3 Essential Tools to Uncover the Path to Joy & Fulfillment

This week I took some time by myself to enjoy nature.  I picked a hike with a lovely end destination. I drove to the trailhead and I changed into my tennis shoes. As I began my hike I was awed by the beautiful views and rainbow of wild flowers that covered the fields and grew in the nooks and crannies of jagged rocks. Clear, babbling brooks appeared and I crossed them jumping from rock to rock to keep my feet dry.  Then, about an hour in I came to the ultimate point of contemplation...one very large, muddy, black, bog (stinky, bug-filled, black, thick mud!)  There was no way around it. The options were to go through the bog or turn around and miss out on the serene high altitude lake.  Now some of you may not know this, but I am a Virgo. I like things to be clean and organized. So I really had to dig deep, let go of the idea of perfection, and embrace the adventure that was before me.  I jumped in, my shoes filled with mud, my legs and clothes were splattered with a black mess. But, you know what?  It felt good! It felt like being a kid again! And, yes, I made it to the top to sit in the silence of a breath-taking lake at 12,000, but what I truly appreciated was a chance to be surprised by life, to feel into my inner guidance and ask "which path do I choose today?".  

3 Essential Tool to Uncover the Path to Joy & Fulfillment

1. Stop Overthinking

When you are feeling stressed or confused about the path your are on or a choice you are about to make move from your head to your heart. Make a choice based on what's really important to you right here and right now. 

Overanalyzing burns precious time and energy and creates stress and anxiety. 

By accepting the unpredictable nature of life, we can let go of the things we cannot control and enjoy the things that are right in front of us.

2. Listen to your inner guidance. Trust in yourself.

When you find yourself at a crossroads or feeling stressed, sit down, take a few deep breaths. Go back to the place of silence and inner guidance and ask, "Does this support me in my path to joy & fulfillment?"

Then, be silent, take the time to listen and trust your inner compass.

Deep down we all know, we just have to slow down enough to remember.

3. Move Forward, even if it means taking a step back.  

Moving forward gives us a new perspective.  After I made it through the 100 yards of thick, black mud I remembered that on my return path I would be crossing clear mountain streams to wash away the mud. I wouldn't be driving home in discomfort for two hours covered in mud, I would be driving home in bliss filled with mountain air and appreciation for our beautiful planet.

Healing with the Elements

Reconnecting with Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

My family and I spent the first part of July enjoying nature and family in Montana.  My girls and their cousins effortlessly and intuitively returned to Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. There was no doubt that these elements inspired joy and healing! As nature heals our bodies, minds, and souls, we also heal nature by reconnecting to our long time companion. I could feel the Earth rejoicing as the children laughed and played like cubs. It was a magical time!

Ideas for a magical July:

Take some time to slow down and get to know yourself all over again. 

Take time to slow down and get to know nature all over again.

Invite your kiddos to reconnect to their wild side.

Gather around a fire and sing songs.

Take a hike or walk in nature all alone.

Smell the rocks, grass, bark, and leaves.

Jump in a creek or a lake to enliven your senses. 

Feel into your heart and tune into the sounds of the birds, the insects, the wind, the trees. 

Breathing exercise for July:

Lay down on in a comfy spot on the grass or on a blanket outside.  Feel into what area draws you near...under a tree, under the sky, or in a sheltered space. Close your eyes and slowly breathe deep into your belly for 11 breaths, then slowly breathe into your heart for 11 breaths, finishing with 11 deep, slow breaths from within and into the nature that surrounds you. 

"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

Creating the ultimate practice environment

Take an extra five minutes to create a sacred space for your daily self-love practice.

For years I would plop down on a mat anywhere and practice a few yoga poses, or say a few prayers in bed soon after awakening. While there is nothing wrong with these practices, and sometimes it might be our best choice, there are benefits from becoming more intentional about our practice environment. If we show up to intentionally create a sacred space for our practice, maybe we will also show up into our life and relationships intentionally as well. We can show up from a place of love or peace or excitement, from a place we choose rather than I place we end up.

So how do we create an intentional space for our practice? It can be simple and take five minutes or complex and composed over a period of time, but most important is that it is your own, and expression of your authentic self. You can begin by taking a moment to become present with yourself. This can be done by lying down, closing your eyes, and taking eleven deep, long circular breaths. Remembering to be consciously aware of the breath moving in and out of your body, pouring oxygen and new energy into and over each and every cell. Once you have finished, you can place your hands on your heart and imagine a new space or someplace you have been or felt that generates the feeling of pure, unconditional love. Is it a blanket or tapestry you acquired on an adventure? Is it your favorite scented candle? Or a rock you found on a beach last summer? Or a sweet something from a loved one?

Now take those things that create a sense of joy, peace, and/or safety and synergize these with a space that most resonates with self-love. Feel into whether that space is dark and cozy or bright and airy. You can even create the feeling of low lighting with an eye mask, or construct a light and bright space with lamps or pictures of sunny places. Intentionally place your sacred object(s) within your space of self-love. And now move into soothing your senses through creating the perfect sound for your space. Some ideas include classical music, sounds of nature, a meditation playlist, motivational lyrics, or silence.

Once you have created a space true to your own senses, sacredness, and self-love it just may encourage you to return to your practice with ease and grace knowing your unique space is waiting for you. Your practice environment then becomes a portrayal of authenticity. When we become irritable or restless in our practice, it may be that the needs of our soul has changed. We can then flow with those needs, take another moment to find presence, reconnect with our heart space and ask "what do I need? How can I create a more loving environment for my practice?"

“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.” Joseph Campbell