There are times when we feel like we’re in the dark. Fumbling. Desperately trying to find our way. We might be stuck in a dead end job or grieving from a lousy relationship or suffering from health concerns. Everything looks bleak. We seem to constantly be on the verge of tears with no end in sight.
During these times, be grateful.
When we’re at our lowest points, we do the most learning. This is when a tiny voice inside of you starts to get louder. The voice of your True Self. The voice that refuses to let you live a stagnant life. The voice that pushes you outside of your comfort zone and forces you to do what’s best for you, regardless of what others think.
You might not be used to listening to this voice. But it’s always there. And it always knows what’s best for you. It starts out as a whisper, or an ulcer. A nagging feeling that things just aren’t quite right. A knowing that you deserve better.
Listen to this voice.
It might be asking you to do something scary, but it will never lead you in the wrong direction.
As you begin paying attention to your True Self, your life might start to look a bit strange. You might not follow the path that society has set out for you. You will not conform. Friends and family might get upset. But your inner guidance will continue to ask you to choose you.
Your life might begin to resemble a series of odd decisions (leaving a “great” job, partner, city, lifestyle) for the pursuit of the unknown. During these times, know that you are not alone.
You are not lost. You are finding yourself.
This process of coming home to your True Self can happen at any age or stage. It can creep up on you in the middle of the night. It might come knocking on your door on a random Tuesday evening. It might show up as a fatal diagnosis. Or it might speak to you on a day like any other day.
But this day is different.
This is the day that you wake up. This is the day that you take one step, no matter how small, toward your best life. This is the day that you stop listening to everyone else’s opinions and start paying attention to your own inner guidance. This is the day that you say, “Enough.” This is the day when you summon up the courage to make a change.
It will feel scary.
There will be times when you question your choices. There will be times when nothing makes sense. There will be times when your life feels like a mess. There will be times when you cry so hard your stomach hurts.
Don’t give up.
The world needs people like you. People who are willing to question the status quo. People who are so hell bent on creating a life they love that they inspire others to do the same. Trust that you are learning the lessons that you need to learn so that you can play the part you are meant to play on this earth.
During your dark times, read these words to yourself (by Cheryl Richardson):
Sweetheart,
Don’t worry, you’ll be okay
Slowing down is good
Wisdom simmers and steeps and grows with time
Stop pushing yourself
You are enough just as you are
There is no need to perform
Relax
Let life unfold
You have what it takes to handle anything
Anything
Good things come from patience, not pushing
Let space and time reveal something miraculous
Trust life
Accept where you are
Right now
Stop the judgment and internal lectures
Just be here
Don’t run or think or eat or scheme
Return to yourself in this moment
Where life is perfect and peaceful and safe.
I started writing this blog as a message to you, but I now realize that I was writing a love letter to myself. I once said to my husband, “Sometimes I feel lost.” To which he replied, “You’re not lost. You’re finding yourself.” In my effort to share this powerful message with you, I ended up writing a love letter to all of us.
If you could write a love letter to yourself, what would it say? Take some time to give yourself the same love, care, and acceptance that you would give to your own child.
Above all, keep listening to the voice of your True Self. It will always lead you to your highest good.
Did my love letter hit home for you? Share your thoughts with me below!
Bethany Butzer, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, researcher, and yoga teacher who helps people create a life they love. Check out her book, The Antidepressant Antidote, follow her on Facebook and Twitter, and join her whole-self health revolution.
If you’d like tips on the topic of manifesting your dream job, plus some personal instruction from Bethany, check out her online course, Creating A Life You Love: Find Your Passion, Live Your Purpose and Create Financial Freedom.
*Photo by soulestial services.
