Making Space for Something Better

Clear Away the Old. Make Room for the New With a new season just around the corner, what a great time to think about and put into action the changes that we would like to make in our lives. What has been working in my life, what hasn’t been working? Where do I desire changes? Am I as healthy, happy, peaceful and successful as I desire to be? As we scan this past season and prior seasons, we might come across repetitive behavior or experiences that we encounter again and again. These habits of the past seem to bind us to the way it used to be, though no longer in alignment with the way we would like it to be. Before we can fully step into a desired new experience, we need to let go of our history and the patterns of our past. What are some of these patterns that hold us back?
  1. Mental Stagnation: We block the flow of life by thinking the same thoughts over and over again that bring about the same results/experiences because life supports us in our belief system. “I am just not good at this kind of thing!” How can we ever be good at something we are telling ourselves we are a failure at? “Life is hard and if I want to get anywhere I have to work hard!” This statement is imbedded in our culture and many of us believe it. It took me many years to let go of this thought form and free myself from that pattern. As my thoughts and spoken words dwelled on the possibilities of working smart instead of hard, life began to respond and a new way of expressing myself in the world unveiled itself effortlessly in accordance with my new thought forms. “Change your thinking, change your life” has become my mantra.
  2. Automatic Emotional Responses: Certain situations from our pasts keep triggering the same old emotions. The outbursts of an abusive parent, relative or teacher in our past might have created certain emotions in us, like fear or anger. Many years later we watch a child being yelled at in a grocery store and these emotions from our past experiences bubbled up, though no one is attacking us at all. Sometimes the whole day seems to be a challenge and we don’t know why. The past can still run our emotional response to any circumstance.
The first thing to open the door to a bigger and greater expression of life is to become aware of our mental stagnation and automatic emotional responses. Without judging ourselves or others we begin to witness the situation, our thoughts and emotions about it and our resulting behavior. Instead of being absorbed by an experience we take a step back and watch the “drama” unfolding and not add to the “drama”. We feed what grows and by simply watching and not reacting we begin to learn how to make new choices and experience new responses. We begin to act from a greater awareness of life, not react to our experiences. By consciously letting go and blessing the past, we can let go of the thoughts and emotions connected with it. Letting go and blessing the past not only helps you live your best life now, but also paves the way for future success. Only you have the power to take control of your life. It is incredibly empowering when you get to the stage when the past does not control your future anymore. This creates the space for our highest Good to take root and to unfold into a life even greater than we could ever imagine. This process of letting go might take some time. Our habitual patterns of thinking and feeling established over many years require a persistent and constant uprooting so the new seeds of Peace, Joy and Love can take root in a new and clear mental awareness – but it is well worth the effort. One tool that can begin this process of inner transformation is the use of affirmations. These trigger a feeling tone of power and authority which is needed to reconstruct our lives. Some suggested affirmations are:
  • I am open and receptive to all the good life has to offer me.
  • I release all fears of not being perfect. I am good enough.
  • I am perfect in my own way.
  • With gratitude for the past, every person and every situation I set them free.
  • I let go of what no longer belongs to me, what isn’t me anymore.
  • I open up to the infinite possibilities before me.
  • It is endless what I can do. The entire universe is on my side and supports my highest Good.
  • There is nothing that can stop me from expressing all that I am.
  • I release the past. I love, honor and respect myself.
  • I let go of the need to control others. I allow others to make their own way.
  • I allow myself and those around me the freedom to be themselves, without imposing rigid ideas of right and wrong.
Whenever I notice that I am becoming emotionally attached to a point of view, I take a deep breath and come back to a more centered place. Another tool is to shine the Love that dwells within us into the situation and watch the mental stagnation and automatic emotions dissolve. Whenever we are in a situation that seems to be against our desire we have two choices.
  1. We can react with anger, frustration and fear and therefore buy into the condition before us and affirm its power over us
  2. We can respond appropriately by shinning Love, Peace and Joy into the situation with the intention to see ourselves greater than the condition and claiming our right to a fulfilled and happy life.
By doing this over and over again, the condition will dissolve because it can’t stand in the light of truth. As each one of us take responsibility for uplifting the quality of our thoughts and responding instead of reacting to life, we make the world a better place.