Where to Begin?

The whole process of self-development; personal evolution; awakening--whatever you want to call it--can feel super daunting.  Believe me, I've been there.  In fact, I'm still there alot of the time.  Because there are so many different directions where you can go.  But, the beauty is, no matter where you start, you'll always end up exactly where you need to be, doing exactly what you need to do, to go where you want to go.  

Kinda cool right?

Well, I've been on this development train for years and I've tackled this from many different angles.  I've read books; been to therapists; worked through workbooks; listened to podcasts; done things on my own; done things in a group; been on retreats; hired healers; and, journaled.  Many things I'm still doing, and other things...not so much.  And that is okay.  It is all a part of the growth process.  

One thing I'm really digging is starting with something so basic, I wondered why I didn't think of it myself.  You know what that basic thing is?  

Starting with yourself.

Yes, really.  Starting with you.  Not a book.  Not a podcast.  Not a therapist.  YOU.

And you start by asking yourself, what do you value?  At your core, what do you stand for, believe in, and feel is true to you?  How do you want to live your life?  How do you want to honor the person you are?

Then, you've got to listen for the response.  Listening takes time, patience, and understanding.  And when it comes to listening to yourself, admittedly, it's not easy.  I still struggle to listen to myself.  I usually just ask the question and keep on going, not really recognizing signs that my body/my heart/my emotions are wanting to speak.  I don't often hear until I'm forced (in my case, through illness) to slow down.  But, I don't just want to hear when I'm forced....I want to hear myself before it gets to that point.  

Which is why I'm writing.  Which is why I'm sharing.  To shed light on this whole self development thing....and take some of the confusion out of it.  Its not wrong to want to evolve.  Its not wrong to want to do this work.  Its not wrong to want to "figure out" or ask questions of our bodies, our minds, our spirits.  Our bodies/minds/hearts speak to us all the time.  They will ALWAYS tell us the truth. 

It is our responsibility to listen.  

This weekend, really listen to your body when you ask the question--What do I value?  Record the answer in a journal; share with a friend; or just write out a list.  There is NO right or wrong way to do this....just open your ears and honor your response. 

If you're stuck, or wanting to share it hear, leave a comment below.   I'll be sharing mine after I give myself the space this weekend to answer it, so I can't wait to see what you've heard!