"I have ruts. Ruts are common, unimaginative, and oh so boring. I know because I have spent time in them. Actually, I even took up emotional residence in a couple. To make them more comfortable, I even decorated them. I adorned the walls with excuses:"I can't", "I tried", and "I don't wanna". Those are just a few of the plagues, I mean plaques that I hung in my ruts." ~Patsy Clairmont
This is a quote that a dear friend shared with me this morning. Ruts, ruts and more ruts...something that we can all relate to.
The thing with ruts, is that they are just in our head. I mean let's think about it for a minute. If our thoughts create our reality, and thoughts can literally become things, then if we are thinking we are in a rut, or feeling like we are in a rut...guess what? We are! So, it is simple; to get out of our ruts, we have to get out of our heads. We need to STOP thinking ruts and START thinking flight!
Now, you are probably sitting there, reading this, saying "If only it were that simple..." or "I have been thinking positively and trying to manifest and nothing is happening yet..." - I am here to tell you that it is that simple and that there are a few other important tools that we can use to help us stay the course, stay focused and not get discouraged.
Janice Mae Parviainen teaches us in "A Courage to Love Yourself" that "Things just are. They just seem different from what you expected them to be." You see, we often hold positive intentions, and positive thoughts, but we attach expectations to them, sometimes even unknowingly. These expectations often hold us in the pattern of how we used to be, in exactly the same ways that we are trying to change or release from our lives. So, the question now becomes, how do we identify those expectations so that we can release them?
We have to be willing to actively participate in what I call, admission medicine. We need to honestly look at what we are trying to manifest, discover if we have an ulterior motive, and visualize what we think it will look like if we already had it in our lives. We need to meditate on it, pray on it, and hold the positive intention that whatever the Universe brings us is exactly what we need. Once we have identified what is holding us back, leaving us feeling stuck in a rut, we can release it. And how do we do that? Some prefer journaling, some like to talk about it, some like to do a ceremonial release. For me, I like to acknowledge it, and change how I am currently handling it. Because, there are no right answers here. If we have a pattern in our life that is tying us to the past, and we recognize that how we have been reacting by having that in our life isn't working, and we change it, the pattern changes. And as long as we hold the intention of making a change that is in our best interest, our pattern will change. Let me give you a personal example.
As you know, this last year has been chaotic. All in good ways. Abundant in community volunteer work, international mission work, local church activities, family life, and my career, life brought forward a spiritual rut that I fell into. Aware of my situation as it was happening, I could see that my life was significantly out of balance. I was giving 80% and getting 20%...and when you give that much and only allowing yourself to receive a little your spiritual tank can run dry in a hurry. I have been running on empty for a months now. And in a small town, once you volunteer to do something once, you are in for life - you know what I mean? There have been expectations from others and self to continue being and doing at the same pace as I always have done. And I know that I cannot do that, on this empty tank. I mean, 36 hours after I had a baby, I was involved with interviewing a potential hire for the ministerial position that was available at church...who does that? Most women aren't even out of the hospital...and here I am, trucking off to conduct a meeting mere hours after delivering my beautiful Faith-Anna. Do you think I have been living in a way that strives to meet all those expectations?
So, what have I done to pull myself out of my spiritual rut? I released virtually all of the committments that I have had over the last 3 years. I kept only the things that are filling my spiritual tank. I know it sounds extreme, but I had reflected on it for 6 months, and it was time for action, so I decided to change my pattern, change my thought process and voila! Lighter....emotionally lighter...spiritually lighter...(actively working on the physically lighter!)...and I feel good about myself and where I am in my life. I have made room for the things that are important in the here and now. Everyday, I can feel my passion and my spiritual spark getting brighter and can feel my tank getting filled.
I believe that we co-create our own reality. Our thoughts become our reality. If we think we are in a rut, we are. Choose to NOT think you are in a rut. Choose to do something...anything really. Every time we change, our reality changes. And when our intentions and dreams finally come to fruition they will be absolutely phenomenal...beyond what we could have expected! I couldn't have expected to feel today what I feel...releasing my pattern (volunteer addict) and making changes has resulted in a very pleasant surprise!
Be patient and trusting friends. Your rut is only in your head. Stop "trying" and just do - something, anything! Stop with the "cannots" because you can! Have the courage to face your rut and get out of your head...you won't regret it!
Your thoughts are already creating your reality!
Consider that.
Juli
