It would be easier if…

I hiked five miles this weekend and a total of 2000 feet up.  It was strenuous and not altogether easy. It has been over 18 months since I walked up a mountain. I had to go a little slower on the last leg of the journey to honor my own legs!  But the thrill of being in the forest and climbing above the tree line while morning mists gathered below and autumn trees dotted the landscape like tiny jewels made the climb worthwhile.  Breathtaking.  And fun!  I met three lovely women on the hike up and a beautifully enlightened couple on the way down.  We talked about the beauty of nature, crystals, manifesting, and good food.  And strangely, even after pushing my body harder than it has been in ages, I wasn’t too sore the next day.

The downtime without hiking this past year presented me with a challenge. I have always run to nature to fill my well, and to bring me a sense of deep peace, unbounded freedom, and connection to the universe. It has nurtured and sustained me while I’ve helped thousands of people deal with their toughest life challenges and transitions. So, when I couldn’t hike, I had to dive inward to find these qualities in new ways. I found freedom by focusing on what I could do and by embracing my creativity. I found a connection while gardening and quieting my mind on the patio. I went inward to choose peace time and again, even when friends and family were going through serious medical conditions. It was all doable. It just took more work.

There are so many things in life that are easier when the outer world cooperates, when people are kind, and the bank account is full. No one in heaven or on earth would argue with that.  But just because life or the people around us aren’t making things easy does not mean we have to go without the feelings we want to experience.

I have a family member who humbles me. Up in years and faced with loads of challenges, she always focuses on what she can do.  I have known clients who have been through unthinkable trauma and hardship, and yet their faith and kindness carry them through until life reflects it back.  It is harder to believe in a loving universe and your own worth when things around you aren’t easy, but it is possible, and it is the ticket to better times. Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and the power that lies within.

I had a client I love dearly who, in less than two years, lost her daughter, mother, and husband. She was so kind to everyone that love came back to her in great measure. She dated a few very sweet people until she was ready and found the love of her life.  After so much loss, she resurrected everything from the inside out.

I’ve known people who have lost a lot of money but have come through it with their love of what they’re doing until the money came back in great measure.

It would be nice if our bodies coopearted all the time, the people in our lives were constantly kind, the bank account was full, and the world behaved!  I hold that vision strongly all the time, and while I don’t get my way with the external world all the time, my inner world adjusts to reflect all I wish to feel.

So, as the angels say, the qualities we want are an inside job, assisted by the outer world, but not dependant on it (thank goodness!). Years ago, trying to feel abundant while making little income as a new “psychic in the window” wasn’t easy, but with a few adjustments between the ears, I learned to count my blessings. Eventually, the outer world reflected many blessings back to me. It will for you too.

Here are a few ways to practice finding those inner qualities, even before life cooperates externally:

1.  Share as much authentic love as you can.

Thank your bed for being comfy, your coffee maker for doing its job, and bask in appreciation for the rising sun. Thank the store clerk for their smile. Smile at strangers. Let someone in a rush go ahead in traffic. Bless the artist who sings your favorite song. Pray for someone who needs love.

Lip service doesn’t work. Only do these things if you’re genuinely able to feel love. Faking vibration isn’t possible. Love all you can and if all else fails, be genuinely kind to yourself.

The more we let love flow through us, the more we feel it, and, as a result, the more the universe reflects it back.

2. Celebrate when you feel the feelings.

The first sign of a good manifestation is that you feel better.

You feel good imagining the relationship you want and happy about the relationship you have with yourself (vs feeling bad by reminding yourself it hasn’t come yet!).

You feel excited about the abundance coming and can authentically feel appreciation for your blessings now. (vs. worring about what happens if it doesn’t, or how you’ll get by now).

You feel joy thinking about the future and happy about what you can do now (vs. putting off happiness till later or feeling resigned to feel bad).

Celebrate every time you feel good! It’s the first sign that you’re attuned to higher vibrations and that your manifestation is on the way.

3. Soothe yourself when you can’t get there.

Sometimes we just can’t find the good feelings. That’s OK. It’s not fun, but no one is judging us. Those are the times when being kind to yourself is the most important thing you can do.  Do the simple things that offer comfort. Take a nap, eat something nourishing, or enjoy a simple pleasure.

Every small act of self-kindness opens you to bigger and better things to come.

We’d all love it if life and other people made it easy to feel good all the time. I would! But even when they don’t, we’re not doomed to feel bad. We can still find joy when the world is stirred up, freedom when life feels limiting, and inner peace even in chaos.

It takes intention, focus, and sometimes a willingness to give up our little tantrums (as the angels once playfully teased me!). It takes a willingness to look at what we can enjoy. It is more work between the ears. But in my opinion, it’s worth it.  Not only do we feel better now, but we also attract better circumstances, kinder people, and a life that helps us feel better later.