"Dancing My Prayer"  ©  2011  ~ acrylic by Carol E. Fairbanks

"The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday."  

                               ~ Steve Maraboli, 

                                  Unapologetically You - Reflections on Life and the Human Experience

                                          Lighten Up!

"Destiny Unfolding"  © 1999 ~ pencil by Carol E Fairbanks

When our feelings tell us that changes are needed, the first thing we usually do is to focus on making new decisions about our work, home, relationships or  leisure activities.  Sometimes, we even think that altering our physical appearance would help us feel better.  And occasionally,  changing all of that does make us happier....for a while.  Why don't those outside changes have a more lasting effect?

Two reasons - one is that, since "change is the only constant", we always need to be continually making new choices to meet the demands of our growth and personal evolution.  The second is that real significant change, one that truly honors our life destiny, has to be made within our mind and heart first.... at the core of our belief system.  In fact, until the change in our belief happens within, that new appearance we create on the outside will always gravitate back to reflect our old inner belief. That is why "history seems to repeat itself" in our lives, and we sometimes look at our present circumstance and say, "I don't believe this situation is in my life again!"  Well, the the truth is that you do believe it.. even though it might be at a level beneath your conscious awareness.  So is it possible to change a pattern if we might not be aware of?

With persistent soul searching and unrelenting honesty about what we believe, together with a responsible acceptance of the creative role we play in manifesting our life, it is possible to make those changes within our heart and mind. But making an inner assessment of our patterns of thinking, derived from our belief system, which is usually apparent through the people, places and things that surround us, can sometimes be painful or, at least, uncomfortable.  And bailing out when that process exceeds our comfort zone is not uncommon.  However, author and psychologist, Pia Melody, writes, "When your pain gets greater than your fear, then you will do what you need to do to get better." Okay, when your "pain" "shouts" loud enough so that you finally can't ignore it, how can you stay committed to your growth and change, while doing this "fire walk" that "burns away" those old ways of thinking?

We need to do what artist, Mary Engelbreit, says, "Put the "fun" back in disfunctional"!  And how can one make such  life changes "fun", especially in the midst of personal pain and discomfort?   Feelings are energy, and when they get trapped in our muscles and body organs, like when our stomach hurts when we hold onto anger, our body talks back ...loud and clear.  By moving that negative energy out of our body through some mindful activity, like walking, Tai Chi or yoga,  we can free our body of the long term effects of such trapped negative energy.  Really, any kind of noncompetitive movement along with conscious breathing is very helpful.  Meditation, journaling and/or transpersonal art can also help you experience those feelings, as they "rock 'n roll" their way out of your mind and body.  Understanding the process of growth that one is going through is very helpful in staying committed to that sometimes very challenging experience.

What's on the other side of this "mountain" of challenge? Is it worth the "climb"?  For one thing, when you get to the "top", you always have a broader view of your life.  As the "fog" of illusions separates, you can begin to see everything in a clearer perspective, giving you an opportunity to make better choices for the future.  And most importantly, to make that "climb", you had to lighten up and let go of some "baggage" that was weighing you down and sapping your life force. At this point, replacing those old discarded beliefs with new growth-supporting affirmations will begin to anchor a more positive system of belief in your mind, which, in turn, reflects in your feelings and, as a bonus, manifests in your outside life!

How do I know all of this?  I am living it...right now...as I write this blog.....as I let my art "speak" to me....as I "lighten up" in my ascent......in my not so "disfunctional", and hopefully, adventuresome quest for a better life.  Towanda!