Give to Yourself and Change Your Life

Learn the wonderment of receiving.  And you learn this, my beloved, by giving. -Goswami Kriyananda

One of my yoga teachers, Kriyananda, says that the greatest lesson in life is to learn how to receive.  He says that the best way you can learn how to open your heart and truly receive life's greatest gifts is to give.  

Fear causes you to contract.  Love causes you to expand.  In order for you to truly expand, you must love yourself first.  Love yourself - mentally, verbally and physically.  The more you take care of and love yourself, the more you can give.  Allowing yourself to live your dreams and be authentically you is the greatest gift of love you can give yourself.

"I'm an artist."  It took me years before I could say that without cringing or laughing or feeling just plain weird about it.  I can now say it with confidence.  I can also say that I am actually living, for the first time, the life I've always imagined.  I'm the happiest I've ever been.  This doesn't mean I'm happy all the time or don't have bad days.  It does mean that I've learned a lot about myself in the last several years, and that my years of searching and exploring have helped me get to a place where I now know I am the creator of my own life.

If you want to learn more about my self-discovery journey, you can see it here.  What I want to share with you today, though, is what it means to live from the inside out.

We've all been there - knowing we need to make some big changes but not knowing where to begin.  Or maybe we know where to begin, but we don't feel we have the time, energy or resources to get started.  It's so easy to keep doing the same things over and over, until eventually we find that the years have passed us by, and we still don't know who we are.  We have yet to connect to a greater purpose.  We haven't found ways to maintain balance.  We continue to find ourselves with less time, less money and less energy.  Will it ever end?

When I was really stuck in the muck and feeling trapped and unhappy, I turned to the things that have brought the most clarity and comfort to my life - art, writing, yoga and meditation.  Through practice and dedication, I discovered one thing that was really bringing me down was that I was always looking outward.  I thought if I had the better job, or more money, another degree, nicer clothes, or a bigger studio - that this is when I'd feel happy and complete, and my life would be "perfect."  I knew deep down inside, though, that the true work, the magic, and the great change I wanted to see, would happen (and would last) when I turned my focus inward.

I truly believe that when we start to look within, and explore, discover and reflect through art, writing, yoga, meditation (or other quieting, intuitive practices), we can reconnect to our creativity and authenticity.  We are all born with the answers - on how to live a balanced, peaceful, joyous life - yet through our life's journey most of us get lost along the way.  It is through the practice of going inside that we can remember and find our way again.

Inside Out e-course is a creative adventure of self-discovery that allows you to be YOU.  It creates a safe place, one where you can fully explore your dreams, your true feelings and what your heart wants you to hear.  It reminds you that there is no right way to be you, and that the right path for you is YOUR path.  It helps you be ok with messy, uncertainty and letting go of perfect.  It encourages you to take healthy risks.  It gives you permission to explore the endless possibilities that are waiting for you.  It dares you to dream in big and bold ways.

I created Inside Out - the e-course - to guide you to go deeper, so that you can create the life you love.  You take the course in the privacy of your own home and at your own pace, but have the option to connect, share and grow with a like-minded community of fellow explorers.  (Which, I have to say, is an amazing part of the process!)  The course is 4-weeks in length, but the magical discoveries you make along the way will last a lifetime.  

The next session of Inside Out is June 21st - July 16th and costs only $59.  (That's just $2 a day!)  This is the last Inside Out e-course I'll be offering in 2010 as I'll be on maternity leave this autumn.

My first two sessions have been wildly successful and it has been a huge gift to me.  When I first offer the course, I decided that I would offer it if I had up to 10 people sign up.  To my amazement, hundreds of beautiful souls from all over the world have shared this experience with me.  

To give back, and in honor of One Small Change, I would like to offer a special this week.

If you sign-up for the course by next Friday, May 28th, 30% of your registration fee will be donated to NRI Global Charity Haiti. (They still need our help!)

Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions about the course.  livefreely@mac.com

Your Personal Reflection:  What does it mean to you to live from the "inside out?" 

Self-Discovery is a Life-Long Journey

I met Hip Mountain Mama on Twitter last year, and we've become good "virtual" friends ever since.  She has been a wonderful supporter of my e-course, and she experienced some life changing moments from taking the class.  Please enjoy this honest, authentic reflection of a glimpse into her self-discovery journey.

Why were you originally drawn to signing up for Inside Out?
I am always looking for ways to tap into my true self...to live the life I really want for myself.  In this busy world we live in, it can be hard to take the time to work on YOU.  I was reading your blog one day and saw that you were offering an e-course on self-discovery...this appealed to me on many levels and I knew I wanted to be part of it!  I really liked that it was an online class that could be taken on my own pace, but that there would also be support from you and the other members.

Have you ever taken an e-course before?
No, this is my first one.

What did you enjoy the most from your experience in the course?
I really enjoyed the guided meditations!  Having the extra nudge to take 15 minutes for me each day was just what I needed.  I also really enjoyed journaling and the deep and thought provoking questions that we addressed.

Did you encounter any surprises along the way?
I think my favorite and most surprising day was when we were figuring out what was really important to us in life.  To do this, we first took the approach of what we did not value or like in our lives.  By doing this I was able to realize there were many situations that did not go along with my values and I needed to let a few things go in my life!  By letting some things go, I was completely surprised by how at peace and happy I felt!

Did you learn anything new about yourself and what are some of the things you've discovered in the course that you've now applied to your daily life?
I learned that I am great at stuffing my feelings and going along with things in my life that need to be put aside.  I have learned that I need to feel and that it is OK to feel and to let these feelings out.  As I said in an earlier answer, I have let some things go in my life that caused me stress and allowing myself to do this has been life changing!

Would you recommend this course to others?  
Absolutely!  Whatever place you are in your life, this is a class that everyone can learn from.  It is amazing to hear how the class affected other people and how everyone takes from it what they need.


Anything else you'd like to share, especially to those who are wondering if the course is right for them?
One of my favorite things about taking the class was waking up knowing I had a friend to go to each morning.  Reading the post for the day, answering questions, journaling, meditating, doing some artwork...I never knew what was going to be in store for that day's class and that was really exciting and fun! Take a leap of faith and see what this class can do for you!

Thank you, Suzy, for sharing your enthusiasm for life with us!  I remember one of her favorite guided meditations from class was the one that focused on creativity.  I'd like to share that meditation with each of you.  Click here to download the audio podcast, set aside 10 minutes of quiet time, get comfortable and enjoy the gift of stillness.

Your Personal Reflection:  Think about the last time you took a leap of faith.  What big, healthy risks have you taken in your life that have changed you?  Are you ready for a new one?