I recently got the amazing opportunity to contribute to the anthology “Find the Fire Within: How To Find Your Passion, Rise to Any Challenge & Fight For Your Dreams“ from A Beautiful Life magazine.
I knew I wanted to talk about lessons from my life journey and the guidance I’ve received along the way, and it was certainly a ride! Reflecting on everything I’ve been through, from childhood to now, has been so rewarding. I’m a huge proponent of pausing to take stock of your life, and this anthology gave me the chance to do just that.
But the anthology chapter I created with the help of my writing collaborator (more on her below!) is so much more than “just” a chapter. It’s a mosaic of my life experiences, stitched together in hopes of inspiring you to find wisdom in your own journey.
So today, I’m going to share with you the process I went through to reflect on my experiences, how I pieced the anthology chapter together, and then I’ll go over some ways you can begin to review your own life and everything you’ve been through. By the end, if you take one bit of encouragement from this blog, I hope it’s this: take the time to appreciate your own growth and resilience. It makes such a difference!
Let’s dive in.
Reflecting on My Life’s Lessons
What I loved most about writing for this anthology was that it became a catalyst for a transformative journey of self-reflection. I first had to sit down and think about the focus. What was my chapter going to talk about?
I’ve always found the most connection with others by sharing my vulnerabilities and actual experiences, so I knew I didn’t want to simply pick a topic and discuss it generically. The chapter needed to be a reflection of me.
After some thought, I decided to focus on how I’ve continually felt guided throughout my life. Whenever I’ve felt stuck, I “stumbled” upon something that completely changed my life. But it only worked because I listened. I think that’s a challenge for a lot of us—we get blinded by the status quo and simply go through the motions, and we start to ignore that inner voice that’s always trying to lovingly nudge us toward greater fulfillment.
I can pinpoint years of my life where I was trapped in a spiral because I ignored the little nudges. But as I practiced and got better at listening, I was able to allow myself to connect to guidance and saw greater changes in my life.
For the chapter, once I decided that I wanted to share my vulnerabilities and how I was guided to each of the main modalities I use in my practice, I reflected on a theme. What is a core theme of my life?
Thinking about that brought me right back to my childhood, where I experienced a lot of early trauma. I realized a core belief I internalized as a child was, “I am alone.” The core belief still lingers somewhere inside me.
Core beliefs often do, but it’s important to realize that you don’t need to let them rule your life—you can co-exist and send compassion to the parts of yourself clinging to unhelpful beliefs. Once you recognize a core belief, you’ll have the power to re-write your thoughts surrounding it.
Throughout my life, as I worked to cope with that core belief of mine, I gained a greater perspective—I received a gift. From that belief, I gained a higher desire: “I never want anyone to feel this pain. I don’t want others to feel alone like I do. I want to help them.”
Now can you see why I’m always so open and vulnerable with sharing? By sharing our stories with others, they feel less alone.
So once I had my topic and my greater theme for the anthology chapter, I sat down with my writing collaborator and started telling her my entire journey, from my trauma as a child to my current life. She asked questions in return that pushed me to really reflect on my experiences. After she created a rough draft, we then talked about pieces that were missing in the narrative or sections that needed to be deepened and clarified. From there, it was a matter of going back and forth to refine everything and really focus on the main message and the gifts my journey has brought to my life.
My Writing Collaborator: A Helping Hand
Before I go on, I just want to give a mention to Cassandra because she helped so much with piecing everything together, making it flow. As I’ve mentioned before, she also helps with my blogs because I’m better at speaking my thoughts than typing them out (and she happens to be the opposite!). That’s why I teamed up with her for the anthology chapter. She helped translate my spoken thoughts into written words, making this journey less daunting.
If you need help with writing, I highly recommend her! You can view her LinkedIn profile here.
Unseen Guidance: It’s Real
Throughout my life, I’ve felt the gentle yet firm hand of something guiding me (call it the Universe, your Higher Self, God..whatever resonates with you). As I look back, every challenge, stumble, and success has been part of a greater purpose. Working on the anthology chapter where I did a lot of self-discovery has deepened my understanding and appreciation of this profound guidance/wisdom.
From the loneliness of my childhood to the struggles of my teenage years, this inner voice and guidance has been my silent companion. Even in moments when I felt unseen and alone, it was there, gently steering me toward meaningful friendships and experiences that would shape me. It was the urge that led me to a Sufi retreat, where I first encountered the transformative power of breathwork.
Breathwork was not simply a practice I stumbled upon; it was a gift precisely when I needed it the most. It brought profound joy and transformation during a period when I was grappling with my identity and a sense of belonging.
But it didn’t end there. From breathwork, I was guided to Family Constellations, then to The Passion Test, then Erotic Blueprints™. And at times, it felt too coincidental for it not to be guidance from something deeper, something that kept helping me live a life of passion, pleasure, and service to others.
I’ve also come to realize that resilience is more than just overcoming obstacles; it is about how these challenges shape us. A higher wisdom acknowledges our determination and rewards it by providing us with the tools and experiences necessary for growth. Each challenge I faced in my life became a stepping stone, guiding me toward a deeper understanding of my strengths and capabilities.
This anthology chapter has been more than just a writing project; it has served as a mirror reflecting all of those little urges and inner whisperings in my life. Our inner voice is always speaking to us, guiding us toward greater fulfillment. Embrace it!
The Importance of Reflection
Finally, let’s touch on how important reflection is: reflection on your life and reflection on Self. As a Life and Intimacy Coach, I always encourage my clients to take a step back and appreciate their progress. It’s easy to get caught up in the grind and forget the mountains we’ve climbed. This anthology was my mountain, and reaching its summit gave me a breathtaking view of my own growth and resilience.
Reflection is actually an act of self-love. It allows us to see ourselves with compassion and gratitude, recognizing how far we’ve come and acknowledging the lessons that have shaped us. And most importantly, it reminds us of our ability to overcome challenges and find joy, no matter our circumstances.
Take a moment to reflect on your own journey. I know self-reflection can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the process. So here are some strategies that can simplify the process and make it a regular part of your life:
-
Create a Peaceful Environment: Choose a quiet place where you can reflect without interruptions. This could be inside, outside in nature, or even the sacred space you create during a breathwork journey (you know I’m biased toward breathwork!).
-
Journaling: Writing your thoughts down can give you perspective, allowing you to look over them from a bird’s eye view. Start by writing about your day, the feelings you’ve experienced, or any thoughts that are occupying your mind. Once you get comfortable with that, you can expand into your past, writing about your childhood, teens, etc. Or, if writing doesn’t flow for you, record yourself talking, then play it back. Often, this gives you an “outsider’s” viewpoint, allowing you to notice themes and patterns you couldn’t notice when you were too close to your thoughts or story.
-
Meditation and Breathwork: Meditation is a powerful tool for reflection. By quieting your mind, you create space for insights and self-awareness to arise naturally. A breathwork session will also help you connect. By taking time to breathe consciously, you’ll allow things to rise to the surface, whatever you most need to reflect on.
-
Ask Yourself Questions: Start by asking simple questions like: What went well today? What could I have done differently? What did I learn about myself? As you become more comfortable, move to deeper questions about your values, goals, and relationships.
-
Be Patient and Kind to Yourself: Reflection is a journey, and it can take time. Don’t rush the process and remember to treat yourself with kindness, even when facing difficult truths.
It’s not about perfection but about progress. As you continue to reflect, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your journey. The main point of doing all of this is to appreciate your growth and resilience. When your journey is laid out before you, it’s easy to see just how much you’ve grown—how strong you are—and you’ll gain a greater focus for where you want to go next and the life you want to create.
Embrace Your Journey
Trust in the journey, even when the path seems unclear. There’s always a higher wisdom and guidance leading us toward what we need out of life, toward purpose. Don’t be afraid to listen!
The journey of life is a sacred path, uniquely ours to walk. As we move forward, let’s celebrate our progress, honor our resilience, and listen to the inner guidance that has been with us every step of the way. Take time to reflect, acknowledge your growth, and embrace what’s next.
I would love for you to find inspiration and encouragement from the stories I share in the anthology. I invite you to check it out here.
And, as always, you can book a free 15-minute Discovery Session with me to talk about anything weighing on your mind.
Recent Comments