DAY 346
CELEBRATE A COMPLETION
If something is holding you back from considering a big move, a life dream, or a fresh take on your purpose, it may be that you're still stuck in a previous chapter of your life.
If so, it may help to acknowledge, or celebrate, an ending. Ritual is a great way to honor your past, release the strings of attachment, and invite new beginnings.
If it's an empty nest you're facing, for example, you could create a beautiful ceremony where you graduate (with high honors) from active parenting. If it's an ex-relationship you're trying to move past, you can use your “altar of letting go” to say goodbye (see Day 264). Or you can draw a line in the sand and step over it to invoke a fresh start.
If it's emotional weather that continues to sock you in, or any issue for that matter, you can try this wonderful ritual that Jean came up with during her recent walk on the beach:
I decided to pick up rocks along the way and think of them as obstacles to living the life of my dreams. So, I picked up ANGER and released it into the ocean (tossed the rock). Then I picked up my need for CONTROL and released it in the ocean. I picked up my JOB and released it. I picked up FEAR and released it. I picked up my 50 pounds of excess WEIGHT and released it. I picked up DEBT and released it. I picked up junk food and released it. [Then] I picked up three pretty stones to bring home and write on and make a rock garden along with some others I have already collected. I will write: RELEASE, ACCEPTANCE, EMBRACE, LOVE, PEACE, JOY and the like. I felt so much joy, peace and beauty today. I felt lighter and freer.
Use your imagination. The unconscious mind doesn't know the difference between ritual and the real thing, so go for it!
What chapters in your life are you now ready to complete and celebrate?
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A chapter in my life that is over . . .
One way I can celebrate and honor it and move on . . .
How I feel now just thinking about letting this go . . . (Notice the part that doesn't feel comfortable yet with letting go and lean into it.)
DAY 347
EGO VERSUS SOUL
Author Elizabeth Gilbert was riding high from one of her speaking engagements on Oprah's “The Life You Want” tour when she posted this Facebook message describing the differences between ego and soul:
A woman asked [Pastor] Rob [Bell] yesterday how you can tell the difference between when your soul is talking to you, and when your ego is talking to you.
Rob started with an explanation of the ego, as a force that is never satisfied. Nothing will ever be enough for the ego—not enough money, not enough praise, not enough shoes, not enough Facebook likes . . . And when the ego DOES get something it wants (success, attention, a swimming pool), all it can do is crow about it.
Like: LOOK WHAT I DID!
Like: #KillingIt
As for the soul, though, all it wants is joy and light and love . . . and excitement. When you are living the life that your soul wants to live, you will wake up each morning and say, “Oh my god, I can't believe I get to do this today!” (Whatever “this” might be—write this book, work in this garden, live in this house, see this friend, eat this food, raise these children, walk in the woods with this dog . . .
Last night's dinner was a soul moment for me. I could not stop smiling. I could not stop hugging everyone . . . I could not stop thinking, “I can't believe I get to be here with these great and good people.”
When was the last time you had a soul moment? How did your soul moment feel from top to bottom, inside and out?
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How I know when my ego is talking (versus my soul) . . .
The last time I had a soul moment was . . . (and what it felt like) . . .
DAY 348
PLAYING SMALL DOES NOT SERVE
No one wins when we play small. I mean really. Holding back on our dreams, playing safe, and just settling with whatever benefits no one. Especially ourselves.
As Nelson Mandela once said, “There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
In what ways are you still playing small? Close your eyes and just ask your heart. It knows.
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Ways that I am playing small . . .
One small way that I can stretch myself today . . .
DAY 349
JUST IMAGINE
Start today by considering this question from Lena Stevens, which she posted on her blog, The Power Path:
What if this path you are experiencing now will take you forward into a life so magical and fulfilling that you cannot even imagine it?
Ooh yes! Can you feel it? Doesn't the possibility of realizing your wildest imaginings sound giddy exciting?
Even if a life of magical fulfillment is not yet imaginable, the path itself certainly can be.
What is one (baby) step that would make you feel giddy excited? Imagine that.
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What makes me feel giddy excited . . .
One baby step that might lead to a place of magical fulfillment . . .
DAY 350
CHECK IN—DREAMING BIG
The focus this week was to connect with the stirrings of our soul: to honor deeper yearnings and imagine bigger dreams. We cannot truly step forward until we let go of what's holding us back.
In what ways do you recognize that you are way bigger and more powerful than you know? What might be holding you back from realizing your dreams? What does your heart know for sure?
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My soul is telling me . . .
What is holding me back from stepping into a bigger dream . . .
What my heart knows for sure . . .
WEEK 51
LOSING OURSELVES, FINDING OURSELVES
Not till we are lost . . . do we begin to find ourselves.
—Henry David Thoreau, Walden
DAY 351
MORE YOU
With all the inspiration that I've received through life experience, extraordinary opportunity, and study with brilliant teachers over the years, there's no replacing the wisdom that simply comes from living life in present time, embracing the shadow when it shows up, and entering each moment with innocent curiosity. When I can bring these qualities to the table, I feel totally spacious—and complete.
You never know what spacious magic might be revealed when you put one foot in front of the other and clear the clutter of your life. As I wrote in Your Spacious Self,
No matter what your clutter challenge is, as you practice clearing in this way, you'll begin to notice some shifts taking place in your life. Who knows what that might look like for you. It might start as a tiny peephole of space that wasn't there before. An ah-ha. A kindness. A quieter dog. A surprise check in the mail. Less junk mail. Fewer pounds. A job offer. Fewer buttons getting pressed. Better sleep. More energy. More joy.
More you.
More real, spacious you.
What can you see with greater clarity now since you began this journey almost a year ago?
Even if all you can see is your next baby step, you are golden.
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What I can see with greater clarity is . . .
What I can see as a next step . . .
DAY 352
PURPOSEFUL IRRITATION
Like a freshwater pearl that begins as a simple grain of sand, we cannot become our shimmering, sparkly selves without some level of irritation.
Allow the irritations to come and go. Embrace them. Lean into them. Celebrate them, like Anne Lamott does here:
At my church, we sing a gospel song called, “Hallelujah anyway.” Everything's a mess, and you're going down the tubes financially, and gaining weight? Well, Hallelujah anyway.
And if you're still wondering why anyone would want to “feel into” anything that isn't pleasant, pose it to your higher self as a wonder question and allow the answer to reveal itself.
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; What is still irritating me . . .
What it feels like to lean into this irritation . . .
Why I would want to “feel into” . . .
DAY 353
GROWING PAINS
It's no secret that clearing brings up “stuff.” And the longer you've been holding on to stress and stuff, the more likely you are to feel some discomfort as you unwind from it. You might even feel worse, or less clear, than when you started. Yes, things can feel uncomfortable—even stuck or hopeless—for a while, as Karen G. posted recently:
Working through the various layers in the beginning was not so hard, but now I am stuck. I have reached the layer of deep wounding . . . I thought I had begun to heal, but as I go through the clearing I am now feeling the naked truth of it all.
Before you throw in the towel, consider that each time you clear something you are peeling away another layer of issues (painful memories, shame, fear, loss)—that you could not even feel before because they were buried deep inside. Anytime you're feeling “under the weather,” as it were, hang in there. This conscious discomfort is what I call growing pains. They are the pins and needles of waking up after holding on for an entire lifetime.
There is an addendum to Karen's comment above. Just one week after she shared her dark moment, she offered this:
I am sitting here right now feeling love. My life with all the “stuff” feels hard and rocky. As I have shared, I am fighting the memories that turn into thoughts that hurt emotionally so much. I am getting better. But this morning, I feel love. This is a new feeling for me. I sit here alone, and feel love. Suddenly, all the clearing makes such sense. I do not want to share the pain today I want to enjoy this moment. Must begin [this new] day, but is this what it is about?
Yes, things can change (a lot), and today is a new day.
And yes, that is what clearing is about.
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Some growing pains I have been feeling . . .
How I know that things are changing for the better . . .
DAY 354
SIGNPOSTS OF CLEARING
As with any journey, it helps to have markers to guide and assure you that you're on the right path. The signposts that follow will help remind you that you are doing just fine:
Feelings come up—allow them.
Shift happens—embrace it.
Outcomes change—accept them.
Clarity comes into focus—trust it.
Which of these have you noticed popping up in your journey? Which do you find most challenging? Which have you grown comfortable embracing?
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The signpost(s) that I am aware of . . .
The signpost(s) that I've grown comfortable embracing . . .
The signpost(s) that I find most challenging . . .
DAY 355
EVERY STEP MATTERS
No matter how small or seemingly insignificant your efforts may have felt to you in your clearing journey so far, every step matters.
Clearing even just one toothpick every day—with intention, action, non-identification, and compassion—leads to lasting change.
What is a constant that you've experienced this year?
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My life will always have . . .
One way it can teach me constancy is . . .
DAY 356
A GENTLE REMINDER—STEPS TO STAYING ON TRACK
In this journey, where the focus is on clearing a lifetime of old patterning, it's very easy to get side railed and lose focus.
Next time you get discouraged or fall off the wagon into old habits, adopt these simple steps as a gentle reminder. They are designed around the Four Pathways of Clearing (see Day 9):
Observe it: Observe your energy levels go up and down without judging them as good or bad.
Move it: Consciously move something for at least a minute every day to create energy, momentum, and flow. You can sweep a floor, move a pile (e.g., laundry, dishes), put away something that is routinely out of place, do a yoga flow pose, take a walk—anything that is purposeful, fluid, and repetitive.
Allow it: Allow any discomfort or resistance to arise without taking it personally; the less attached you can be to any emotional weather, the quicker it will pass.
Complete it: Follow up any clearing task by doing one thing that feels good and makes your heart sing.
PS It might help to write these things down on a sticky note and place it in a visible location.
Remember that consistency is your secret weapon. Over time, intentional repetition of these steps will work their magic to uncover your true self.
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I know I'm getting side railed when . . .
In addition to using the Steps as a way to bring me back to center, I would like to try . . .
DAY 357
CHECK IN—LOSING OURSELVES, FINDING OURSELVES
Clearing is a process of growing into and claiming our true nature and best life. The focus this week was to shine light on the growing pains and pitfalls that come with the territory; to remember that every baby step counts; and to recognize that changes—both comfortable and uncomfortable—are part of the journey back to wholeness.
What has this journey revealed about you? In what ways do you feel more connected and whole? And in what ways are you still growing?
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What is coming into focus for me . . .
What I can lean into more . . .
What I know for sure is . . .
WEEK 52
CONTINUING
The end is only the beginning.
—Brian L. Weiss MD, Miracles Happen
DAY 358
SAYING GOODBYE
There is a word for it: saudade. It's Portuguese with no direct translation in English. It means a nostalgic longing for an absent something or someone. I don't know if it's used as a verb or a noun, but I'm feeling it. It may sound strange to say this, but I already miss you all!
I may not know you personally, but I know you through these pages. You are my sisters and my brothers—connected by a common desire to nourish our spirit and lighten our load. Through thick and thin we've gone far together.
And, still, you may be wondering: Does clearing ever end?
The “bad” news is that clearing never ends. The good news is that clearing never ends. When we can enter into the experience with wonder and spacious detachment is when clearing becomes a thing of beauty—a spiritual practice—that reveals the divine essence of who we are. Why would we ever want to stop doing that?!
No, the journey does not end here. In this last week you will have the opportunity to reflect on how you've changed, and you'll also receive some goodies to help you stay on the path for years to come.
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How I know that clearing doesn't end . . .
I trust myself to keep going because . . .
DAY 359
YOU'VE CHANGED!
One of the many things I've learned about this journey is that clearing has a strange effect on us. Once we're able to let go of our attachments to things and outcomes, and our buttons don't get pushed as much, we forget that we even had them!
You are not the same person you were when you started this book. In what ways do you feel that you have changed? Use the following questions to help you jiggle loose some awareness.
Have you noticed if . . .
You're clearing, or have the urge to clear, more often?
Your home or apartment feels different? Bigger? Lighter?
You have attracted an opportunity, a new relationship, or greater financial ease?
Your health, sleep patterns, eating patterns, or stress patterns have changed?
Your relationship with a family member has changed?
You have set and maintained clearer boundaries with others?
Your sense of smell, taste, touch, sight, hearing, and/or inner knowing is heightened?
You're more joyful—you're laughing more, having fun, and feeling in the flow?
You've experienced some interesting synchronicities, pleasant surprises, dreams, shifts in perception, or aha moments?
Without judging any shifts as “good” or “bad,” remember that in the greater scheme of things clearing anything, big or small, is about opening the channels to that place within that is uncomplicated and unplugged, sparkly and clear.
From the soul's point of view, our job is to evolve. The soul doesn't care if we're comfortable or not.
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Some of the ways I've changed . . .
One significant change I've noticed since I began almost a year ago . . .
DAY 360
JUST BELOW THE SURFACE
The potential to achieve great things is just below the surface of our resistance to it.
What are you still resisting?
Can you say yes to your deep knowing? Even if it scares you?
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What I am still resisting . . .
What I can say yes to (even if it scares me) . . .
A Year to Clear Page 25