Hello Everyone! Let's take a step back, look at our progress, and recognize the quiet achievements we've made so far.
Lately, I feel like I am in a whirlwind with all the new projects I am taking on. Yesterday, I finally launched my merch store! This has been about 2-3 weeks in the making. I am still setting things up here and there, but I finally pulled the trigger and made it live. This was mostly possible because IÂ cleared my mental space by letting go. From this newfound mental space, I spent more time working on it and got it done sooner than I initially anticipated.
Another thing that helped me in this process was my daughter's suggestion that I dedicate a certain amount of time to each project area I was working on. When I am not teaching in class, I spend time juggling between three to four ongoing projects and I was starting to get a little frustrated and discouraged by not being able to make much headway. I got a tabletop whiteboard and jotted down things I would like to do in each project area for the day. I segment about 1-2 hours in each area: this way I can make some measurable progress in all projects. When we are self-employed and starting a new business, it is hard to keep ourselves motivated and see our progress especially when doing behind-the-scenes groundwork before the launch.
Our inner work sometimes feels that way. We are doing a lot of work inside but sometimes no one sees any difference in you. That does not mean that you are not making any progress. There will be a gap between the time you made your inner change and how the inner change reflects in the outer physical reality. It can be so discouraging when we make massive inner changes but see no changes in our physical reality. But this is exactly when we must keep going, no matter what anyone thinks, judges, or disapproves.
Let's take this moment to step back and look at the changes you've made so far. And before anyone else notices your changes, how about you be the first to acknowledge them and give yourself some words of encouragement?
And this leads to this week's journal topic:
Look back to the person you used to be before you started your healing journey, and look at you now. What internal changes have you made? Be proud of the changes you've made and give encouraging words to your progress.
When you list your changes, it does not have to be measurable or tangible. When I started my healing journey, I spent one to two years going through my childhood traumas, understanding how those affected my beliefs, programming, and life, healing from them, and re-programming my subconscious mind to the one that reflects self-love. Other than spending hours in meditation and deep self-reflection, I carried on with my life so most people had no idea what I was going through. There is nothing measurable or tangible, and everything was my quiet achievements.
You may have just started your journey and feel frustrated that you have not healed from the traumas yet. But starting the journey itself is already a big change, and you might already have made great progress if you have identified some of the traumas that severely affected how you view, think, and feel about yourself. Write them down and give some encouraging words to keep you going, like below:
I am on my way to healing
I may not know exactly how to heal or what to do next, but I trust that the Universe will show me the next step when I am ready
The progress I am making is exactly the right speed the Universe intended. I will come out of this one day and smile as I look back.
The past "me" before I started this journey says thanks to the person I have become today.
The changes that cannot be seen from the outside will ripple out and change my situation, circumstances, and the world when it is ready.
If you feel beaten by discouragement from your inner voice, pay attention to the words you hear and see where those words came from. You probably heard them (not exact words but a similar version of it) in your childhood from your parents, siblings, friends, or someone else. Those voices are here to point out the traumas you need to heal from: they are not here to punish you. Know that the judgment cast by these people when you were little has nothing to do with who you were or who you became. Those are not true statements but lies you felt you needed to believe. Can you dare yourself to overcome discouragement and keep going despite the discouraging words you hear from inside? Can you prove yourself "right" (not wrong!) that you can heal from it once and for all?
Sometimes inner work feels like going through a dark tunnel with no end in sight. The only way to navigate is by listening to your heart. No matter how dark it may seem, keep going. One day you will see the light and come out on the other end. And remember, no matter how you feel, you are here now because it is exactly where you are meant to be, and you are always being guided.
If you want to delve deeper into the practice of inner change and manifestation, listen to the following podcasts from Whispers of the Heart:
"Seeds of Change" from Whispers of the Heart Guided Meditations
"Change Starts Within: Seeds of Change" - a 1-hour Dive Deeper Discussion
"Power of Letting Go: Embrace Change, Manifest Your Desires"- a 1-hour Dive Deeper Discussion
Happy journaling,
Noriko
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