the joy lab

3 Steps to Empowerment, Step 3: Empowerment

Once we can see and accept ourselves, we begin to have choices about where to put our energy. Do we keep doing what we’re doing, or do we focus our energy on something else?
The empowerment to make this choice comes from the clarity of awareness: knowing what we’re doing, and the openness of acceptance: allowing whatever we’re thinking, feeling, doing to be here.  Because we’re open to our thoughts, feelings and actions (and not denying, resisting, and contracting around them) they can shift and change and thus we are in an empowered space… we have choices about where to focus our energy.
There are many ways to reach this stage of empowerment, of being in a space to make real choices about what we’re doing… to go from fine to fantastic…
I’d love to know what you’ve done in your life to get to this place of fully aware choices?
Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

3 Steps to Empowerment, Step 2: Acceptance

As we become aware of ourselves, our daily thoughts, feelings and actions, then we can start to accept them… most will be easy to accept and some will take a bit of compassion. For some we will want to step out of denial and out of resistance and into compassion, non-judgement and acceptance.
Why might this be useful?
If we want to go from fine to fantastic then we want to accept all of ourselves… step out of denial and resistance of the parts that we feel we don’t like and into acceptance. Then we start to know the truth of how fantastic we already are!
Can you accept all of you?
Some days I’m better than others… I’d love to know what kinds of things you’ve done that helped you to accept parts that were “unacceptable”?
Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

3 Steps to Empowerment, Step 1: Awareness

If we want to go from fine to fantastic, we need to be aware of what we’re doing so that we know what to change… what our thoughts, feelings and actions are on a daily basis.

This can be as simple as noticing our body movements for a few minutes, or really noticing our surroundings several times a day. Cultivating awareness can be simple, easy and fun!

And the results are life changing, life affirming and lovely.

I’d enjoy knowing what you have noticed about your self or your environment through your own awareness?

Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

 

Stop Taking Spiritual Development So Seriously!

(video) Life is a balance. Not enough focus and our energy is too dilute. Too much focus and we’re constricted and can’t move…

And sometimes it helps to just remember not to take our spiritual development so seriously!
Does it help you to relax in the middle of chaos?
Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

Watching Emotions

(video) Emotions seem to run our lives!

How we feel about something seems to control how we interact with it. For instance: I’m mad at someone, so I’m mean to them.

What if you could develop a place in yourself to watch that emotion and make choices about how to interact?
How do you “step out of” or witness your emotions?
Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

Speaking From the Heart: Accepting Emotions 7 Day Challenge

(video) Most of us are uncomfortable with some of our emotions… to the point that we try to deny or ignore them.

It can be challenging to try to feel all of them! Take this 7 day challenge and see for yourself!

Are you comfortable with ALL of your emotions?

Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net

Your Questions: Why Isn't This Meditation Practice Working?!

(video) What happens when you have been diligently doing a meditation practice and you feel like it isn’t helping? If it works for other’s shouldn’t it work for you? Is there something wrong with me, how I’m doing the practice, or is this just the wrong practice for me right now?

How do you know when a practice is working for you?
Enjoy,
Elena
theJoyLab.net