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SARAH MOON

Tag: alignment

Work smarter, not harder

We are societally programmed to believe that hard work leads to success. Yet what if there is another way? An easier, more comfortable way?

When it comes to achieving what you want to achieve, working harder is not the answer.

Do you feel that it is?

You’re not alone.

We are societally programmed to believe that hard work leads to success. Yet, what if there is another way? An easier, more comfortable way?

The alternative is not to work harder, but to work smarter, where working smarter means being authentically, energetically aligned* with whatever it is you’re wanting.

This does not come from hard work, but from the ability to listen to our intuition, which speaks of what we need and what we are truly ready for at any point in time.

* By energetic alignment, I mean: the peace and ease we feel when our thoughts, feelings and intentions compliment and work in conjunction with one another. When we are aligned, we are closest to our true nature. When we experience positive emotion, this is evidence of alignment. When we feel negative emotion, we are misaligned and in an energetic state of resistance, working against our true nature.

Hard work often comes from feelings of fear and thoughts about our own inadequacy.

We fear we aren’t enough; we fear we are never going to get there, and so we push; slogging ourselves in an effort to overcome our anxieties. Running from something, nonetheless, will never make it go away. Be as productive as you like, but if you’re acting from a place of insecurity, the work will be energetically misaligned and breed further anxiety and dissatisfaction.

For your work to be smart work, the action needs to be inspired.

This comes from truly knowing your intentions. Listen to your emotions, they are your guide. Why do you want what you want? Are you taking action through fear, or through genuine inspiration? Are you denying any natural instincts in the process?

It’s not about doing hard work, it’s about doing the right kind of work. (Quality over quantity.)

Hard work is pointless if you’re out of alignment. If you’re feeling uncertain, fearful, overwhelmed, desperate or bad in any way, it would be a more productive use of your time to meditate, or to have a cup of tea, watch a movie, have a nap, play a game or visit a friend. (Anything that eases resistance and lifts your mood.) Believe it or not, this will get you closer to what you want than hard work. Why? Because life is energy, where like attracts like, and happiness attracts success more than effort.

The bottom line?

Work less, and spend more time doing the things that light you up.

You may just find that as you let go, you’ll come into alignment with everything you ever wanted.

If you’re a high achiever, you will likely feel lazy and anxious about taking your foot off the peddle. It might feel like you’re giving up.

Trust the process.

After years of hustling, I began to practice this for myself last year. Firsthand, I can attest that surrender opens doors. As I took my foot off the peddle, miraculously, opportunities came flooding in. Why? Because, rather than hustle for the things that I believed would make me more complete, I decided to be happy first– and happiness begets happiness!

“If being hard on yourself worked, it would have worked by now.”

–Unknown

 

Be easy about your life, and follow your joy. Joy is the answer.

 

When was the last time you took a sabbatical?

Most of us tear through life without really pausing to question whether we are living in a way that is aligned with our values. This is why it’s important to slow down every now and then.

 

When was the last time you took a sabbatical?

We live in a society that values busyness and hard work, where too much rest can be deemed lazy or indulgent. We also live in a society that is over-worked, where disease and stress have been increasing– despite advances in contemporary medicine set to decrease these statistics. Why? Because we work too hard, and don’t take enough time to rest and care for our individual needs.

This year, I’ve been working on incorporating more down time into my schedule.

My decision to do this came as a result of my realising that hard work and over-productivity was making me deeply unhappy. I began experiencing regular burnout, prolonged feelings of stress and overwhelm and semi-regular migraines, prompting me to sit down and ask myself a couple of honest questions:

Am I actually happy?

Am I working toward something worthwhile, something I want?

Or, am I simply working for the sake of working?

Most of us tear through life without really pausing to question whether we are living in a way that is aligned with our values. This is why it’s important to slow down every now and then, to get still and reflect upon the life you are living. A car going 100km/ph cannot change tack at that speed. It needs to ease momentum in order to turn or change direction. Only when we pause can we truly re calibrate and redirect our compass if desired.

Enter the sabbatical.

Sabbatical’s are extended periods of rest– typically from work, but, as I see it, from life in general (from all expectations and obligations.) You could get away for a couple of weeks, or you could stay at home. Then, allow yourself to let go of everything and truly rest and recover from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine.

I typically take a sabbatical around the New Year, to recover from and reflect upon the year that’s been. I like to give myself 2 weeks+ if possible, for I find that it usually takes at least the first week to be able to really relax into a state of rest. Once I’m truly rested, I find that something magical tends to happen… My inspiration comes back! A newfound sense of clarity is reborn, and I have a clearer idea of where I’m at and what I’d like to work on moving forward. I take the time to refine my ideas and set some goals. By the time my sabbatical is coming to an end, I am usually chomping at the bit to get going, reinvigorated and excited about my life. This is how life should feel– and this is the beauty of deep rest.

I find sabbaticals so enriching that I am beginning to work them in more than once a year, just for a couple of days. This isn’t a period of deep rest so much as a purposeful chance to pause, reflect and re calibrate where necessary; to check in with myself and ensure I’m on the track I want to be on.

When you’re used to leading a busy life, it can seem impossible to take a sabbatical. You may be concerned about your work commitments, or the fact that it’s impossible to get away from your family, particularly if there are kids involved. If you feel such obligations, you’re likely in even greater need of a sabbatical! Just do what you can, and remember: your needs are just as important as anybody else’s.

“We would do well to slow down a little, focus on the significant, and truly see the things that matter most.”

– Dieter F. Uchtdorf

When was the last time you took a sabbatical?

Manifestation and the Law of Attraction

Breaking down the Law of Attraction and the specifics of Manifestation.

 

The Law of Attraction is a somewhat convoluted subject, and one that is easily misinterpreted or plain misunderstood. Due to the mis-information out there, many become disillusioned, for they come to see that simple methods aren’t working for them and conclude that either

a) the Law of Attraction is bunk, or

b) I don’t have what it takes.

In actual fact, there is just a lack of understanding.

This is a subject I am intrigued by, and have researched and applied (through trial and error) for many years now. Here, I share my insights into the manifestation process and the practical application of the Law of Attraction in an effort to make it more clearly understood.

1. Understanding the Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction says: like attracts like.

“The essence of that which is like unto itself, is drawn”

–Esther Hicks

The basis of our physical universe is energy, where everything resonates at a particular vibrational frequency. It is the energy– or more specifically, the vibrational frequency of our thoughts and feelings– that create our reality.

(E)motions= energy in motion.

It is said that ‘thoughts create things.’ To take it one step further, it is the emotions evoked by your thoughts that are the primal factor when it comes to the Law of Attraction. The universe responds to vibration, not to your thoughts specifically. Think of yourself like a magnet, where you draw unto yourself that which is most alike the energy you hold in your body, and emit via your surrounding energy field.

The Law of Attraction is an unconscious process until you learn to harness it’s power by taking responsibility for your thoughts and emotions and purposefully directing your energy.

2. The practical application of the Law of Attraction

In essence, manifestation is a matter of:

1. Recognising your desire
2. Aligning with your desire
3. Receiving

For more on recognising what you truly want, you can read about it here. This post focuses on steps 2 and 3.

-Alignment

Like attracts like, therefore, you need to find a way to align vibrationally with the thing that you want.

Wealth is a popular desire; people are wanting more money all the time. Asking for it is the easy part. Aligning with the vibrational reality of having more money is the difficult part. Why? Because people tend to remain focused on that which is right in front of them, which is often the lack of the thing that they want. They ask for money, but continue to think thoughts such as ‘I don’t have enough money… I’ll never be able to pay for that… I can’t afford it.’ These thoughts keep them in a vibrational place of lack. You can’t attract wealth when you feel lack. The vibrational frequencies of the two are too different.

You have to shift your attention from your current reality to your desired reality. To do this, you have to go against the ‘reality-checkers’ of the world and live a little with your head in the clouds. Your current reality is simply a result of your energetic standpoint thus far– but at any point, you can influence a change in direction to create a different future.

You need to change your thinking to match your desire. In the example of attracting more wealth, you have to begin thinking thoughts that evoke feelings of wealth. E.g. ‘money comes easily and frequently to me. I always have enough money to pay for the things I want/ need. Money is on the way.’

-Emotions are key

Your emotions are your internal guidance system. They indicate your dominant vibrational perspectives. The below image is a great visual indicator of the vibrational frequencies emitted by our emotions.

the art to getting what you want –Image via https://freedomwithin.org/

Love, abundance, joy and peace are all of a high vibrational frequency. The higher your vibration (the better you feel emotionally) the more easily you’re able to attract the things that you desire, for the things we desire are often of a high vibrational nature.

A good rule of thumb is to prioritise feeling really good. If you do little else but continually practice shifting your emotions to that of joy and peace, you will inevitably find personal happiness, for you will naturally align with more things that bring you joy and peace. Joy begets joy, et al.

-Your thoughts influence your emotions

To shift your emotional state, pay attention to your thoughts. Our thoughts influence the way we feel. Identify the thought, and see if you can find a better-feeling thought. The idea is to guide your way to a better-feeling place.

Thoughts are just thoughts. As such, a thought does not have to define you unless you allow it. The more you think a thought, the stronger it’s vibrational frequency. Bear in mind that some thoughts will require more time and patience as you work to shift them. This doesn’t mean they will never shift, nor does it give any evidence to the thought being true. A well-thought thought is like a knot that needs to be pulled at gradually until it falls apart altogether.

3. Tools for aligning with your desire:

1. Visualisation

The mind doesn’t know the difference between real and imagined stimuli. Therefore, visualising for as little as 5 minutes can really help you to align with your desire. Remember– emotions are key, so focus on evoking the desired emotional response when it comes visualisation. Think about the way you wish to feel. It can also help to cross-reference with ways you feel that way already, i.e. looking for evidence of your desire in your current reality.

2. Affirming statements

Affirmations that reinforce the feeling of having the thing that you desire. You’ve got to feel as though you already have it. I’m careful using the word ‘affirmation’ for I feel affirmations are often misunderstood. They only work if, on some level, you already believe them. For example, there’s no point telling yourself ‘I’m rich’ if it’s too far a stretch from your current reality. You want to find a thought that resonates as true to a certain degree already, such as ‘my financial situation is improving.’ Once this idea solidifies, you can find the next best affirming thought from there, such as ‘I have plenty of money to live comfortably’, gradually working your way up the emotional scale and improving your vibrational frequency in relation to that subject over time.

-A word on resistance

“Resistance is about believing that you are vulnerable… and holding a stance of protection.”

–Abraham Hicks

Sometimes, you will encounter resistance, which presents itself as ‘not allowing’ the thing you desire, or feeling negative emotion when you think about what you want (discomfort, frustration, etc.) In my experience, this usually indicates subconscious blocks, such as opposing self-beliefs contradicting your desire.

Just as pushing against a wall won’t make it move, pushing against resistance won’t work either. The only way to work with resistance is to adopt an attitude of patience and re-direct your attention so as to ease the momentum of any negative emotions you may be feeling.

The other thing I’ve learned is that sometimes, you’re simply not ready to manifest the thing that you want. You’re not ready to change. That’s okay, for there’s really no rush. Therefore, if you encounter resistance, let it all go for a while and endeavour to return to your desire later. In the meantime, focus on re-balancing your emotions and finding ways to enhance your sense of peace and joy.

-Letting go

Manifestation is a fine balance of specific focus and surrender.

The final step is to get out of your own way and let it all go. Hand it over the universe, and say to yourself “ if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

 

There’s much to learn about this subject (I’m still learning) yet it’s a process that gets easier the more you practice and see for yourself what works and what doesn’t.

If you’re like me, you’ll eventually come to realise that the specifics of what you desire come second to your general feelings of wellbeing, peace and fulfillment– and these can be found by simply learning to harness your emotions. Also, if you just get out of your own way, the universe tends to deliver things to you that you could never have possibly imagined! Feel good, and the rest will follow.

The power in letting go of who you think you should be

A personal experiment in surrendering to the flow of life.

 

“Let go of what you think you need, and what you really need will show up”

–Gabrielle Bernstein

This is my biggest experience as of late: letting go of who I think I should be in order to allow space for who I could be. There is so much relief and liberation in this experience. It’s not complete, yet I’m finding it such a valuable (and universal) lesson that I want to share what I make of it so far.

Hypothesis:

1. Life works better when you surrender control and go with the flow.

2. When you let go of your expectations of who you think you should be and what your life should be like, you open yourself up to greater happiness and abundance than you could ever otherwise create for yourself.

Why the decision to let go?

Honestly, I was exhausted. I was tired of chasing and hustling to be a version of myself that I once decided I needed to be in order to be happy.

I’ve never been able to sit still. I’m always working on something; toward something, whether that’s a better body, fame, status, wealth. Different facets, but all driven by the same unconscious need: be better, rise above. Prove yourself.

It’s great to have a dream– but, become too attached to it and you sabotage your own happiness at the expense of always living for a future you can never guarantee. Goals inspire action– yet, become too attached to the achievement of your goals and you risk perpetual feelings of inadequacy. The dilemma? Chasing a vision so hard that you forget to experience the life that is happening for you in this very moment. And, if your vision is skewed (like mine was) you deny yourself in the process. My intentions were not pure, but tainted by an idea that I needed to prove my worthiness and earn my love.

“If you can’t join them- beat them.” This had been my mantra since schoolgirl days, decided upon as a solution to endless days of suffering at my inability to belong. For me, worthiness and love sat on a pedestal alongside my one-day Academy Award, high above the heads of all those who never seemed to see me. I’ve been on a never-ending mission to reach that pedestal, believing that without it, I’m love-less and worthless.

I got tired– tired of failing, and sick of being denied love and happiness. My happiness was always pending, and after a while, the angst of waiting and of being denied grinds you down.

Furthermore, the more awareness I gained about my subconscious motivations, the harder it became to ignore them. All it took was for me to reach an eventual tipping point, whereby my craving for happiness outweighed my need for validation.

Most of us live in this way (hustling for happiness and worthiness that we believe exists outside of ourselves.) For me, comprehending how I was living in this way was one thing, whilst having the courage to surrender is another.

Surrendering who you think you should be

It takes courage to give up your own expectations of who you think you should be, for it’s frightening to consider the consequences. Who will I become? You’re wrangling the unknowns. What will become of me? We fear that if we stop running and fighting, the very things that we are running from will catch up to us and envelope us, defining us in new ways (a failure, a loser, a nobody, unlovable, etc.)

For me, I was so fed up that I figured I had nothing to lose. I realised that I wasn’t necessarily becoming more lovable and worthy amidst all my efforts, hence, what was the point in knocking on the same door day after day?

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

–Albert Einstein

There’s something else too: I know by now that searching for love and validation outside of oneself is never the answer. I know that my efforts to prove myself were bunk, for how true were the beliefs about my lovability (or perceived lack thereof) in the first place? Probably not true at all. I came to comprehend that I had spent years chasing something that didn’t need to be chased.

“I wish everyone could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so they would know that’s not the answer.”

–Jim Carey

A lesson in faith

There is a certain liberation in uncertainty when you choose to embrace it rather than fear it. New Covid restrictions in Sydney aided my decision to let go. With nowhere to go and no way of knowing when certainty would return, I was able to lean into the uncertainty more easily.

Practical steps I’ve taken as I let go

1. I’ve given up on things that I have come to realise I don’t really want.

This has included a long list of projects and endeavours that I came to see I felt more burdened by than inspired by. Once erased from my schedule, this left me with very little to do. But for the occasional bout of anxiety, my cluttered schedule is not missed, for I’ve shed projects that I’ve come to see were never meant for me in the first instance– at least not at this time.

2. I’ve prioritised solid self-care practices to help me tune into my intuition.

This currently includes a daily practice of yoga, journalling, meditation and exercise, and helps me stay connected to the subtle inner guidance that leads me towards my true path at this time.

3. I am practicing following my joy.

I’m asking myself regularly: what do I find fun? What brings me pleasure? Joy begets joy, and so I figure: if I want to manifest true happiness and abundance, I must first seek out the things that bring me joy.

4. I’m handing my dreams over to the universe.

I can no longer carry the burden of trying to control my future. As such, I’m handing it over to a higher power, whilst choosing to trust that my inner being will guide me toward my highest good.

Conclusion:

Expectations carry a lot of weight, and the lightness I feel from having released the shackles is the most noticeable difference so far. My anxiety has reduced, and I feel a greater sense of peace and freedom. This is a process nonetheless, and the night is young.

“Whatever will be will be”

–Aaliyah

 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

What it means to live in a state of surrender

Energetically, surrender is a place of acceptance, open-mindedness and intuition. If you begin here, any action you take will be more aligned.

 

Today, I’m reflecting on what it means to live in a state of surrender.

To clarify first and foremost, surrender is NOT giving up.

Surrender is letting go, going with the flow, releasing.

There is that classic image of the soldier putting down their weapon and throwing their hands in the air, saying ‘I surrender.’ To run with this image, the action of surrender shows a willingness to put down one’s weapons and give up the fight. Maybe it’s to declare victory to a more powerful force, or to welcome the possibility of a new way of going about the fight. Nonetheless, giving up the fight is exactly what I’m getting at.

When we are fighting, we are in the hustle. We are working and doing, using our productivity and power of force to make things happen. The idea here is: If I work hard enough (if I put in enough time and muscle) I will get to where I want to be going. Energetically, this is the epitome of the masculine.

To give up the fight is to embrace BEING rather than DOING. It is to honour the flow, and the cyclical nature of life. It is to trust in the guidance of a higher power; to know that you’re not going this alone. It is to give up control, in realising that control is an illusion to begin with. Energetically, this is the epitome of the feminine.

The key, I believe, is to finely balance both, but to always start with surrender. Energetically, surrender is a place of acceptance, open-mindedness and intuition. If you begin here, any action you take will be more aligned and purposeful.

Here are three ways you can practice surrender:

1. Begin each day with surrender

The idea is to find that place (emotionally) of ease and acceptance right off the bat. You set the tone for the day first thing in the morning. How you achieve this is up to you. Perhaps it’s making a cup of tea and enjoying it with a book. Maybe it’s going for a walk. For me, it’s journaling and meditation.

2. When you find yourself in the fight, put down your weapon

This takes mindfulness as you go about your day. Literally, this may mean walking away when you find yourself in conflict with somebody. Stopping to grab some water or fresh air when you’re overworking and tying yourself in knots. Noticing when you’re stressed and pausing to breathe. It may even mean taking the day off to rest and release.

3. Pause regularly to appreciate

Appreciation is vibrationally the best and quickest way you can practice the energy of acceptance. Appreciation can be practiced by simply acknowledging the things that you love about your life right now, and looking for things in your immediate environment that please you.

If it feels easy, it probably is. If it feels hard, you’re likely overthinking it.

Surrender is a feeling process. It is matter of learning to lean on your emotional guidance and intuition over force and action.

Meditation is one of the best ways of practicing surrender. Follow this link to download my free 7 minute ‘happy place’ meditation for freedom and calm.