 In a YouTube Shorts video posted by Screenwriter, Consultant and Film Producer Slavica Bogdanov, she instructs you to raise your arms and jump up and down and exclaim, "I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it, I got what I wanted......!!!!" Just do that simple, if silly, action when you’re feeling small and afraid. and you will quickly feel pumped up, more motivated, energized and filled with positivity. I played along and tried it, and guess what? It worked! It felt so incredibly good! So simple yet so powerful. Little hacks like this to make your emotional life easier speaks volumes to me. How about for you? Decision Hack in a Hat One hack that I often share is the "how to decide" hack. If you're having difficulty choosing between things, write down your options on little slips of paper, fold the papers and throw them in a hat (or any container really). Blindly choose one and be prepared to notice your response. Open the slip of paper and..... you'll know. You'll know if you didn't actually want that. You'll know if you got the one you wanted and, hey, this just confirmed it! You'll feel it in your body. Instantly. Most of the time, if not all the time, WE KNOW what we want but something is blocking us from claiming that desire. Doing this hack is a way to start reconnecting with that inner wisdom. Eventually you'll start to believe in yourself and not have to go through the hack. In any case, other than possibly the time and paper to do the exercise, it doesn't hurt and can really help you to gain clarity and awareness. You're there already; remove the block. Don't stop there, by the way. When you notice your response to having chosen one that you didn't want or one that you did, stop to ask yourself: what was the block? What stopped you from "knowing" outright? What beliefs, influences, judgments or resistance attached themselves to the decision, to each option? This is a great exercise to develop deeper self-awareness on how you tick. We all have life experiences that shape our subconscious thoughts. The more you shine a light on these hidden inner messages, the more you can stop them from holding you back from the life you were meant to live. Here’s my own example of working the hack: “my next step indecision”. I needed to decide on the next level of support and coaching that would help me move the needle in my business. Faced with four excellent options with varied focuses, I wanted to do all of them but that would not be time- or money-efficient. Plus it would be overwhelming thus ineffective. Decision-in-a-Hat Hack: after placing the 4 slips of paper in a hat, I prepared to notice my responses.
Looking at your obstacles is not fun.
Once illuminated, you may realize there's a reason that block was hidden. With regret, you might wonder: can I put it back now? Out of sight, out of mind? In actuality, you probably can stuff it back down with a bit of self-sabotage and the usual self-soothing techniques….but do you really want to? These subconscious blocks that rendered you paralyzed-to-decide become thicker and taller walls in your life, brick by brick. You loosened one block. You can decide to knock it out completely and let the light in... which can then reflect out through your expressions. You have a gift that wants to shine, but it's stuck behind this wall. Do you know what IS fun? Getting to shine. Making decisions with more ease that move you forward in your journey. Discovering who you are when you are allowed to be. This is moving from fear to love. Whether you seek help from a trusted coach, mentor, therapist, or friend, or seek to figure it out on your own (--although having some form of support system is always recommended), decide to clear the block. And then the next one and the next. It'll surprise you how easy it is to face that next old emotional block once you've experienced the freedom from clearing the first. You'll realize you can do hard things and a proportionate --and often exponential-- measure of JOY will follow. Each time you do this, you can truly cheer for yourself: I did it, I did it!! (Or I got it!!!!) Because you did. Cheering for you with awe, Anna SachKiret PS. Tell me: what bricks have you removed (or started to remove) that you love to share about? Also, what's a favorite hack of yours to help you through an emotional challenge?
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 Often people will ask me how kundalini yoga differs from other types of yoga. I feel ill-equipped to offer a comparison as I never truly got into other kinds of yoga. I even wrote a post about it here. But it is a fair question, so this is my attempt to answer it in a fair way. A Door to Replace the Self-Help Section Early on for me, this practice of kundalini yoga and meditation was exactly as it was/is professed to be: “the yoga of awareness”. The brain fog cleared, my perspectives shifted, and a deeper understanding of myself felt possible. The best way I could describe it was: imagine if the entire self-help section at the bookstore could be replaced with simply a door which opened into a kundalini class. Yeah, that’s it in a nutshell. 5 Main Differences, In Other Words (Jill Enticknap’s words) I recently discovered this well-written account by Jill Enticknap, yoga teacher, entrepreneur and creator of Yogi Institute, online yoga studio and teacher training. She highlights the five main differences that set Kundalini Yoga apart from other yogas as:
This feels quite right to me as the keys to the practice-- and good to know these are differentiators of kundalini yoga. I encourage you to read her blog for a bit more on each of these. The only addition I may add is the prevalence of nervous and digestive system work, however that could be captured within energy/chakras, breathing techniques and essentially all of the five. While we work at flexibility, stretching, and strengthening our physical body, the focus is more from the inside-out. Moving energy to heal you from the inside through the conscious movement, breath and inner connection with your body’s divine wisdom. What matters most to me about this practice is its powerful impact, which for me and many others I know, was experienced soon after starting a regular practice. Life Before: What’s Wrong With Me? Prior to finding kundalini yoga, I worried incessantly about gloom and doom scenarios, especially for my family. I set my life’s priorities around making other people’s lives and dreams shine over my own. And that was a great place to focus because I didn’t know what I wanted or who I was anyway. Me? I didn’t quite fit in anywhere. At least that’s how I felt inside, though my friends didn’t see it. Except for momentous shifts like becoming a mother, I often wondered what’s wrong with me. Why couldn’t I figure it out? Self-help books tell you to “know thyself” - thanks, easier said than done! It was easier to lean on others’ lives and focus my attention there. I’m sure that wasn’t overbearing on anyone. 🙄  Life After: I am the sparkly, happy unicorn
The worrying about things I can’t control, the fixation on doomed possibilities….poof, suddenly gone. To have the strength, nerve and focus to finally see myself and still love and accept that person changed me. Self-awareness is no joke…how many of us walk around oblivious? My life’s direction started to unfold and I felt trust and support around my gifts and the lessons I needed to learn. I felt more open and steady when social triggers overwhelmed me. Unknowns and discomfort became an accepted part of an amazing life. Decisions for myself came easier. I could support others while staying true to my own needs and wants. I felt true self-love which translated into more empathy, compassion, and understanding for others. Energy and peace/relaxation happened at the same time. And I felt a deep connection with the Infinite. With God. I learned to Trust. This is me. A sparkly, happy unicorn. After kundalini yoga. THE WHISPER OF TRUTH….and Freedom! Inner work, spiritual connection, a balanced mind, and aligned energy IS physical-mental-spiritual health. An elevating and calming sensation experienced “on the mat” that stays with me through the turbulent and challenging episodes of each day “off the mat”. An equalizer that reminds me with its powerful whisper: you are divine spirit and “God’s gift”, loved and supported always. I feel grateful. It’s liberating to feel unstuck and nourished, loved for exactly who and how you are regardless of –or because of– your “failures” and willingness to show up fearlessly. It’s a lifestyle practice: taking out the garbage daily and self-care all day. A sweet whisper of love that surrounds you with empowerment and radiance. This is my practice. Is this yoga different? What say you? Have you experienced different yogas? What do you love about it? Does my experience ring true for you with your practice? I hope this was helpful to you. Share your thoughts in the comments! WIth grit and grace, Anna SachKiret P.S. Try a kundalini class with me this Saturday 10/19 at 9AM CT via Zoom - register here for this beginner’s class. Or join me for a monthly membership that would include the Saturday class –DM me for details. (This post was originally published on January 27, 2022 and re-titled+updated on October 2, 2024). Check out the free event invitation in the post-scrript!  @Kamchatka via Canva.com When I think about the decisions I've made in my life, there are some that bring me joy and pride and others that make me think 'what on earth was I thinking'?!? I can now reflect on those latter ones and realize I WAS, in fact, THINKING --and not feeling. How often do we know deep down what we are meant to do yet we ignore those inner messages for our brain's more logical-seeming demands? We don't want to be looked upon as irrational or --gasp-- emotional! No, do what people expect and can make sense of. Right. That's what your ego keeps saying.
To be clear, I wouldn't change a thing about these past decisions because I know they were the lessons I needed at the time.....AND at present. To be able to reflect back on those experiences and how my decisions shaped my life, I can honor those lessons today. Today I'm in a space where I can listen self-compassionately and understand the hard messages, know how it has shaped my values and beliefs--- and make better decisions going-forward that support and develop a more elevated experience, a more true-to-me experience, an evolved experience, a purposeful, life-fulfilling experience. In other words: Joy. Peace. Freedom To get to where I am today, I had to look deeply at those feelings I ignored or stuffed down or escaped from through whatever self-sabotaging means I could. It's scary to start such an endeavor-- but it's so worth it! Clearing old feelings by meeting them stops them from haunting you further. It frees you from the subconscious reactions, responses, and personality malfunctions that make you wonder, 'why did I do or say that?'. Instead you stand tall, get clear, and feel assured in your ability to meet all challenges (even emotional ones) and are able to create a life you were born to love. Nowadays, I'm looking for: Deeper connections with the world– physically and spiritually. More opportunities to fail and grow. More fresh takes on life. More gratitudes. More openness. More healing energies. More fun. A shift out of 'the way things have always been done' into a more free and loving world that aligns with me. I can choose this life that I desire, making new decisions that inspire and uplift and hold me in my Truth. I can listen to and talk with my emotions safely because I know clearly that they are the voice of my soul, guiding me and crying out to protect me. I need only pause, breathe, and quiet the noise to hear.......and then decide. What do you desire these days? What has your emotional guides been telling you? How did you decide for you? Peace and wisdom, Anna SachKiret P.S. Join me THIS FRIDAY 10/4/2024 at Noon CT for a live online, complimentary session on the true purpose of our emotions and how they guide you. Register in advance. I hope to see you there! |
AuthorI am the Essential Soul Mama. I am a mama, a soulful-spiritual teacher, an intentional storyteller, and a lover of stories of all kinds, in all forms. I write about emotions, parenting, natural health options, mind-body-soul connections, and anything that elevates our lives. Archives
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Every other week I post a blog on my Substack on relevant topics including breathwork, healing, emotions, kundalini practices, and showing up for yourself. Monthly-ish I share events+updates you may be interested in. You can unsubscribe at any time. I'm happy to have you join my free Joymail!
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ESSENTIAL SOUL MAMA / Anna SachKiret Gratzl
Chicago, Illinois
Latitude 41.959740 Longitude -87.704821
established 2017 / copyright 2025
Chicago, Illinois
Latitude 41.959740 Longitude -87.704821
established 2017 / copyright 2025