Dear reader,
Have you heard the terms used to describe the year 2020? Some of those words I would never even use in conversation, and I don't much feel like repeating them here. They were, however, eagerly taken up in the socially distanced conversations on the street and in the supermarket. It's true. Many serious things have happened. Many of our fellow human beings are going through difficult and harsh times, and many have lost a loved one. That deserves every understanding and, hopefully, enough support from those around them. But what is also true is that many beautiful things happened in 2020. They received little or no space in the media. Yet they deserve a place of honour, because they shift the focus, get energy flowing, increase hope and offer perspective. They do much more besides. They reduce and neutralise fear. And it is precisely fear that paralyses us, makes us crawl into a hole and makes us experience the world as dark, so that the solution seems far out of reach. When you act out of fear, you look to external factors to give you confidence. You wait for someone to stand up, take the lead and tell you what you had best do. Your critical ability to sense what feels right and what doesn't falls away. You tend to follow slavishly and become a plaything of your fearful emotions.
It is a discussion I regularly have with my course participants. They say: 'I'm standing in front of a wall. I can't move forward. I'm standing in front of a closed door. I'm being held back.' Then they stay fixated on the wall and the closed door. Why is that wall there? Why is that door closed? Where does it come from? Why me? Sometimes I literally place them in front of that wall and that closed door and ask them to look at the possible ways out or solutions. Do you know what happens then? They keep staring at that wall or that door. They feel powerless and see no perspective. It literally never occurs to them to take hold of the door handle and open the door, or to turn away from the wall. In both cases, a different situation arises and the landscape looks different. Oxygen comes in, a different image, a path that reveals itself. Relief, movement and a new idea can emerge.
Why not try the above for yourself? Take a situation you are struggling with and in which you see few possibilities. Stand facing a door or a wall. Notice what happens in your body and in your emotions when you look at your problem in this way. Take the time to observe the physical and emotional sensations. After about five minutes, turn around and observe again. What changes in your breathing, in the tension in your muscles, in your feelings and in your thoughts? Chances are you feel better. And that is precisely what you need to take steps.
Of course, it can be worthwhile to trace the origin of a difficulty in order to get a clearer view of the path that can lead to a solution. My feeling is that too much attention is often paid to this. It has become a kind of conditioning. Shifting your focus to the point you want to get to is also an option. I find that people struggle with this at first. By looking at the things that are going well, at the light that shines in, by being aware of the life that surrounds you in the animals, in the plants and of course in yourself, you gain a stronger sense of self. Your view widens, the window opens. Joy settles in. You are able to take the next step, and another, and another. Before you know it, the layer of fear that covered your issue has been neutralised and you can once again make plans to your heart's content and/or enjoy life to the full.
It doesn't need to take much time at all. When a course participant or a client sees no perspective and panics as a result, I have them do a simple exercise: name out loud all the objects you see around you, with their colour and shape. Almost instantly, things become calmer inside.
The person had become trapped in a thought form or a belief. By briefly turning their gaze outwards, space then arises to turn their gaze inwards, not towards their thoughts, but towards the point of balance. The point of inner calm and an infinite field of being and possibilities. The essence of who you are is felt and nourished. There you will find the signpost that expands your awareness and shifts your focus from powerlessness to strength.
How many beautiful things did you yourself experience in 2020? Inwardly and outwardly? How many beautiful things did you see? How many of the beautiful things that took place in the world are you aware of? How many beautiful things do you see in the people around you every day?
To give you some inspiration, I refer you to the article in MaatschapWij entitled: 'Things that did go well in 2020.'
What would it be like if, from day 1 of 2021, you said three beautiful things about yourself out loud every day? You can also say them to others. Which is even more powerful? What would it be like if, every day, you consciously sought out five beautiful things that touch you? You will certainly find inspiration in your immediate surroundings. You can also look for news that focuses on progress, love, ingenuity, togetherness or other values that matter to you. What would it bring you if you could keep this up for a year?
Dear reader, I wish you a year 2021 brimming with beautiful things. You are certainly one of them.
Hilde Van Bulck
AMI Activator, Motivator, Inspirer
