When we stifle emotions we don’t want to feel, we also numb out the ‘good stuff’.  When we embrace our fears, our uncomfortably, and our insecurities we have breakthroughs.

“The biggest breakthroughs in consciousness occur when things are difficult; when we have a choice to fall to the worst of ourselves or rise to the best of ourselves.” – Yehuda Berg

Many of us are conditioned to stop that crying, pull ourselves up by our boot straps or to have a stiff upper lip.  We may perceive feeling or crying as a sign of weakness.  We are conditioned to feel better; eat a doughnut, take a pill, put on a smile; but don’t let them ever see you sweat.

What happens to all this false bravado is we become isolated.  We avoid deep and meaningful connection.  We may not even realize just how numbly we are moving through life.  We are often hostile, judgmental, intolerant and convinced perhaps we know best.  All the while we are closed off from true joy.

Did anyone ever say ‘be uncomfortable’.  That is wonderful!  Sit with your discomfort.  In Yoga they teach us to gently lean into that which causes us discomfort.  What a great way to live our emotional life.  Lean into those feelings. Sit with those fears.  Recognize those hurt feelings.  Instead of closing ourselves off from the world, lean into who we really are.

Today we have the chance to be an observer.  Instead of numbly and unconsciously going through our day, we can tune into those thoughts that drive our actions.

We can simply witness the internal reactions we are having and be aware of them.  This may cause us some discomfort.  We can just sit with that discomfort.  We can drop the notion we need to ‘fix’ how we feel.  We can just be.  How foreign this may feel at first.  We may notice and endless barrage of mindless chatter that goes on throughout our day once we tune into it.  Once we notice this chatter, then we can witness it.

Then we can start to change our thinking.  We can replace those thoughts “they did this to me” to “how interesting that I am having this reaction, what makes me attach this meaning to their actions?”  We may replace “did they really do this to me?  Or were they just in an unconscious state and unaware just as I have been?

How many times have I done this to others.  Now that I recognize how it shows up am I willing to change?  All this mindful internal dialogue will give us new direction, purpose and clarity in our lives.

It may lead us to some internal breakdowns which is just another way of saying it may lead us to tearing down the false walls of ‘protection’ we’ve closed ourselves off from the world with.  Those same walls that keep us stuck from living our purpose.  What is our purpose?  Whatever we claim it to be!

What will you claim your purpose to be right now? Let your light shine and like a beacon others will come to grow along the new illuminated path with you!