Healing 101: Aligning With Your Higher Self Step 6

Step 6: Take Inspired Action

There is a lot written about the art of manifesting. It has been mocked by many as woo woo, brought to our attention by the book and movie, The Secret. In fact, manifesting is what we are all doing everyday whether we set out to do it deliberately or not, [bctt tweet=”Everyone is making things happen for themselves every day, all the time. That is Manifesting.” username=”beckyprater”] What we think about or focus on becomes our reality. It is known by some as karma. You reap what you sow. It’s all the same thing.

The Law of Attraction, the main principle of The Secret, basically holds that you Ask, Believe, Act and Receive. When people are critical of this belief system it is because they have heard the Ask, Believe and Receive bit and do not realize that act or the action is an integral part of the process. You must take the first step toward the goal and the process begins.

What is Inspired Action?

Inspired action is the intentional action that you take whole-heartedly, with enthusiasm, good feeling and excitement. It is not something you do with reluctance or dread. You move forward with faith and trust, hope and joy. You step out of your box and open yourself up to new possibilities.

The truth is you will not get different results unless you do something differently. Nothing changes unless you change something. And remember, we cannot change other people. We can only do something about ourselves, our own behavior and attitude. Inevitably, the people around us will change based on our changed behavior. But we must do something about US first.

The Universe Says, “Yes.”

Through our power intentions from Step 4, we have created positive statements to which we want The Universe to say, “You are right!” Now, we will support the intentions with the action steps to demonstrate our full commitment. When we take the smallest step toward our goal, magical things happen. For instance, you might meet someone in the grocery line who works for the company you just listed as your top place to work.

The most wonderful, perfectly synchronistic, thing happened to me in 2005. My soon-to-be business partner, Ann, and I had just decided to start a yoga clothing company, Beckons Yoga Clothing. We had done many clothing related projects together and had been waiting for our child-raising schedules to ease up before we jumped in to a full company. One day we found ourselves ready to begin.

The very next weekend, I joined my husband on a work-related schmoozing trip to Las Vegas. He and his workmates went to the NASCAR races, while I hung out at the JW Marriott pool. I was at the pool, bright and early in the morning, ready to write in my journal and enjoy some alone time. I plopped down to an empty pool deck—not one person was there but me. Within 15 minutes some lady came and sat down right next to me. Seriously? There were no less than 100 chaise lounge chairs that were not occupied and she sat next to me. Clearly, she wanted to chat.

Sure enough, she said she was in town with her husband who was selling athletic fabric at the yoga and dance conference at the convention center. Turns out her husband was my chief fabric supplier for the 12 years I had my clothing business. He lined us up with our pattern grader/marker maker and first production facility. It was the most amazing example of The Universe saying, “Yes and here is how I can help.”

The process of searching introspectively for the most meaningful and rewarding actions that you can take in your life, defining those thoughts and feelings into simple goals, and focusing wholeheartedly on their completion is the recipe that allows your dreams to take flight. This recipe effectively focuses your attention toward what you want and empowers you to create positive change in the direction that you desire.

—Teri Karjala, owner of the Creative Counseling Center, LLC

Available to Everyone

This is not reserved for people who pray and do good things for a living. This is just what happens to all of us. The Universe says, “Yes, and here is how I can help,” based on both good intentions or less than good intentions. Imagine if you are constantly saying, “My life sucks.” Well, the Universe says, “Yes and here is more of that.” Pay attention to your words. Watch what you say to yourself and others. Write down the proper wording for what you want your life to look like and say it often. One of your first steps toward your goal is to repeat your intentions each day, once a week or on the first day of the month.

Taking action is key, small steps or large. It doesn’t matter what you do exactly, just that you do something. Everyday, ask yourself, “What is the best use of my time and energy? What can I do today to move toward my goals and put myself in the path of my greatest intentions?”[bctt tweet=”Taking action is key, small steps or large. It doesn’t matter what you do exactly, just that you do something. ” username=”beckyprater”]

Sometimes we are pulled or moved to do something. Other times, we have need to take the tiniest step forward. It may be as simple as setting the daily intention of being open to opportunities. Wake up in the morning and say, “I am available for abundance, joy, happiness, information, guidance, love and wonderful opportunities.”[bctt tweet=”I am available for abundance, joy, happiness, information, guidance, love and wonderful opportunities.” username=”beckyprater”]

So how do we go about taking action? I will first present some large concept that everyone can do to make significant changes in their lives. Then, I will follow up with smaller daily action steps that one can do in each of our nine squares on the matrix. In the following months, I will present blogs specifically focused on action steps related to each of the nine squares. These are just a few examples for each.

Here are the major action steps that will launch you into life-transformation-land the fastest:

Meditate

The easiest way to start is by following a guided meditation. There are 100’s of YouTube videos of guided meditations available for free on the Internet. My favorite meditation practice is to just sit quietly for 30-minutes with no guide, music, expectation or tools. I just sit with a timer set on my phone and go within. I do this in the car when I am waiting for someone or on my couch when I have a moment. The simpler the better, in my opinion. There is no way to do it wrong. You need nothing to begin.

Our goal is to receive clarity and internal answers through meditation. For some reason most people think that in meditation, we should have no thoughts. That is not entirely true. Thoughts will come and go as you settle in to the meditation but eventually images, messages and clarity will arrive. Meditation is about listening to your higher self/God self/Universal Wisdom. Praying is asking, meditation is listening. In order to listen, you have to be still and quiet. The more you do it the more likely you will receive clarity. The important thing is to begin. No excuses.

[bctt tweet=”Praying is asking, meditation is listening.” username=”beckyprater”]

Clean Up Your Self-Talk

Change the words that guide your life or keep you stuck. Clean up the self-talk that puts you or keeps you down. What do you hear yourself saying to other people? Perhaps you are just being playful or funny with self-deprecating language.

For years, I have off-handedly said, “No one listens to me” even though I have some valuable things to say. Well, The Universe has continued to say, “You are right.” Considering I am building a business based on people listening to me or reading my work and benefiting from what I have to teach, I would be better served harnessing the power of The Universe in the direction of, “I have a lot to say and people listen to me.” The Universe can then say, “You are right,” to that.

Similarly, people who are enmeshed in drama, will remain in drama just because they keep themselves there by talking about others and angst-filled issues. If you “struggle to get out of debt,” you will remain in the struggle to get out of debt. If you are constantly “trying to lose weight,” you will keep yourself trying to lose weight. On the other hand, if you are “always in the flow of abundance,” and “money comes easily,” your abundance will increase. If you are in place of gratitude about being vibrantly healthy, you will align with vibrant healthy. Does this make sense?

Watch What You Allow Into Your Body

Be mindful about what you allow into your body. Allow in those things that enrich, support, nourish or heal your body. Resist or limit that which is stressful, diminishing, or not in your best interest. This applies to food, music, media, the words of others. Every day you make decisions about what enters your mind and body. Choose positive books and programming. Eat more plants and less processed food. Limit your exposure to friends who make you feel less in order to make themselves feel better. This is a gigantic step toward a better life. When we see everything as our choice and allow in only that which supports, we are saying, “I matter.” The Universe says, “Yes, and here is more of that.”

Journal

Even if you have tried this in the past and it hasn’t worked, you may want to give it another try. It is truly not for everyone because we think journaling has to be something specific. Writing in a journal is best when you see it merely as a method of getting something out of your mind. If you write it down, it is no longer stuck in your mind. When I look back on all the journals of my life and there are 40-some years of them, I am amazed at all the negative things I wrote down. Rather than being a negative person, I poured all my negative thoughts into my journals so that those negative thoughts would not be in my head or presented to the world.

Move Your Body

We all know this. The more we move the body the better it performs in every way. How can you add more activity to your day? Park further from the building. Take the stairs. This information is all too common. You know what you need to do: exercise, do yoga, walk.

General Action Steps

Here are other large categories of action that will create change in your life:

Find a support group, energy worker, counselor, accountability partner or coach who can support you in your process of life transformation

Forgive others

Drop expectations

Get in touch with people

Let go of friends who do not enrich your life

Say positive affirmations

Read your vision board statements daily, weekly, on the first day of the month

Read books that support your vision, keep your mind in a healthy space

Take a class

Go somewhere new

Get out of your box and do something you have never done before

Get outside and put your feet directly on the ground (I call this earthing)

Make the phone call

Ask for what you want/need

Get rid of stuff you do not need

The above suggestions are large categories of action you can take. Too intimidating? You’ve already tried that? Well, then, let’s begin with smaller steps specific to the various categories from our feng shui vision board.

Action Specific to Life Categories / Feng Shui Boxes

Abundance

Create an envelope that says, “vacation to Europe,” where you put the five’s you receive. They add up quickly.

Start a savings account for something you have your heart set on

Always pay more than the minimum on my credit cards/mortgage

Give to a good cause—nothing says, “I am in abundance,” quite like giving to a charity or cause

Cut down on your impulse purchases

Say, “We don’t spend our money in that way.” Rather than, “We don’t have enough money for that.”

Spend intentionally supporting companies you feel good about

Affirmations: “I am in the flow of money and abundance”

Health & Well being

Work out, dance in your living room, join a gym, watch a yoga video and follow along

Go for a walk

Add more plants to your diet

Bring your lunch 3 days per week

Take probiotics or vitamins

Schedule your mammogram

Affirmations: “Thank you for the vibrant health. I look and feel better than ever.”

Skills & Knowledge

Read a book about something you are interested in knowing more about

Visit a museum and take in all that there is to learn

Find a YouTube channel that addresses something you are passionate about

Affirmations: “I am capable of anything I set my mind to. I can do it well.”

Career

Polish off your resume and update your LinkedIn profile

Take a class or get certified

Affirmations: “Thank you for the perfect job that is fulfilling and utilizes my skill set.”

Helpful People & Travel

Start a travel fund

Buy a guide book for the place you want to travel next

Check flight costs just to see how much it might cost, set up a price alert

Reach out to a friend you haven’t seen in a while and go for coffee or wine

Affirmations: “I travel to amazing places for work and pleasure.” “I am blessed with supportive and loving people in my life.”

Children & Creativity

Dust off your paint brushes and begin again

Go to a museum or movie to get your creative juices flowing

Ask your doctor for suggestions about how to prepare the body for optimal fertility

Affirmations: “I am bringing wonderful art/beings into this world.”

Love & Relationships

Find a photo or image of a loving couple and place it in the far right corner of your bedroom (feng shui tip)

Buy a candle and put it in your love space

Affirmation: “I love. I am lovable. I am loved deeply. I am worthy of love.”

Fame & Reputation

Clean up your Facebook, Instagram and other social media accounts to present the best you

Use your words impeccably (thank you Don Luis Miguel and The Four Agreements)

Affirmations: “People listen to what I have to say and benefit from it. I am well respected in my field.”

YOU

Increase your self-care

Take a bath

Get a mani/pedi (give yourself one)

Get a new hairstyle

Clean out your closets of all the past clothing you no longer wear. If you lose weight, you will likely want an updated style and new clothes in celebration.

Affirmation: “I am awesome and people enjoy being around me.” “I am doing my best everyday and I love life.”

Your Turn

Now, its your turn to take the first step toward your future. You can do many things or just one small one. Best to set out to do one thing a day that will move you closer to your goal. Write down the ones from above that resonate with you. Create a list of your own. It might be helpful to keep a running list in your phone notes so that you can easily cross off, add or eliminate steps.

You can do this. The instructions are simple. Need an accountability partner? I am here for you. This is what I do—help people through life transformation. I can help you work through the Know Thyself: pocket guide to figuring yourself out, heal from the past, create your vision board, write your power intentions, and develop your action steps. I can also be your accountability partner. Interested in doing this with my help, guidance and cheerleading? Call me at 303-881-0872 or email me at becky@beckyprater.com or book your 6-pack of breakthrough sessions now. It takes about 6 sessions and is so much fun.