In this episode, we explore a simple practice of how to bring greater clarity, calm, and control to your world. Plus some tips to unlock the power of your unconscious mind.

KEY LESSONS:

1.  MOST of our thoughts and emotions are unconscious.

As we explore in the above video (1:20 mark),

This is why it’s often so hard to access emotional information like “how are you feeling” or even “what is on your mind?”

But when this system really starts to get in the way of our progress is when we have negative thoughts, feelings, and mental programs that are running in the background (without our permission) that end up running our lives.

Freedom then begins with self-awareness.

2.  What you run from, runs you.

Around 2:20 mark we get into a deeper principle that many of the thoughts and emotions we (consciously or unconsciously) repress are the ones that end up running our lives.

For example (and oh my gosh I have a million of these) when I first ventured into fatherhood and my son would misbehave, I would yell at him until he stopped the bad behavior.

I literally “thought nothing of it” until my wife called me out on it.

Beyond the veil of my conscious awareness was a thought that I didn’t know was even there, but when I discovered it, it changed my entire relationship with my son.

The thought was, “Yelling at my kid is okay. He deserves it for being bad.”

I felt rather nauseous when I actually wrote that on paper for the first time. By “making it okay” in my head, I created an open door for the behavior to continue (and for our relationship to go downhill).

But then I learned a technique that changed everything for me.

3. What you no longer run from, can no longer run you.

As I state around the 3:30 mark:

“This can be some of the hardest personal development and spiritual work you can do. But it’s also the most rewarding.”

The first step is to PAUSE.

When we pause and take few grounding breaths, we are interrupting the speedy flow of information and feelings going on in our mind and body. This slow down gives us a sporting chance of seeing what’s going on in inside us.

Without this first step, it’s like trying to find a lost object in a dark room, or trying to pick up the details of a car whizzing by you at 100mph.

It’s not always easy to pause and take a breath in the middle of a tense or busy moment, but this is why it’s called a practice.

Once we’ve given ourselves permission to pause, now we move onto the second brave act, RECONNECT.

It’s easy to feel disconnected when we are plugged into our smartphones and computers all day, constantly juggling challenges, and interfacing more with screens than people.

This (and many other things) can lead us to be very disconnected and distanced from our body, the present moment, and what’s even going on inside us.

So the act of reconnecting and tuning in to our body (often via the breath) is an essential part of this practice. Here’s why…

Your body won’t lie to you.

If there is pain, it will let you know. If there is nervousness, it will show you shallow breath. If there is a part of you that is shrinking around a particular doubt, insecurity, or fear, your body will hunch and tighen around certain areas.

Not speaking your truth? Look for a a tightening around your throat. Not “digesting” a particular feeling or worry, well I think you’ll figure that one out rather quickly.

Point is, ff you cannot go through the door of the mind to find the information you seek, go through the door of the body. It will always tell you the truth.

Now you are ready for the 3rd part of this P.R.O. strategy, OPEN.

When you open your heart and mind the “messages” (unconscious information, memories, thoughts, feelings, etc) your body is giving you, don’t judge it.

Practice a non-judgemental awareness by simply writing down whatever insight comes out of you.

Then work with it and create turn arounds (which we covered in a previous video)

For me, the sentence I wrote was, “Yelling at my kid is okay. He deserves it for being bad.”

The work I did with that thought, now that it was in my conscious awareness, continues to change our relationship for the better.

On top of that, I’m getting to see myself become the person I’m proud of, for turning that situation around.

What “inside insight” will transform you life this year?

See you on the path,

-Patrick