I have a distinct memory of being in kindergarten, seated at a child-appropriate sized table, and coloring with my best friend Stephanie. Our assignment was to stay inside the lines. Though that seemed like an infringement upon personal creativity, I shrugged it off and thought, “When I get to be a grown up, I am going to color all day long!” Meanwhile, Stephanie grinned, dug deep, and zig-zagged her crayon outside the lines. It scared and impressed me at the same time.
At some point, we all begin to conform in ways to stay inside the lines. We want to belong: no one wants to be cast out. But, how much of ourselves do we give up in the process? As I’ve been composing this blog, I’ve been wondering that about myself and when I get writers block, I go color and am having a blast! As I sweep color upon the page, the following lyrics by John Mayer have been strumming in my mind:
“No Such Thing”
They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something's better
On the other side
I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you've got to rise above
He’s right.
There is something better on the other side, but to rise above it takes a courageous rebel to find out.
In our culture, tuning in to what makes you different, can shame and shun you. We humans are naturally wired to want to belong in a community, but unfortunately many people end up belonging to a community. We make compromises throughout our life to stay in the fold. But, what happens when the swaddling blanket becomes too much and you snuff out your own breath of fire and light?
I have done that to myself: wrapped myself in too tight. It feels awful. Conforming compounds the depth of your soul to be smaller than you really are. At one point, I actually wondered if I was dying. I knew then it was: get out or lights out. When our candle wick is nearly done, it is time for radical honesty. It is when you begin to ask yourself questions such as, “Why the heck am I doing this? Is it worth it?” that you can begin to draw in the light of your Truth.
What are you afraid of?
How much of that fear is actually true or just a consequence someone else holds over you?
Taking your power back can feel like you’ve begun a war. The truth is, if you didn’t, the war within yourself would rage on until a part of you was destroyed. We always have the power of choice. In various channeling sessions, Spirit has said many times and in many ways, “Each moment holds the power of your choice.” To simply Be in the present is powerful. To witness yourself is power. There is a reason many religions and cultures influence people otherwise because they know the inherent power every individual can have if they choose to be fully self-aware.
Self awareness is not selfishness: it is radical honesty.
Ever beautiful and inspiring are the words by Thich Nhat Hanh, “You do not have to wait until the flame has gone out to be reborn. I am reborn many times every day. Each moment is a moment of rebirth.” In his book “No Death, No Fear”, Hanh wrote about the importance of being mindful and present, moment to moment, can impact your life immensely.
If diving deep within feels like too much, you can top toe in by incorporating small practices of change into your daily life to increase Self-Awareness. Take steps before you make strides.
Begin with affirmation and activation statements. Write them down five times, each day until you believe them, because once you believe, you begin to redirect your energy. I love these ones by Louise Hay:
Affirming Statement: “Everyone is unique and different. If we are like other people, then we are not expressing our specialness.”
Activation Statement: “I am my own unique self.”
Affirming Statement: “The moment I am willing to change, it is amazing how the universe brings me what I need.”
Activation Statement: “I trust myself and the process of life.”
Next, begin to pay attention to your common movements throughout the day and start to integrate stretches or exercises that open up the areas of your body that are not part of your habitual routine. For example: if you sit at a desk most of the day, then your arms are generally close to the sides of your torso. To counter this posture, do side stretches, raise your arms up and out, feel the expansiveness of your ribcage and breathe.
We forget our body is made up of many energetic conduits coursing through our body and we can tap into them through conscious movement. This can stimulate the flow of energy, circulation and your brain will cultivate new pathways because of the different ways your neurons fire.
Have a usual walking path? Take a new one.
Brush your teeth in the same sequence everyday? Change it up.
The Self holds so much wisdom, so much information. You may be pleasantly surprised how much innate knowledge you already hold. That said, you have to be willing to not just knock on the door, but to open it and step through. As you begin this journey, create a supportive plan of Self Care. Start nurturing yourself. Practice your affirmation statements. Pull together a few people that you can trust and can turn to for insight. Get spiritual guidance, practice yoga, meditate, walk, color, play and above all, love yourself.
If you dread what is on the other side - whether that be of yourself or life - then you know there is a change overdue, because that fear is your intuition sensing the energy of change that is waiting for you to make a conscious choice. When you honor yourself and what makes you unique, the world rewards you. Rise above, my friend, and I promise that what is outside the lines, on the other side, is glorious.
Tania Isaac is an experienced Spiritual Guidance Channeler, Pet Communicator, Integrative Energy Healer and certified yoga instructor who specializes in blending holistic modalities to create unique healing sessions. She is located in Santa Barbara, CA where she lives with her husband and their rescued dog Oreo. Her mission is to empower empaths and help individuals connect with their innate metaphysical and healing abilities. To learn more about her offerings, visit: www.taniaisaac.com