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“Jack of all trades” turned “Jack of all trades, master of none” then “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” offers a shifty proverb to reflect upon when we consider our own sense of mastery in life. What started off as a positive description of one who is versatile and has a broad range of knowledge, the adage skewed into a negative opinion of someone who isn’t a master at anything, and then changed again to reclaim some of the merits of having more skill than just one trade. I’d like to change all of this to simply: “Jack of all trades and master of Me”.
So I celebrate the jack of all trades. AND, to both the jack and the single-master, I do suggest a special kind of mastery to support the understanding of interconnectedness and the whole. That is: the mastery of Self.
As is the micro, so is the macro. And vice versa. Master your Self and the world gains mastery. What is self-mastery? What does it look like? What it isn’t: perfection, always put-together, all-knowing What it IS: self-awareness, compassion, strength to look at one’s flaws & challenges, courage to make change, active reflection & realignment, equanimity to maneuver the ups & downs within and socially, deep gratitude and self-love. It is a conscious work-in-progress. Self-Mastery can involve many aspects of Self and yet the work of self-mastery can boil down to these key elements:
More on these later. Deep-Dive, not Shallow Yoga teaches us that deep breathing can counteract stress. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, we can calm our mind and body. This allows us to face challenges with more clarity and make better decisions. Thus, we can both breathe deep and dive deep to gain mastery over who we are and how we live. To master ourselves, we delve into both our physical and emotional well-being. Addressing these areas can then positively impact other areas of well-being, including your spiritual and relational health. It can’t not! Let's start at the surface. This might involve exercise, nutrition, therapy, or spiritual guidance. To know where to begin, check-in…. Begin by asking yourself: 'What's bugging me?' and 'How much is it a problem for me?' This can help you identify areas of concern in your body, your situations, and state of being; and then decide on next steps. This is the simplistic version. The complexity comes in as you dig deeper. For example, if you're bothered by having woken up tired again, despite enough sleep, it might indicate underlying issues. It could lead to missed opportunities, self-doubt, and decreased motivation. These feelings can impact your entire day and even lead to despair and disconnection. Underneath the doubt and despair may be further emotions that need to be cleared, that stem from some childhood experience, and so on. As you dive deeper, the temptation to distract ourselves or self-medicate is strong. Fears of discomfort or unknowns can surface. This is where a 'jack of all trades' might find refuge by jumping to another area rather than diving into an inner conflict. But your subconscious knows and embodies truth despite your attempts to mask it. Is it worth the effort to release painful emotions now? This is what self-mastery is about and discovering the value that is your true self wishing to emerge. Here’s your chance to be your own master. Keys to Self-Mastery These six elements provide a holistic foundation to master the Self: 1. Self-Support: Harnessing Your Inner Resources. When faced with challenges, a strong nervous system and inner support system are essential for self-mastery. Through mindful practices like deep breathing, you can cultivate a calm and focused mind. Doing yoga to allow your energy to be balanced and flow helps the body to break-up inner blocks so you can help yourself. 2. Listen to Your Emotions: Allow emotions to surface and acknowledge them fully. This can help you identify underlying issues and determine next steps. Your emotions can guide you towards release, healing, and transformation. 3. Build Your Support Network: Everyone needs support. Seek guidance from mentors, coaches, friends, or family. Consider joining mastermind groups or social communities for camaraderie and accountability. 4. Commit to Your Practice: Consistent effort, even on challenging days, is key to self-mastery. Your practice should elevate your life, goals, and support systems. Remember, practice is a lifestyle! And don’t forget to celebrate your showing up for yourself, in both big and small ways. 5. Take Action: Action is an important accelerator; it provides impetus for the next step. Fear can often hinder action yet, with the support of your inner and outer tools, your road to self-mastery can begin with that first step. Even small steps can lead to significant progress. 6. Make Time for Gratitude: We all receive gifts along the way– many of them, if you pay attention. Gratitude can enhance patience, compassion, and self-love. Take time each day to appreciate even the mundane aspects of life. The Goal of Self-Mastery Understanding your complete Self, purpose and desires can feel like being a “jack of all trades”. You are a multi-faceted, holistic being that cannot be looked upon as just one singular aspect. Self-mastery involves discovering and embracing all aspects of yourself. The goal of your self-mastery work is to feel safe to be you, to be at peace within, and to live fearlessly in equanimity and bliss. Where are you in your self-mastery journey? What does it look like for you? With grit and grace, Anna P.S. If you would like a launch pad to start moving towards self-mastery, particularly if you are someone who tends to prioritize outer peace over inner peace, comment below or email reply to waitlist for my next 40-day challenge: a set of 4 inward and outward practices to promote peace and mastery. Peace to you on your journey!
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 In the busyness of modern life, even with all the comforts and conveniences which paradoxically often create more discomfort and inconvenience, it's easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed. Our clever brains will find ways to cope, and over time we may find that we’ve lost our inner sense, our direction in life. We run into queasy feelings of inner conflict and don’t understand what it is: an unspecified uneasiness. Discovering this state to be a loss of your own identity, it is essential to find ways to heal and embrace the journey back to your True Self. Two powerful tools to explore, that can also complement each other beautifully, are play and prayer.
The Power of Play Think back to when you first began to play. It was free will and abandon to your heart’s whim. You played from your own inner joy and inspiration. Can you remember what you were doing? What did play look like? The image that always comes up for me is playing on those monkey bars shaped in a dome. I loved testing my balance and walking up the bars on my feet (--no hands!)….and then, at the top, hanging down from my knees and chatting with friends, comfortably upside down. And Chinese jumprope, jumprope with rhymes, and lemon twist. Ahh, the sweet, carefree days! Adult play may look different —or even some of the same! As part of an adventurous healing journey, engaging in playful activities has many benefits– besides being a whole lot of fun!. Play usually means action; you are moving and doing something uplifting. It can also help lower stress hormones, promote relaxation and trigger elevated moods. When we play, we become loose and free from restraints that block creativity; indeed we gain inspiration for new ideas and our mind opens to possibilities! And play usually invites connection –not only do you get to tap into your own childlike senses, you strengthen bonds with those you play with. Play can bring people together in a universal language because it’s a universally human phenomenon with such purity. The Power of Prayer Prayer can look and feel different in various contexts. Do you pray aloud with your hands in prayer mudra? Maybe you bow or sing hymns or recite verses? You may pray to a certain deity, i.e., Jesus, within an organized religion or on your own. Thoughts are often said to be like prayer– if you think it enough, giving attention to a certain situation or quality, it is heard as prayer (so mind your thoughts!). Prayer shows up in yoga and meditation as chants or blessings. Like play, prayer invites connection– to your inner voice, to a greater source, to peace and understanding. It’s a chance to express and foster gratitude which cultivates a positive mindset and a deep feeling of trust, comfort and support. Prayer also brings guidance to help with any feelings of being lost in the world. Combining Play and Prayer Each on its own are powerful tools to bring into your healing journey. Furthermore, there are ways that we can bring the two together: to Play and Pray within an activity.
Play and prayer are personal journeys, so find what works best for you, what brings you joy and peace. With both, recognize the healing power it brings to your life and create space for them in your every day. And remember, you are not alone on your healing journey– community and connection are an essential part of soul-healing both for you and for others. My wish is to inspire you to start today if you don’t already have these in your life. With grace and gratitude, Anna SachKiret PS. Hit comment/reply to share what play and prayer looks like for you! xo So you’re choosing to see life as the adventurous and personal healing journey that it could be– one that elevates your life experience and promises a path to more joy and peace for your Soul. THIS IS A POWERFUL PATH TO CHOOSE! It’s a twisty-turny path that asks you to be: self-aware and self-compassionate; present, resilient and courageous; filled with hope, trust, and gratitude; and ready for connection and support with the world around you. It is a conscious path of growth and transformation. And it is soooo worthy because YOU ARE SO WORTHY! Here is a collection of inspiring quotes to guide and inspire you along your way. Notice how you respond to each. If it resonates, enjoy! If it doesn't, allow yourself to wonder about it, notice your self-reflection. This is part of your healing discovery. Self-Awareness and Acceptance 
Courage and Resilience 
Hope, Growth & Gratitude 
Mindfulness and Presence 
Compassion and Connection 
Which ones are most motivational or supportive for you? Are there any quotes you would add? With love and peace, Anna SachKiret PS. Share your favorite quotes (from the list or add your own) by reply to this post! Support starts with each of us, with simple connections. Sat nam!  Image by MythologyArt from Pixabay Healing implies existing pain or hurt. A journey suggests an arduous, beckoning path of challenge and unknowns. Are you on a healing journey? Is it for you? WHO THIS IS FOR. Anyone taking this road called Life is presented with this path. We are essentially all on it however not all of us are conscious of it. Some may never acknowledge and accept it. Some are thrust into the awareness necessarily— there was no choice but to see and accept it. To heal. To journey. NON-ACCEPTANCE IS A DEFAULT CHOICE. We all experience pain, hardships, existential crises. How you deal with these can vary widely from person to person as well as within one person dealing with work problems vs relationship issues vs self-concept vs everyday matters. Responses to the ‘hard knocks’ come from individual experiences, habit patterns, familial/cultural/societal influences, personal temperament, and even genetic or ancestral traits passed on. It’s what makes us all unique and gives life such a rich tapestry to take in. But encountering and processing pain is given to everyone. Oh joy! The degrees of pain vary widely as well. Pain comes:
We all have some level of all of these. You figure out how to deal with it. You stumble through it, side-stepping, overcompensating, distracting, numbing— or you meet it head on. Time passes and it becomes a memory. Enjoy life as much as possible….until the next turn. I would not have considered much of these experiences as “in need of healing”, just things to work through or get over. It’s just life. Right?
And if you don’t know, now you know.“ - Notorious B.I.G. WHY CHOOSE IT CONSCIOUSLY.
You don’t have to be in rehab or suffering from disease to require a healing journey. When life throws you into such a debilitating, life-changing situation, by default, you end up on such a path. A healing journey. To consciously choose to be on a healing journey without the emergency situation is the way to not only heal and live more fully and freely, but it’s also the way to change the world we live in. Your healing self inspires and uplifts those around you, creating a ripple effect of love and healing in others. And on and on. From a cut on your finger to dealing with everyday struggles like losing weight, challenging conversations, making a tough decision, these are all experiences that present an opportunity to heal. A healing journey dives deeper into the stories that cause stress and confusion in these situations. What is the source of this wound and how do I tend to it? It is NOT checking under the bandage every five minutes.,,, ✔️ It’s bringing awareness to the parts of you that are confused, unsettled, exposed and raw, wounded, in need of care. ✔️ It’s assessing the broken bone, setting the cast, keeping it clean and continuing to live your life while it’s healing. ✔️ It’s checking back periodically, grateful for the opportunity to heal, appreciating life’s miracles, and learning to have grace. Someone questions you or insults you and you respond in shame or with righteous indignation. Something there needs healing. A healed person responds with curiosity, listens and checks in with herself. A healed person responds with respect for all involved. The journey is about progress. An unhealthy response is not reason for shame, blame, or justification. It’s an alert system telling you that healing is required. When you choose to see your life experiences as a healing journey, you are choosing YOU. When you need to heal a deep gash, you give it attention. What about when your wound is internal? Your life deserves that magnanimous attention by YOU. You heal. Your life feels more joyful and abundant. You spread that into the world. It’s that simple. LIFE AS AN ADVENTUROUS HEALING JOURNEY. The best part about seeing life as a healing journey is, once you experience a deep healing, especially when the pain was so entrenched, not only do you feel powerful, you begin to understand what it means for things to be truly possible. For your dreams to be possible. The dance between trial and error, challenge and achievement become a delightful, harmonious movement with interesting subplots, creating a masterful symphony. A fascinating adventure. Life throws curveballs. Rain dampens a long-awaited event, a trusted friend reacts poorly due to their own issues, and even a seemingly joyous occasion sours. Yet, these ups and downs are part of the adventure. With a mind for healing, even the most difficult experiences can transform into chapters filled with wonder, resilience, and growth. Embracing life as an adventurous healing journey is undeniably one of the most powerful ways to heal yourself. A resilient nervous system, fostered through this very journey of healing, becomes foundational for navigating emotional challenges and discovering the hidden gifts within them. It's a practice (which will be explored further in my next post) For now, what do YOU think about choosing to see life as an adventurous healing journey? With grit and grace, Anna SachKiret PS. If you want to choose this healing journey, please comment “my [choose an adjective] healing journey!” –and may you be filled with the healing vibration you need today. Peace! The Stress of Decision Fatigue When it comes to making decisions, big or small, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the number of choices you face daily? Right or left, yes or no, stay or go, act or not. Constantly deciding which path to take can exhaust you without you even realizing it. No wonder you feel depleted at the end of the day! Wouldn’t it be nice to release the weight of deciding for ourselves…. but also still decide for ourselves? Here’s a story that highlights decision-fatigue: I recall my immigrant dad telling me of the day he first walked into a supermarket in America. The sheer volume of cereal options was too much. And then in the next aisle, the numerous choices for a can of beans…..oy! He left without getting his groceries. While it might’ve been less stressful to have one cereal and one can of beans, we do gratefully have and want the options– but this illustrates how overwhelming it can be trying to pick the right ketchup, much less the rest of your day! Moral of the story: we want options, just not the stress of decision-making.  Decision-making, even for mundane matters, can accumulate and cause anxiety and stress. While some choices are easy and instinctive, others will cause minor agony or demand mental effort. Thankfully, there are those moments when you feel confident and content with your decisions. It’s this experience we are striving for to empower confidence and satisfy the soul. So how do we get there? THE YOGA ANSWER We all know that yoga serves to increase flexibility and balance, reduce anxieties, and induce calm. It may seem obvious that deciding from a less anxious, more calm space will help you. But, it’s more than that….. Did you know that yoga can strengthen your mental-emotional health, particularly your decision-making skills? As a lifelong, self-help junkie, yoga was not on my radar as a way to reduce the stress of uncertainty and self-animosity, until way into my adulthood. I discovered this benefit quite by accident – or perhaps it was divine intervention. A few weeks into the practice of kundalini yoga, I was surprised to experience a clarity and lightness that allowed previously-persistent worries and woes to dissipate seemingly overnight. Worrying about all the things that can go wrong makes it really hard to make sensible decisions. Indeed, you heed the fears and decide protectively….often leaving you with a feeling of loss, misalignment, dissatisfaction, and sadness sensing opportunities were missed. Do you know this feeling? So what was this kundalini yoga? How did it make such dramatic changes for me? The Power of Kundalini Energy. Kundalini yoga is known as ‘the yoga of awareness’. The kundalini refers to a latent energy that sits at the base of your spine and represents your unmanifested potential. Through the practice of kundalini yoga, you awaken this energy to coil up your spinal channel, stimulating your body’s main energy centers along the way. These are known as your chakras. Imagine. Your lowly, dormant potential…..suddenly awake with expansive possibility! Like having been imprisoned in a small area, not even realizing there was more out there. Waiting. For you. I believe that we know deep down when we’re being stifled. We have an inner sense that we’re deciding from incomplete information. We hesitate to decide because there’s an inner resistance. Often this happens because we are inadvertently going against the natural rhythms of life and of our own alignment; the modern world doesn’t really support this. We humans are great at disrupting natural rhythms with our mental clutter – manipulations, distortions, and justifications. Technological inventions play a role in this (--and this is not to say we should deny electricity or computers!). We are intelligent and capable of enjoying ‘advancements’ AND being conscious of the impact it has on the natural order…and on us. It’s about balance. This is where tapping into and aligning our energy helps us. It’s the power of our expanded awareness and connection to a divine source.  Your Divine Intuition. Picture the sun, the moon, the stars, the rotation of the planets, nature….a seamless, harmonious flow. It knows what to do, when. And it acts on it. This divine wisdom resides within each of us as well. Raising our kundalini energy and maintaining the practice balances, nourishes, guides and supports our highly-intuitive sense of Self. With this elevated energy, we begin to know what is aligned for us and to trust it. Energy in Thought & Being. We are all energy, even our thoughts. Negative thoughts, toxic stress and paralyzing uncertainty manifest as blocked energy. When we practice yoga, we practice controlling our breath through pranayam (breathing exercises). This practice helps us to be with our thoughts consciously, both on and off the mat. Here’s another image: picture a boulder in a river. A bit of “normal”, stressful thoughts around decisions is like smaller rocks that the water finds its way around and smooths the rocks’ edges as it does. It adds attention, dimension and beauty. This is healthy stress. When the stone is huge and blocks much of the flow, it creates a back-up and effectively stops movement. The energy is pressurized, uncomfortable and overwhelming. This type of stress around decision-making will create blockage and impact your overall health, much less leave you undecided.  Credit Unknown Mindful movement and breathwork creates more room for flow and breaks down what’s no longer serving us.
5 WAYS YOGA MAKES SURE YOU GOT IT RIGHT Circling back to decision-fatigue and my father’s grocery store experience, when I occasionally fall back into that sort of dizzying decision vector, I know to go to my practice. Find a meditation or a kriya that clears the confusion and tames the overwhelm. Here are 5 ways that my yoga practice serves me in making confident, energized decisions:
Yoga opens, nurtures and empowers this elevated level of mental strength, fortitude, and trust to fearlessly decide and know it’s right. I hope this offers you some measure of greater confidence. Decide heartily and wholly and live in your truth– it won’t tire you out! What are you deciding on today? Does your answer come with ease and flow –and from the heart? Divinely yours, Anna SachKiret PS. Is decision-fatigue a thing for you? How do you combat it, if so? If not, what supports your process? Hit "reply" or "comment" below the post-- I'd love to hear from you!  I don't love yoga. That is, in the way most people know it, the way it's been popularized in modern culture. Truth be told, I think I might like this yoga now, given where I am today. But I was not sold on it in my 20s. I was flexible and strong, able to balance and stretch and hold and flow. I didn't know what I was there for. It didn't challenge me in the way I needed. I already felt relaxed and calm (or so I thought). This yoga, I believed, was for people who needed to calm down and relax.
Sounds crazy for me to say as a yoga teacher myself. But the yoga that hooked me delivered what I couldn't name at the time: a fire under my butt. And in a fast way. It gave me a spark and the courage to set my world aflame and put me out there to do battle. To get out of my own way; to conquer, move boulders and live big dreams-- and to live out the gifts that God gave me, instead of burying them out of fear, shame, a lack of trust. The battle wasn't actually "out there" but within me. Furthermore, it gave me this emboldened energy WITH the sense of calm and steadiness. Together. All at once. This yoga practice that found me was kundalini yoga. It is a unique practice that is powerful in unexpected ways. The breathwork and the types of sets, or kriyas, vary in scope from class to class. I'd always found it hard to describe. Ultimately, it's spiritual. It delivers you to yourself. Your true, at-your-core, highest Self. Here are some more of its benefits: For the Mind: Heightened awareness, increased intuition and circulation, promotes your ability to receive downloads (inspirations and answers) For the Body: Strengthens immune system, improves nervous system balance, activates the glandular and circulatory system, aligns the body’s energies to keep you optimized Spirit: Expands your electromagnetic field (we all have this and it helps us attract what we need!), deepens connections to Self, the Earth, and others Indeed, it unites your individual consciousness with Universal Consciousness, which is what yoga, in fact, means. It is this union that it gifts us. These days, when I find myself easily distracted and ungrounded, flailing around in parts of my life, I know it's because I have forsaken my daily kundalini practice. It happens to the best of us-- life shakes us up, physically and emotionally; distractions find their way in and you lose your footing. And yet, amidst these moments, knowing I have these tools-- and I know how to use them, I don't fear even the worst downward spirals that come from drifting. I'm not happy about having allowed the drift from my daily "well-being" hygiene; I just know the practice awaits me and it works every time. If you are seeking a profound practice to smooth your way in this life, I highly recommend this one. Find a good teacher -- online (like me!) or choose someone in your local area-- and make it your own. The classes typically consist of:
Bring your yoga mat, water and an open heart and mind. And simply show up. Present. With grit and grace, Anna SachKiret PS. What other daily rituals give you this kind of balance, clarity, health and inner strength on its own? I'm sure there are others and I'd love to hear it. Please comment also if this practice has served you and how. Sat nam! ❤️ “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift... that is why it is called Present” Master Oogway in Kung Fu Panda We are all blessed with the present, however many of us leave this ongoing gift unopened, missing out on valuable moments in our lives because we don't realize its impact.  Image by Spencer Wing from Pixabay The Presence Present
I admit, I often find myself mired in thought about: projects I’m working on, issues to resolve, how to coordinate my family’s schedules, my to-do list, how to do this or that better, a relationship challenge, and on and on. This is rather normal, of course– who isn’t dealing with these sorts of daily life situations? What isn’t ideal however is when these thoughts cause me to miss out on:
When we live in the present, it simply means we’re not dwelling in the past or living for the future. We are not distracted or sitting in paralysis by past pains and future fears nor dwelling in grief or longing for what was or what could be. We are fully feeling (good or bad) and living IN this very moment. Fully present for our lives. This is the gift. While it’s vital to make space for processing past situations and planning for the future, the balance between these activities and living in presence is often way off-kilter. We rush through our days, either constantly chasing the next thing or paralyzed by indecision. This is because we're not anchored in the present moment. You know that person who constantly checks their phone (-maybe there’s something more interesting calling or happening elsewhere?) and meanwhile misses the sunset, or checks work emails while on vacation and loses the purpose and enjoyment of the trip? How about those times driving from point A to point B and not recalling exactly how you got there? Do you experience this imbalance in your life? If so, how does it manifest, and how can we find the right balance? The Gift of Presence (and its two power partners) To be present, we must feel grounded. When we are grounded, our lives progress with more ease because we can be more aligned and self-aware from this space. When we are not grounded, life becomes complicated, stuck, discouraging as we are preoccupied with the past or future. We become disconnected, scattered, lost in thought, confused, and indecisive. This can lead to overwhelm and a downward spiral of emotions. Our consciousness retreats from the present moment and we go into autopilot. We are no longer rooted in our physical bodies nor aligned with our inner truth, our highest Self. We are out-of-balance and have lost sight of our gift of Presence. We can elevate our ability to Be Present with the help of two power partners. Our Presence serves these partners as well offering us a three-point team to truly live into our gifts. Power Partner #1: Our Practice Our Practice helps us develop our capacity to be more present. How do we get grounded? Strengthening our first chakra, or root chakra (the energy center for safety, security and belonging). How do we clear our negative thought patterns and blocks? Mantras (specific chants or sounds) and breathwork (focused breathing exercises) can be powerful tools. How do we find the energy to help ourselves move through the complications we create? Expand our aura, strengthen circulatory and nervous systems, boost the immune system. When our Practice is established, we give ourselves the support we need to be grounded, in Presence, and in alignment with our true selves. Kundalini yoga offers these supports and is my practice of choice, along with teaching it for mastery. What does your Practice consist of? Power Partner #2: Our Path Our Path clears the way for more Presence. Gaining clarity on your path can help you live a healthy balance between thinking about the future, worrying about the past, and staying present. One of the most effective ways I have found to illuminate my path is tuning-in to my emotions to uncover my blocks and acknowledge my true desires. Especially if you have a tendency for perfectionism, it can feel uplifting to spend a lot of time planning and healing without ever going into action. With the help of Power Partner #1, you can more readily access your emotional guides to release what paralyzes you and heal at the same time. The clearer your Path becomes, the easier it gets to stay Present. Tuning-in to my emotions is a powerful part of my practice to gain clarity and presence. How clear is your Path? Building Your Presence Muscle Take a moment now to reflect on your own Presence:
Your PRESENCE is something that builds like a muscle; your Practice is the gym (or mat), your Path is your goals and motivation . Finding your right balance is supported by this trifecta of powerful partners. How is your Presence? May you accept and open this gift often and receive your many blessings. With grace and gratitude, Anna SachKiret PS. a quick tip for you– include in your practice a midday alarm to check-in on your presence daily. When the alarm rings, take up to 5 minutes to notice your 5 senses, one-by-one. What do you see right at that moment? What do you hear? Smell? Feel by touch? Taste? Take your time with it and savor each sensation. PSS. hit reply and let me know how this landed for you! Do you feel your Presence is working for you?  Photo credit: unknown from Pixabay Remember that spark you had as a young child? The one that made you light up with joy and excitement? The way you expressed yourself so freely? Many of us, myself included, lose that spark somewhere along life’s journey, having replaced it repeatedly with what we deem to be a more socially-accepted way of being. As John Bradshaw, author of "Healing the Shame That Binds You," says: “Something happened…. so that we lost that spontaneity, verve and enthusiasm. Nothing more tragic than to see a child who’s had the life beat out of them…..withdrawn, depressed,…… “.
But what if the spark of that Little You isn't actually gone? What if that part of you is simply stuck under layers of self-preservation, self-doubt and years of practice donning a persona of societal expectations? This is where the journey of self-love begins. Why self-love? Explaining the benefit of self-love is like describing the color blue to a blind person; they won't truly understand until they experience it themselves. Even though I had a good childhood, I struggled with self-esteem, depression and anxiety as a young adult. Through my commitment to my kundalini yoga and meditation practice and emotional healing work, I've experienced a strength and joy within that I never knew existed. A love of Self that can only be experienced. It's time to discover this in you! The Mask of Shame: Why We Dim Our Light Think of the "life beat out of [the child]" metaphor as the separating from your authentic self, or your soul. As a child, your entire expression came from your soul— carefree, alive and in full alignment with yourself. External influences, however well-intentioned, began to chip away at that confidence. You began to change your mind; your emotions alerted you but most of us did not have the wise guidance to understand the whispers of our own emotions. Are you wearing a mask? Here are some signs:
Healthy Shame vs. Toxic Shame: Understanding the Difference It's important to distinguish between healthy shame and toxic shame. Healthy shame is a useful signal telling you you’ve deviated from your best self, prompting you to learn and do better. Toxic shame is the internalization of these messages, essentially convincing us that we are fundamentally flawed for having made mistakes. Instead of course-correction, as healthy shame helps us do, we fall to self-criticism and seek a constant need for validation (people-pleasing). Unmasking and Reconnecting with Your Spark If you recognize yourself here, you’re likely wondering how to get back to your true self. How do I separate what is truly me and what is not? The reality is the lines and truth can get blurred. It’s like the proverbial layers of the onion. The ‘real you’ gets unveiled, one thin layer at a time. The good news is: each layer of healing feels like a mountain of relief. And once you experience this, you will be less afraid and more willing to risk peeling off another layer more often. It empowers you to keep going. Your Authentic Self: Practical Steps
Tools for Self-Love: Here are ways to build your self-love muscle:
This is just the beginning of your journey. A coach or therapist can be a valuable guide, but you have the power to start uncovering your authentic self and shedding the mask of toxic shame. Find your soul’s voice and live from that space. You are worthy of living this life ignited with your true spark! With love and gratitude, Anna SachKiret P.S. Comment "UNMASK" if you recognize you have one. Can you sense that inner spark that's been waiting to be free? Let me know! Let's talk about that feeling of being stuck. You put yourself there, you know it well – the one where you prioritize everyone else's needs, keeping your own desires to yourself in order to avoid creating any conflict or becoming a burden. We’ve all been there, myself included. Some call this “people-pleasing”, however that term never felt quite accurate to me. It wasn't about going out of my way to please people; it was about staying in my own way, shrinking myself and my dreams in order to avoid rocking the boat. Think Sandy Olsson (Sandra Dee!) in the late ‘70s movie Grease. Remember her transformation from sweet and demure Sandy to the fierce and confident woman who rocks that black leather jacket, a lioness mane of hair, and sings, "You're the one that I want"? (We'll hold off on the "need a man" part for now). This is the kind of energy we want to harness – shedding (self-)expectations of being the "good girl" and embracing our free and authentic selves. Sweet & Sidelined to Sweet & Sassy
This fear of self-release, disguised as a desire to support others, keeps us trapped in a self-constructed cage. We crave the "thrill of life" but fear venturing outside our comfort zone. So how do we break free? Here's the thing: when our will had been broken —whether in one aspect of our lives or in many— it can be hard to rely on our own willpower to break the mold, however intellectually viable it may seem. We know we want to cut free and may even know what to do, yet we've been conditioned for so long to prioritize others that reigniting that inner spark of energy takes a little extra something. This is where practices like kundalini yoga and meditation come in. This technology offers a path to clarity and action, reinstating our will and giving us the energy to combat the fears that bind us. Many kundalini yoga practitioners, including myself, have experienced this powerful effect: a way to reconnect with our inner strength, balance our nervous system, and break free from those limiting patterns. Rediscover your personal power (hello, third chakra!), reconnect your sense of safety and belonging (first chakra activation!), and tap into the feeling of both oneness and expansiveness (sweet seventh chakra!). This is your invitation to unlock yourself and experience that motivating, activating, self-affirming energy that lets you be you— to star in your own life. But the question remains: how much effort does it take to get started? What's the promise that makes it worth it? Think of it as daring greatly to step outside your safe, zap-free container to re-evaluate your actual exposure. Today. It might be scary at first, but the rewards are limitless. Just like Sandy stepping out, letting herself be seen as the strong and beautiful gift she knew herself to be, you can tap into your inner tools to shed the "good girl" persona and take center stage for your life, living into your fullest expression.
Aren’t YOU worth it? (Yes, 1000% yes). With grit and grace, Anna SachKiret PS. I often share about the transformative power of kundalini yoga and meditation and the wisdom of your emotions, such as shame and desire. Many of us carry the “good girl” narrative or other painful thoughts and stories that keep us in our own way. If this resonated for you, stay connected with me by subscribing to my blog. PSS. Let me know in the comments how this landed for you! Have you ever felt stuck in the role of the "good girl"? What are your biggest challenges in asserting your own needs?  Have you ever found yourself repeatedly tiptoeing around a situation, carefully measuring your words and actions? Maybe it's a partner with an unpredictable temper, a work colleague who takes things personally, or within a social circle or community where one wrong move can spark drama. You feel a sense of constant vigilance, like navigating a minefield. You’re on edge, even while seeming calm and cool. This is what it feels like to walk on eggshells.
Why are those eggshells even there? Who put them there?! Is it you, or them? It's easy to blame the reactive person— the "short fuse” —for creating the eggshell environment. You’ll find a lot of agreement on the source of your plight. Sometimes, however, there is a more nuanced and subtle dynamic at play. You, the eggshell walker, might appear perfectly functional and good-natured on the surface. After all, you’ve probably become an expert in the art of keeping a peaceful minefield. YOU hold this relationship together with this skill. Right??? Yet the only one aware of the eggshells is you. Underneath the masterfully-designed “peace”, there's a constant undertone of tension, a suppressed anxiety about saying or doing the wrong thing: the eggshells appear. Skilled peace-keeping can look like: a forced smile, a carefully calculated next step, a well-crafted text, etc. – each hiding your hesitancy to express your true opinion. Does this sound familiar, my eggshell-walking friend? If you are in fact not expressing your truth, what is the impact on that particular relationship? What is the impact on you? The Nimble Walker in a Freeze In my last post, I talked about the state of being in a functional freeze— your nervous system stuck in a freeze response. Imagine your nervous system like a car with different gears, shifting aptly to meet the needs of the situation. Ideally, we're running smoothly with a balanced sympathetic-parasympathetic set of gears, allowing for healthy processing and "social engagement” for your drive in the world. When suddenly faced with those eggshells in your path, you might shift into a "dorsal vagal state," which is a freeze response in the realm of the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest”, nervous system. Thus, you can show up surprisingly calm and functional on the outside, as you tuck away your true self to be sure you don’t suffer the consequences of running over the delicate shells. Sadly, neither you nor the other gets to know the true you —and what a loss this is. Over time, this constant vigilance —or functional freeze— can become exhausting. Indeed, the nimble eggshell-walker’s energy is often spent after enough time “in the field” presenting an incomplete version of you in safe-mode. So, how do we crush those eggshells and reclaim our authentic selves?*
*The good news is: the practice of kundalini yoga and meditation is powerfully effective at helping you help yourself through all five of these steps. Build self-awareness and self-compassion; strengthen and balance the nervous system and the vagus nerve; expand your capacity to breathe; feel and understand your fears and protective responses; connect with your self-worth through a regular habit of showing up for yourself with this practice. Remember, you are not alone. Many people struggle with eggshell-walking. By taking these steps, you can create a more peaceful and genuine existence for yourself. Love, Anna SachKiret PS. If you would like more on this topic, comment below “EGGSHELL-CRUSHING” and let me know if you have specific questions or things that landed for you. And if you would like personalized attention through these steps, reach me at my website to see if we are a good fit to work together. Peace+blessings 🌻❤️ |
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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