When I was younger, I always wondered why I felt a sense of urgency and antsiness in my life. I was always looking for something more, and of course, at times when I got older, that feeling never went away.
I have always been interested in human behavior and the bigger picture. As I know myself and truly understand myself and my personality, I know this is just who I am. I love having lots of projects on the go, to feel the future and have freedom. I have always been a seeker. When I am connected with myself and my soul, that longing disappears—I live in the moment and feel inner harmony and peace. But you can't always be present—most of us aren't. The key is understanding and accepting who you are (no matter how messy or complicated it may seem), and when you understand who you are and accept that—and live on your terms—you'll feel true bliss.
0 Comments
This podcast is juicy and exciting! Hang in there, it’s good. It takes work to be aligned with yourself. It requires discipline and a willingness to be uncomfortable. It means taking risks, making mistakes, and trying new things. But I promise that it's worth it in the end.
When you're aligned with yourself ('living your values means to be the most authentic version of yourself in all aspects of your life'), you feel better about who you are and what you're doing with your life. You can make decisions that are right for you—even if they're challenging—rather than just going along with what everyone else wants. And when you feel like your decisions are in line with who you are and what makes sense for your life right now, it makes everything easier: from figuring out where to go on vacation or what kind of car to buy down to how much time you spend at work or on social media each day. Alignment isn't a destination; it's a journey that requires consistent effort over time if you want it to stick around for good. When we consciously decide to let go of struggling and surrender, we open ourselves up to a whole new way of being.
We can't control everything that happens in life, but when we surrender, we learn to navigate the world with grace and ease. When we give up on trying to control everything around us, there's room for things to happen that we would never have expected. We start to see situations differently and our minds become calmer. We begin to see how much more powerful it is not to struggle but rather allow things to happen naturally. The more we practice surrendering our need for control, the easier it becomes for us to access this inner peace within ourselves. Are you ready to surrender?
Surrender means giving up something you've been holding on to. Maybe you've been sitting in resistance, and perhaps you've been fighting against something for so long that it's become a part of your identity. Maybe you're tired of resisting and feeling stuck. If so, then now is the time for surrendering—to let go of what has been holding you back from clarity and peace. It's time for a change. Surrendering will allow you to move forward with clear thinking, allowing yourself to be more present in the moment and less distracted by past events or future worries. Let go of sitting in resistance! The natural process of purification is going to be a strange and uncomfortable one.
But you don't have to resist it. If you can let go of the discomfort, you'll find that it will pass very quickly. Then, you'll be left with a sense of clarity and relief. Surrendering is scary because it feels like giving up control. But surrendering means letting go of the illusion that we have control over anything. It's about realizing that we're part of something bigger than ourselves—that we're connected to everything around us in ways we can't even begin to understand. When we surrender, we stop fighting against everything around us—against our bodies and minds—and start listening inwardly. When we do this, we get to hear what our bodies are telling us they need from us: restful sleep; nourishing food; exercise; and time spent enjoying nature or doing something creative. Surrender all the problems now, surrender again, surrender one more time. Accept what is and remain open to life. As an artist, you sometimes feel stuck when you work on a project. You can't find the right inspiration to move forward. But when you ask for guidance, it may come in a way that's different from what you expect.
The other day, I was working on a black-and-white acrylic mixed-media series for an upcoming show in August, and I was stuck for the next design idea. So I asked out loud for some guidance from the universe. A few days later, I got a creative download, which is part of the design I have been working on already, but I am stepping it up a bit. The universe always provides ;) We think many things are free and under our control, but prior causes outside our control actually determine them. This is why we have a hard time understanding the concept of free will.
For example, when you want to do one thing and not another, this intention does not originate from consciousness. Rather it appears in consciousness. As does any thought or impulse that might impose it. When you think about doing one thing and not another, your conscious choice is only an effect of prior causes outside your control. The idea of free will is a common belief that we can make choices not determined by prior causes outside our control. However, this belief is false. The intention to do one thing and not another does not originate in consciousness. Rather it appears in consciousness. As does any thought or impulse that might impose it. Consciousness itself is an illusion—a trick of the mind—so the idea that we can choose what we think and feel is illusory. The only thing left in the equation is a series of causes and effects, which are themselves determined by prior causes outside our control. This means that regardless of your choice, your decision was already made for you before you even had the chance to make it. Out there thinking-but, I am sure I stirred up some curiosity about this topic! I am still researching free will but would love to hear your thoughts. This is a very similar philosophy to the Sedona method, which I love! I picked this podcast as Mayim Bialik is so relatable and funny. If you're feeling stuck or just want to re-boot your life, try this:
Sit down and think about a person you admire. What attributes and characteristics do you admire about them? Are they fearless, courageous, kind, loving, and giving? Take notes on the verbs you use to describe them and then transfer those attributes onto you. How do you feel? Start seeing yourself having those characteristics daily. You can do this by taking small steps towards being more courageous each day. Try asking for help instead of doing everything yourself — or even saying "I love you" more often than usual! It's no secret that early attachments form the foundation of how we relate to others in our adult lives. But what most people don't realize is that these early relationships can have a huge impact even when they're not consciously remembered.
It's not just your conscious memories that affect how you interact with the world. Researchers have found that even if you can't remember your earliest childhood experiences, they still influence how you interact with others as an adult. For example, if your parents were very critical of you as a child, even if you don't consciously remember it, there's a good chance that you'll find yourself seeking out partners who are also critical of you. It's like your subconscious mind remembers these early experiences and tries to recreate similar situations in adulthood. This has to do with attachment styles; there are several different ones, such as avoidant, anxious, secure and disorganized. So what can we do about it? The first step is to become aware of our unconscious patterns—to see them for what they are and understand how they affect our lives. This will give us the power to change these patterns and transform our lives in ways we never thought possible. If you're struggling to meditate, introducing sound can change everything. Sound is vibration and touches every part of our body, and when we use it in meditation, it helps us feel more connected to ourselves and the world around us.
Sound has always been there for us—it's just that sometimes we're not paying attention to it. We tend to think of sound as something from outside us—from an iPod, a television, or an alarm clock—but your body generates everything you hear. Your voice, your breath, and even the wind rustling through trees are all sounds from within you (we are all connected). When you meditate with music or nature sounds (like rain), what happens is that you become more aware of these sounds inside yourself. This awareness helps bridge the external sounds around you and the internal ones inside your body. As this bridge gets stronger, so does your ability to connect with other people and be present in your life in general! You've been told that life is a struggle and is not supposed to be easy. You've been told to fight for what you want and never to give up. But what if that's not true? What if the best way to live life is to stop fighting? And choose simplicity.
In our busy lives, it can be hard to remember what's important: breathing, putting your feet on the ground, and keeping it simple. We're too busy trying to make a difference in our world and doing what we think is right—or working too much and spending too much on things we don't need. But when we step back from all that noise and chaos and breathe—when we put everything else aside and focus on what matters most—we can find peace in our lives. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, but sometimes we need to take a moment to stop and reflect on what we're doing.
Sometimes, when we're on our way to something truly magnificent, there might be a detour ahead. We may need some time to regroup and recalibrate before continuing our journey. When this happens, it can be frustrating because we don't know how long it will take to finish our goal. And it's easy to get stuck in places we don't want to be—feeling unfulfilled and frustrated by the things happening around us. But if you look closely—and keep moving forward—you'll see that there is always a lesson for us to learn along the way. So don't worry about how long your dreams take to come true—keep moving forward! But what's the difference between a detour and a stepping stone? Well, that's up to you! You may have taken a wrong turn and need to return the way you came. Or you're taking some time to get your directions before moving forward with the next leg of your journey. Whatever it is, if something isn't working out right now, don't stress! It may indicate that it's time for some revision or shifts (or both!). Or was this chapter just meant as a stepping stone on your way to something even more magnificent than you're imagining? Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea of being perfect that we can't see what's in front of us.
We expect to be able to do everything, and when we don't live up to those expectations, we feel like failures. But what if I told you that failing is the key to success? When you think about it, failure is another word for "learning." If you try something new that doesn't work out, you've learned something about yourself and your abilities. And that's a good thing! You've learned what not to do next time. Or maybe you realized it wasn't meant for you at this moment—but perhaps it will be later down the road? If we can reframe our perspective on failure, we can start moving toward success instead of getting stuck in a rut of negativity because something didn't work out as planned. And drop the expectations. If you don't expect anything from yourself, then there's nothing for you to disappoint yourself with when you fall short of your expectations. |
Annica JohanssonMy name is Annica Johansson and I am an Artist, Art Life Coach and a Sound Healer. I am writing about personal development, daily musings, spirituality and depicting mother nature's amazing beauty. Welcome! Categories
All
Archives
January 2025
|