Breaking Barriers -- It's an Inside Job

One of the beliefs I hold to pretty fervently is that each of us has it within us to tap into a higher guidance. We don’t need to turn to others to get our answers, they are within us. That’s right, I’m talking to you. Where people seem to get tripped up on this is trusting themselves enough to believe that they can get their own answers.

I love working with these Medicine Cards.
They are a great personal tool for insights.

So considering this, I get why people go to others for readings, and frankly this is why I will provide readings (I use Animal Medicine Cards). The insights I offer in my readings give people some sense of confidence that the cards seem to “work.” Once they acknowledge this, I remind them that the cards are just a tool, a tool they can learn to use, to tap into their own insights and intuition.

When we use the cards, it’s like having a conversation with ourselves. Our higher selves. But it gives us an excuse to look past the doubts we might have about being able to connect with our guides, ancestors, totems – whatever form God may be taking for you.  It takes practice, mind you, to trust what we see or feel, but it’s a good first step toward breaking down our own internal barriers.

But I didn’t really want to talk about using oracle cards. Like I said, I’m about everyone being able to find their own answers. In a couple recent readings though, a pattern seemed to emerge that tied into my long-held belief.

People were feeling low about different aspects of their lives, and didn’t know how to break out of the funk they felt. One of the more powerful lessons I’ve learned is that we have it within us to shift our emotional states, and by doing so, we can then break out of patterns that may have been dogging us.

It wasn’t until I started listening to Abraham-Hicks many years ago that this lesson really started sinking in for me; and frankly, it wasn’t until I was feeling especially low about my life circumstances that I really started to put Abraham’s teachings into practice. (If you’re not familiar with Abraham, they are essentially a channeled energy by Esther Hicks, and they offer workshops around the country and globe. Check out their website here for more info.)

Anyway, when I heard my clients tell me they didn’t know how to break away from their patterns of anger and fear I suggested they use a trick that was reinforced for me by Abraham-Hicks. Think of something that brings you joy. Simple, right? It’s easy to say, but until you put it into practice and can feel the difference it makes, it’s not so easy. And frankly, it can often be a journey to find a less negative emotion in the thick of your circumstance.

A view of the mountain landscape in Korea on a recent trip.
Though beautiful, when we are in difficult states of negative
emotion these kinds of memories may not be enough to snap
us out of our funk. We may need to take smaller steps.

For instance, let’s say you’re in a state of complete anger and frustration. Trying to remember when you were having the time of your life on a tropical island may not really help you because you’re not there and you wish you were and if it weren’t for your situation you would be there more often or right now, etc. So jumping from complete anger to joy may not be an effective approach.

Let’s say though, your anger is about work. Then consider a positive outcome as to why you’re working in the first place. Is it for your family? Is it for that new car? Is it to ultimately get a promotion so you can get the experience you need to start your own business? Will these thoughts make you immediately be joyful and happy? Probably not. But what they will do is shift your energy, your emotion, as you think about the benefits of what you’re doing. You can actually feel the difference.

Once you shift your emotions, even slightly, it becomes a stepping stone to find another focus and shift your emotions to another state closer to happiness. The important thing is to feel the difference. When you do, you acknowledge that you have control over how you feel. That’s powerful stuff.

This is our dog Maggie, who always lifts my spirits

So of course I’m going to be tying this back to feng shui. Let’s say you have a hard time recalling something that can shift you into a better emotion. This is where your home can come into play. Consider the things in your home. What do you have in your home that makes you feel good? Are there pictures of places you love? People who support you? Items given to you that have special significance? If not, start to add them. These are the things that promote a home that you love, which is good feng shui. They also can by your constant reminder of memories, items, people you can be thankful for that actually shift your emotion. So even if you forget during your day, away from your home, the things you need to shift your emotions, when you get home, you will be immediately reminded.

The things in your home then are key to helping you shift your life circumstances. They remind us of what we love, who we are and why we do things. They empower us to make positive, powerful changes in our lives.

It’s all there, in your home, and in you.