By Patricia Young.
In today’s fast-paced world it can be hard to take a moment and see where we are on our own path - to be in the reality of the present moment. And we can get easily distracted by the demands of our day-to-day life, so we end up disconnected from our true essence.
When we continue our life journey on autopilot we might not be aware of the habits that are running our lives. One thing is for certain: we will not be able to lead a meaningful life and achieve our dreams if we keep living disengaged and going through the motions. We have to become aware of what is pulling us away from living a more fulfilled and joyful life.
Here’s the thing: it’s really up to us to make our existence on this planet valuable. Nobody will do that for us; no one will come and save us. I know this because I got to a point where I had to realize that it was really up to me. There was nothing and no one coming to help, and nothing to wait for. After all, all we have in life is the present moment!
Click To Tweet
NOW is the time to allow yourself to be YOU – not the new you, but the real YOU. This is a time of awakening, and we awaken when we let ourselves become who we really are – who we were created to be!
If you feel an urge for a more fulfilling life, but you think you’re not there yet, here are 5 habits that might be holding you back from living your higher purpose:
- Numbing yourself – you might be feeding distractions not to get clear on your values, what you stand for, and how you want to show up in the world. Some of these distractions could include watching too much TV, partying and/or drinking too much, shopping more than you need, or eating a bit too much of what you know you shouldn’t, among others. These are ways in which we mask our fear. We numb ourselves because we are afraid of connecting with our feelings and living up to our true potential. Gift yourself with sacred space every day, even if it’s a few minutes, to connect with yourself and allow your soul to talk to you. All the answers we need are within us, we just need to be still to listen.
- Staying in your Comfort Zone – You might have an idea of what you want to do, but you’re scared of taking risks, so you keep choosing excuses instead of making new choices. Let’s face it, it’s hard to make different decisions and take different risks when we’ve been living in a rut. And you might even blame other people or circumstances for your reality. But, here’s the thing: nothing will change if we don’t s-t-r-e-t-c-h ourselves a little bit, and try new things. You will never know what you’re capable of if you don’t allow yourself to take action. You are responsible for making your own decisions and taking action. Even if it’s a baby step.
- Surrounding yourself with people that play small – People that play small are usually going through the motions, not really allowing themselves to live life on their own terms. If you want to start living a bigger and fuller life, you need to start associating with people that are doing great things, people that inspire you, and from whom you can learn a few things. You’ll notice how even the conversations will be deeper and more interesting. Start surrounding yourself with people that believe in you, see your potential and are willing to support and cheer your growth and dreams.
- Waiting for the right time – “someday” is not in the calendar. Today is all we have guaranteed. There will never be the right time. You don’t need to go crazy and leave everything behind, but you can start investing some time and energy in connecting with things that bring you joy, and the dreams that you would like to achieve. Just start taking consistent baby steps, so you can begin your journey towards a more fulfilling life now, not “someday”.
- Seeking approval – If you’re not listening to the whispers of your soul, it means that you’re listening to the opinions of others. Listening to the opinions of others to feel accepted, loved and valued will only hold you back and make you feel stagnant. It’s time to let go of the illusions and lies that our society, media and culture have imposed on us. If you feel there’s more depth to life than the shallowness of money, positions held and material possessions, it is time to start trusting that feeling, so you can live with more joy and fulfillment. At the end of the day, this is your journey, not anyone else’s!
One more thing: You’ll only be able to live your highest purpose once you have the clarity on what you want and why you want it, but you’ll also need to start defining goals to achieve your dreams, that way you’ll stay focused and avoid feeding the distractions that could show up.
There’s a big dose of self-trust that comes into play too, because self-doubt is a dream killer. By taking baby steps towards your goals, you’ll start collecting evidence that you can do this, because you absolutely can! By taking consistent baby steps you strengthen your courage and confidence muscles, plus you live a bigger life that will inspire others, as you boldly show up in the world shining your beautiful light!
Want to learn more about how to identify your highest life vision and build the confidence and courage to create a life of purpose, magic and miracles? Get a copy of my new Bestselling Book: “Awakening to Life: Your Sacred Guide to Consciously Creating a Life of Purpose, Magic and Miracles” –> www.AwakeningToLifeBook.com
Peggy Nolan says
So true Patricia. The Magic happens outside your comfort zone and the cool thing is that you don’t have to make giant leaps. A small step works, too.
kelleygrimes says
I love this reminder, “There’s a big dose of self-trust that comes into play too, because self-doubt is a dream killer.’ For me finding ways to pause and reconnect with myself throughout the day empowers me to listen to myself and trust more. Then it is easier to stretch outside my comfort zone and express my authentic truth and purpose in the world! Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
barbparcellswritingalife says
Procrastination is my middle name. I really appreciate your sharing this.
Leila says
Thank you Patricia, I loved it.
Heather Maria Photography says
very true