Lately I have been doing a lot of work around not allowing anything external to disrupt my internal state of well-being. I believe that at the core of our being we are inherently peaceful and loving, and although we stray from who we really are from time to time (or more often than we'd like) we can return to that natural state of peace and love anytime we want. I've been focusing a lot and will continue to focus on on cultivating peace within myself and placing my trust in the power of God, Who I believe, dwells within me.
Our minds are very, very powerful things, the brain is actually the strongest muscle in the body and in order to have it perform at it's highest potential, we need to exercise it like we would any other muscle. Exercising my brain comes in the form of prayer, meditation, positive affirmations and actively changing my thoughts.
When I first started to implement these practices in my life, it was EXHAUSTING!! These concepts were all totally foreign to me. I always thought that I would be happy when I had the hottest handbag, the cutest boyfriend and the best and most exciting social life. Sure, all of those things are great but the problem was that I only ever looked externally for validation. I was always going to be happy "when..." I had NO idea that I had any power, I thought life was just happening to me, so when things didn't go my way, I would be quick to blame other people and I had absolutely no acceptance for what was. This lead me to substance abuse and harming my body and mind through self-destructive thoughts and behaviours. Changing my life did not come easy to me at all, as it was a complete undoing of everything I had ever known for my first 25 years of being on earth!! I literally remember having to shift my perception from fear to love every few seconds at the beginning, as ALL of my thoughts were based in fear. It was such a chore!! (worth it now, but a chore back then) I thank God every day for giving me the desire and the willingness to change. The more I practiced, the more natural it became (like anything else) and now it's practically second nature. As a result, I continue to experience more and more peace in my life. Hard work always pays off!
To begin shifting my perceptions, I was guided to all of my self-help gurus and resources. Marianne Williamson, A Course In Miracles, Gabrielle Bernstein, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, Mastin Kipp (to name a few!) - all resources I still use today!! If you aren't familiar with them, get to google immediately - these people and the spiritual principles they teach will change your life for the better!!
Louise Hay taught me the power of positive affirmations and every morning when I wake up, I go to the mirror, look myself dead in the eyes and say "Kylie, I LOVE you" ... this works wonders for my self-esteem and I strongly suggest adding this 2 second practice into your life, immediately!
I could go on forever and ever about all the amazing gifts I have received from the wisdom of A Couse In Miracles and all my above noted mentors, but I'll let you discover them for yourselves. What they all have in common, though, in the simplest terms, is the belief that WE are responsible for our own lives.
I choose what I feed into. I choose my thoughts. Painful situations happen, yes. Pain is a part of life and I absolutely need to honour that, but if I want to cultivate love, happiness, peace and joy, then I better STOP dwelling on negative shit and the things I cannot control. I need to REMEMBER who I am and KNOW that nothing outside of me has the power to change the way I feel.... unless I let it.
This is my work today and every day. Not allowing people, places or things change my state of being. My happiness actually comes from within today and that is such a wonderful gift (and it's available to us all!!)
Try this: anytime you have a fearful, unloving, yucky thought pop into your mind - say to yourself "I am willing to see things differently - I am willing to see love instead of this" this simple affirmation allows me to start shifting the focus back to the present moment and trust that all is well. Remember, nothing external has the power to alter your internal state of well-being unless you let it.
Here's to changing your thoughts in order to change your life!!
What practices will you incorporate into your life in order to be more fulfilled?
Please take what resonates from this blog and leave the rest :)
Love, Kylie
xx
