Are you tired of feeling like life is always a struggle, one hurdle after another? Or that just when things seem to be going good, something happens and they take a downward tumble? Or that no matter how hard you try, you just don't get where you want?
I know the feeling. It's exhausting to give life your all and not get the outcomes you want. You might ask, what's the point? You might feel depressed because you don't know what else to do or how to get the changes you want and make them stick. At this point you may not have the energy or motivation to keep trying.
HOW TO BREAK FREE
People say you are the captain of your ship but with such pain in your past and so many obstacles in your path, how can you create the life you want? What else can you do when you've already done everything you can? What are you missing?
I once asked these same questions and didn't stop looking for answers until I found them. Breaking free from pain and struggle is easier than it may seem at first glance. You just have to know how. Once you know how, the rest becomes doable.
IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Ditching struggle isn't rocket science. It's more about fine tuning what you're already doing than inventing anything new. Everything you need to know is already inside of you. You just have to own it.
An easy approach is to think of your life as a garden. You already have a garden and it already contains everything you need to thrive. So all you need to do is tend to it differently. Let's break it down to five simple steps...
FIVE STEPS TO DITCHING STRUGGLE
Ditching struggle is a matter of how you tend to the garden of your life. Think of the container for your garden as your boundaries or personal space, the soil as your body temple, the fertilizer as your thoughts/feelings/actions, and the seeds as your desires. You already have these things. Now it's just a question of fine-tuning them to get the outcomes you want.
1. The Container. The container for your garden is the sacred vessel in which your life grows. Think of your garden container as the physical boundaries of your body and its energy field. You take this vessel with you everywhere and your life garden can't grow without it. Keep your garden space an inviting, safe and loving place for your desires to grow. Pay attention to what you expose it to. Take steps to rid your container of people, places or things that don't serve your intent to grow and thrive in the ways you want.
2. The Soil. The soil in your garden is the foundation from which the seeds of your desires grow. It must be kept rich and fertile. Think of the soil as your body's interior. What do you feed your body? How do you care for it? Do you go for short term relief that weakens you overall or do you choose true nourishment that builds long-term power and vibrancy? Are you caught in old habits that don't serve you or do you actively build new habits that do?
3. The Fertilizer. The fertilizer for your garden is how you strengthen and empower yourself. Think of the fertilizer as your thoughts, feelings and actions that create your radiance. What do you feed or tell yourself? Are you caught in regrets of the past or worry about the future? Are you struggling under self-doubt and fear? Do you judge yourself and others? Blame, shame or criticize? Or are you confident and present with what is? Do you carry compassion for yourself and others? Do you stand in your truth and live with integrity? Are you authentic? Is your heart open to giving and receiving love?
4. The Seeds. The seeds in your garden are your desires. They carry your vision and intent. And they need a sacred container, true nourishment and empowering fertilizer to grow and thrive. Without these things, the seeds of your desires will shrivel up because they can't grow and thrive in an unsafe, neglectful or toxic environment.
5. The Maintenance. Growing anything requires awareness, attention and love. For your desires to thrive, your garden needs regular maintenance. You must attend to what you expose it to as the seasons and conditions of your life change. You must provide true nourishment to keep the soils healthy long term. You must fertilize it with positivity, love and compassion to keep it vibrant and powerful. And you must weed out old habits that pop up through the soil and invade your garden so your seeds have the spaciousness they need to expand.
CULTIVATING LASTING HAPPINESS
Tending to the garden of your desires isn't a one-time deal. It's an ongoing commitment. You can't protect your garden from a winter freeze and expect anything to sprout unless you uncover it again in the spring. You can't ignore the soil and expect your seeds to thrive long term. You can't fertilize it in Aril and expect it to stay fertile forever. You can't weed it once and expect the weeds to never return.
It doesn't work that way. Ditching struggle for lasting happiness takes dedication, which is easy when you focus on your desires. These are things you want to grow in your life, right? So what greater motivation is there than that?
Defaulting into habitual struggle isn't getting you to your desires, but you know this already. The way out is to cultivate lasting happiness one choice at a time. You can do it...you are your life's master gardener. It is ultimately up to you.