2change 2grow = ignore the noise

Do you ever feel like life is just loud?

 I crossed the finish line, smiled, grabbed my phone and texted, “Done!”

 Last year, I trained for a 5k Obstacle Course. The race consisted of a 5k run intermixed with 20 obstacle challenges. I made the decision to compete in March and the race was in August. I gathered a game plan for practicing, rehearsing the challenges, running, and eating clean to maximize every part of me.

 It turned out to be wwwaaaayyyyy harder than I thought originally!!!

 About mid way to August, I had a moment of freak out! The noise set in. I tried to distract myself, yet the noise got louder. “You CANNOT do this!” “You’re not good enough!” “You’re a wimp.” This ego of mine can be pretty monstrous and extremely volatile. Dr. Brene Brown calls the ego a hustler. I totally agree. The ego likes being in control and using self-defeating language to do so. All those negative phrases and comments you seem to hear in your head are just the subtle urges from the hustler…your ego. As humans, we all have our ego self. The ego will stop at nothing to win.

 In order to succeed in the obstacle course, physically I had to be prepared. Being prepared involved planning in advance for race day. Having a plan required commitment to the daily work involved in reaching my goal. There were moments I thought about just giving in to ego and stopping. It would have been easier and softer on my heart.

 The ego uses distractions to keep us preoccupied from staying the course. Distractions are moments, experiences, and opportunities we say YES to, thus saying NO to our goal. Each YES to a distraction takes us further from achieving our hearts biggest desire. Distractions look ordinary and feel like obligations like cleaning the house, grocery shopping, talking on the phone, driving our children to events, etc. They seem important and, yet, they are not always urgent. There is a difference. Distractions are used as a replacement for the hard work of achieving a goal we have decided to achieve.

 Leading up to the race, I was working hard with a trainer 3 times a week and running the other days. I was tired and exhausted. I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I was physically sore. Many times the ego would happily scream at me, “Get real girl! You are freaking tired! Give this up! You are not really good at any of this anyway!”

 It was summer and my typical summer plans involved lunches and dinners with friends. Having desserts and cocktails sounded sooo good on those occasions. The ego encourages you with many good reasons why you should indulge in these pleasures.

 All of these pep talks, gentle urges, and disruptions are the work of the ego. All ego-driven speeches and acts are forms of resistance. Last week we talked about actions that either push us toward our true self, our goals and our potential OR those that pull us away from who we are…..at the heart of it.

 “The ego is sustained by continuous resistance.” -Eckhart Tolle

 All resistance is noise!

 In order to succeed – at learning, at growing, at becoming our very BEST self- we have to IGNORE the noise!

 Have you ever really wanted something? Have you ever put forth top notch effort and had a great devised plan and as you went to execute it…..the plan seemed to crumble?

 This happened to me the other day. A couple of weeks ago, my kids were home for spring break. For various reasons, we were ALL at home. I orchestrated activities for all and got food out for lunch. My perception confirmed all four kids were eating, watching tv and talking with each other. I decided my time had come……for break away!

 I slowly and quietly crept upstairs. I softly closed my bedroom door and turned on the tv. I had saved a movie to watch. I have this secret obsession for Hallmark movies. Yes, I know they are silly and sometimes superficial AND I still love them!!! I sat in my bed and began to watch the movie. Oh….I was in a happy place!!

 “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”   -Marcus Aurelius

 All of a sudden, I hear loud screaming and noise. I hear kids flying up the stairs and down the hallway. Even though I heard this coming, I jumped when the boom on the door rattled my room.

 I did what every effective leader does in a similar situation where choice is involved……..I ignored it! The knocks kept coming and I kept ignoring.

 Why?

 Because to strengthen the muscle of my own intention, I must use it every chance I can get. My intention at that moment was to take a break. I needed the self-care in order to energize myself, clear my head and breathe. Don’t you agree?

 Ignoring the noise in our everyday life requires we know our intention and hold it sacred, we get rid of any and all resistance in achieving our goals, and be willing to accept the blood, sweat and tears that go into learning and growth.

 We have to be strong in the face of distractions, defeating self -talk, and resistance from the ego. We have to operate from a loving space within our heart that cheers us toward success, happiness and productivity. Ignoring the noise means listening more to our inner world and less to our outer world.

 Your inner world is YOU – your heart, your mind, and your soul. We find clues when our INtoYOUition gives us hints to what really matters. This divine guidance comes to us when we hear a quiet voice whispering thoughts in our head during times of important decision making; when we feel a light airy sensation that is sprinkled over us as we look onward during a situation or surrounded by others telling us to beware….be watchful….be cautious; or when we experience a tugging at our heart (or sometimes the gut – thus the name gut feeling) sending us signals to pay closer attention and give full awareness. These YOUnique gifts are given to you as anchors to keep you on the most sacred aligned path – your journey, your purpose, and the GREATNESS within you.

 Trust is the key ingredient for the ultimate potential of your inner world. Who do you need to trust?

 YOU!!

 Too often we do not trust our heart, our mind and our soul to be aligned to our greatness. Too often we listen to the noise – the outer world for guidance and clues. The outer world appears to be reasonable, be scientific, and be logical. It seems to be the very thing that will lead to our success. Advertisements, opinions, demonstrations, information and material things: all come from the outer world into our mind to persuade us to follow along. These perceptions of truth seductively pull us away from who we really are and our greatness. They tantalize us into believing that success is about money, winnings, competitive nature of acquisition and prestige. They wrap us up in paying attention to the outer worlds of the people, businesses and possessions we give an eyeful watch.

 How do we ignore the noise and listen to our inner world for guidance?

• Use a compass

 “There are 3 constants in life: change, choice and principles.” -Stephen Covey

 Develop clearness about your principles – those sacred values you hold dear. These important beliefs stir you, tug at your heart, and are the big REAL DEAL. They must be visible in guiding your moral compass. They keep you on the exact right path for YOUr journey, YOUr purpose and YOUr greatness!!

• Get comfortable

 “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” -Neale Donald Walsch

 Stretch your inner trust! Do things that seem to scare you a bit in order to get more comfortable. For example, I used to NEVER go to the movie theatre by myself….way to scary and frightening to go alone. In the midst of my inner trust training, I went to a movie by myself. It’s a backwards movement that actually supports forward growth and development. Other things to try – talk to a stranger, pay for someone’s lunch that you do not know, explore a new walking/running path, order something different, volunteer at an organization, take a different workout class, attend a workshop or class just for fun. The idea is to get comfortable being uneasy and out of your typical zone.

• Rewrite your thinking loop

 “A man is deficient in understanding until he perceives that there is a whole cycle of evolution possible within himself: repeating endlessly, offering opportunities for personal development.”       -Idries Shah

 Observe your thoughts! Our thoughts have the capability to manifest a reality at the cellular level. Therefore, we have to pay attention to what we are thinking and the loop, or patterns, we find ourselves writing in our mind. If you find your thoughts beginning with - “I wish I had”…..”I want like”…..”If only”…..”Everything would be perfect if” STOP IT!! Throw those words and phrases in the trash can. They are outer world focused and do little to push you forward. Construct a new language that includes – “I am”…..”I can”…..”I will”…..”I know”.

• Develop touchpoints

 “We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection. Love is not something we give or get; it is something we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves. “   -Dr. Brene Brown

 Find your connections…your contacts with truth…those individuals that lovingly see and hear YOU where mutual respect and understanding are the gifts and the offerings in the everyday moments. Know who your people are that provide the softness to fall, the spring to jump and the hand to hold as you move forward in your life.

 At the heart of it, ignoring the noise is a loving choice made for your personal growth and development. Listening to your intuition is a personal well wish that speaks firmly, “YOU. ARE. ENOUGH.”

 I DARE YOU – trust your inner world! find meaning! know you are enough! AND for golly saks…..IGNORE THE NOISE!!

 XOXO,

Kristi