multifactorial beings and our problems are made up of many components.
As a result,
We tend to need more than one thing,
Often several things to bring about recovery and healing,
To make us whole and well.
This is why having a set of non-negotiables,
Which are pledges of the heart,
Is the key to sustainable solutions.
These heart pledges meet the needs of our minds,
Bodies and spirits.
They enable us to form a relationship with our environment that is healthy,
Rejuvenating and empowering.
The more time you spend working out exactly what you need in each area of your life,
The more you will find your way out of the maze of complexity and challenge and into the sanctuary of peace and serenity.
What follows is a simple and beautiful narrative based on compassion and love.
Use it regularly to change the conversation you're having with yourself and this will help you to identify what you need to change and how to go about achieving that.
The best way to change our negative narratives is to acknowledge their existence.
And to then gently persuade them to take a different path.
Here's one way you can change your negative narratives.
If it works for you,
Please keep drinking from this well.
For far too long,
My life has felt like it's spiraling out of control.
I am tired of feeling that my life has little meaning and purpose.
Even small things have started to feel like they have no purpose.
Like significant challenges.
I wonder,
Will I ever be able to change the direction of my life and find that deep feeling of peace and contentment I ache for.
A sense of unwavering satisfaction with who I am.
As I follow this trail of thought,
It becomes increasingly obvious that what is actually missing is a clearly defined set of priorities.
For such a long time,
My life has simply bobbed along.
Directionless.
Responding to people and events without proper recourse to my own needs.
It's time for change.
It's time for me to identify what needs to change in my life.
Where am I still going wrong?
What do I need to do differently?
As I look within and honestly ask my heart what needs to change,
The truth slowly unveils itself.
The truth is not hiding from me.
It is I who have been hiding from it.
I need to make a plan.
I need to identify what is missing in my life and work out how to install it.
I need a set of non-negotiables.
A set of goals that will reflect my needs.
A set of goals that will turn my life around.
My destiny is truly in my hands.
It is I who need to do something different.
I cannot keep expecting life to change if I am not leading the change.
Self-transformation begins with me.
I now need to work out the needs of my mind,
Body and spirit.
And how to engineer my environment to support my new mission.
I'm not simply going to think about this.
I'm going to act in my own self-interest.
For this is the right thing to do.
I'm going to create my own non-negotiables.
My own heart pledges.
Creating a new code of conduct which I will strive to honour and live by.
I look honestly at the needs of my mind,
Body and spirit.
And clearly identify what needs to be done in each area.
I look closely at how my environment can support me in my desire for positive change.
I know it is in these four areas,
Mind,
Body,
Spirit and environment,
That I will find lasting solutions.
And so,
I embark on a personal audit,
Looking at what needs to change,
And I do this with kind eyes.
There's no room for self-recrimination,
Regret or shame.
These feelings will not help me in my desire for positive change.
Change comes most readily when I am kind and compassionate towards myself.
And this is the way I choose to live my life going forward.
I choose persuasion over force.
I choose love over condemnation.
I choose hope over despair.
I choose to invest and believe in me.
The more time you spend engaging in this approach to self-talk,
The more you will find that the angels of your better nature will rise up,
Helping you to meet any occasion with grace and poise.
