8-5-22 In talking with a client a few days ago, I remembered something I’d forgotten. When I first started my self-inquiry and self-work, taking up meditation, going to workshops, reading self-help books, etc., I thought it would make me into a brand-new person.  I thought my ‘bad’ qualities would all magically go away and I would become someone who was nice and kind ALL THE TIME.  

Well. I am still the same person. I don’t always follow my heart’s best wisdom and advice. I still have judgmental thoughts and angry outbursts. I still allow myself to get hurt (and to hurt others, especially Stew) when I make things mean something that just ain’t so.

However, I have definitely softened those hard and inflexible edges by continuing to do my work, no matter what. In choosing heart over brain, I have grown new pathways to my heart, making it easier to reside there, and return there, in more of my moments. As I’ve grown more familiar with those new pathways, the older limiting pathways have gotten dustier with disuse. My brain’s tendency to shout, “Follow me, I know the way”, based on past habits and beliefs that kept me small and no longer served me, has become quieter.

And so, I hope to inspire you to continue your own self-work, even when it seems as if nothing is changing. I am more peaceful, quicker to forgive and to say I’m sorry. I am more accepting and more compassionate. I enjoy, and therefore accept, myself more. I enjoy life more. In fact, I love myself unconditionally now. Wow!

That means I no longer define myself based on my less skillful moments. I no longer blame myself for my unconscious words and secret, shameful thoughts. Instead, I use those moments as allies to help me become aware of where I am in my consciousness and to help me remember there is a different choice I can make. I no longer see myself as a victim. In other words…Today is a good day...and I make it so!