by Liz Jansen

Two weeks ago inexplicable phone glitches interrupted a regular session with my spiritual teacher. During our time, the line went silent five or six times. I’d notice when my words didn’t elicit a response.

She’d try calling back, only to go straight to voice mail because I had continued to talk. When I caught on and hung up, she could get through again. Then the cycle would repeat.

I don’t look for meaning in every quirky event. But unmistakable messages demand attention.

The voice I needed to listen that day belonged to me.

Always hungry for knowledge, I read a lot, take courses, and seek counsel with wise teachers. All these things are valuable investments of time and energy.

They can also be a way of avoiding a persistent inner voice. No other source can deliver the message with your name on it. Slowing down and listening enables you to hear it.

It may take time to grasp the meaning but stay with it. Over time, you risk losing yourself if you don’t listen and act.

In 2002, at age 48, I left a 25-year marriage. Eight months later I walked away from the stability of a corporate career. Needing time to think, I set off on a two-month solo motorcycle trip around Canada and the United States.

Many people commented on what they perceived as bravery and courage. I saw it another way. That voice had been talking to me for years, only I hadn’t followed through. The roles I occupied no longer fit. To stay in them would have sounded the death knell for my spirit.

After those changes, my world opened up in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I questioned why I had waited so long. Riding around the top of Lake Superior on the third day of my trip, I shouted with joy inside my helmet.

The outcomes aren’t always so dramatic. They will always carry meaning and lead to other openings at some point.

Since then, I’ve honed my listening skills, and not just with my ears. Messages come through all our senses. Learn to recognize them.

The more we practice, the sooner we see the universe as a co-creator. It conspires to help us in unusual, often humorous ways.

Find your voice by listening. Follow its lead by summoning your courage to take the next step.

No one else can do what you came here to do.

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

by Liz Jansen

Every morning I start the day with a prayer and intention to make the most of every day. I’ve done it for years. In the evening when I look back at the day, the results are always mixed. The next morning, I’m grateful for another day, another chance to make the most of a new day.

It’s tempting to think “make the best of” refers to how much I’ve accomplished. But then, what if what I’ve accomplished isn’t in line with my priorities?

I’ve concluded it’s using my gifts, skills, and talents to the best of my ability. Following my heart (with input from my head). Laughing. Loving. Forgiving. Playing. Learning from my mistakes. Extending kindness, understanding, and compassion, including to myself.

I can’t measure it in dollars earned, words written, or new Facebook followers. I can’t compare my day to someone else’s.

It’s not just what I’ve done. It’s how and why I’ve done it. Has it thrown me off balance?

Making the most of each day starts with how I perceive myself. The answer tends to be tangible. Yet we are so much more than our physical bodies. We see them as the means by which we get stuff done.

Our body is a balanced and complex system made up of 11 major organ systems. Bodies are always seeking equilibrium in response to internal and external changes. If something goes wrong in one system, it can’t help but put stress on another.

We’re more than physical beings though. Often we fail to recognize how our emotional, mental, and spiritual bodies influence our health. All systems depend on each other for maintaining our energetic balance.

So if I intend to make the most of the day, I need to step up and do my part.

For years I’ve been careful to include the healthiest, usually organic ingredients in my diet. No processed foods, sugar, or gluten. My day starts with meditation and gratitude. I’ve come a long way in establishing and sticking to manageable priorities.

It’s not enough though. Over the past month, I’ve incorporated new elements into the day. I’ve joined a fantastic yoga studio and practice at least five times a week. A thirty-minute walk each way, which includes a few grades, helps me improve my cardio.

Can I still get sick or have a bad day? You bet.

Nourishing body, mind, and spirit daily takes time. I may not write as many words in a day. Then again, maybe I’ll write more. Whatever I do that day is of higher quality, more meaningful. It changes how the day unfolds. It makes me feel more vibrant and resilient. Better able to deal with challenges.

I see with new eyes what it means to make the most of each day, and how to do it. There’s a reason they call it a practice. The only way to improve is to keep at it. And be grateful there’s another day to start again.

Read this article for great tips on Daily Practices for Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical Well-Being.

How to you make the most of each day? Tell us in the comments.

Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash

by Liz Jansen

I debated on whether or not I should publish this post. On the one hand, I felt drawn to write it as a follow up to a previous post. On the other hand, I felt resistance. Seriously! Parts of me said it sounded too flakey or obtuse. I’d be better to write a different kind of story. I had to do my own work in preparing it. In the end, I went with my internal guidance. I hope you find it meaningful.

Two weeks ago, we talked about the need to overcome resistance in order to move forward. This week we explore a different relationship between power and resistance. Rather than viewing it as an obstacle to overcome, we can use its energy to our advantage.

On a motorcycle, we encounter resistance, known as the friction zone, every time we shift gears. If we don’t move through it, we won’t move forward.

But there are times we want to stay in that friction zone and harness that energy.

Slow speed turns are best executed by using the friction zone. As a proficient rider, you use this technique when pulling out of your driveway into traffic. And pulling into a parking spot at the donut shop.

Can you imagine what would happen if you let out the clutch during those maneuvers? You could careen into oncoming traffic. Or stall. Or over correct by grabbing the front brake and falling over.

That’s why it’s best to learn how to integrate power and resistance.

In life, resistance occurs when those parts of our selves we don’t want to see are activated. Known as our shadows, we’ve learned these aspects are unacceptable to our selves or our family. Whether we perceive them as positive or negative, we view them as a weakness. Thus, we keep them hidden and denied.

They don’t go away though. They stay outside of our awareness and operate without us knowing it.

You can identify your shadows by observing traits in others that trigger a reaction in you. For example, you may label a colleague as arrogant or a friend as judgmental. You may dislike someone who talks too much and never listens.

Likewise, you may admire people who you view as authentic, courageous, or compassionate.

The traits you see in others exist in you. They hold energy and they don’t go away. There’s courage in fear and power in anger.

It can take introspective work to recognize your shadows. And like the motorcycle example, you’ll need to slow down to tap into their power.

Acknowledge what they’re trying to teach you. Accept them so you can reintegrate their energy. Make peace with them.

Take the cue from someone who never listens to become a more active listener. Or embrace the beauty or courage you admire in someone else as personal qualities.

That energy that’s been hidden in the shadows will be freed up for growth and vitality.

How have you learned to use the power of resistance?

Related post: Managing the Friction Zone

Photo by Jonatan Pie on Unsplash