4. You are free to create your life rather than relying on external circumstances to change
Learning how to act out of choice rather than emotional reaction introduces a way of being that allows you to ask more beautiful questions. For example, when you can say, “I know I don’t want to react out of this angry emotion I’m feeling”, the next question is “How do I want to respond?”.
From here, you can focus on the intention behind your action.
Whether you know it or not, you are always acting with intention. The life-changing magic happens when you make your intentions conscious, asking yourself, “Do I want to have this difficult conversation to prove my friend wrong or do I want to have the conversation to understand my friend and communicate my own desires honestly?”.
Being able to select an intention and act upon it no matter what emotion you are feeling is internal mastery. It means you are free to select your response to life and actively generate what you desire in all circumstances.
Whether you know it or not, you are always acting with intention.
5. You experience life in a way that feels purposeful, magical and alive
Nothing is mundane or boring when you are living with conscious intent and an understanding that thoughts create emotions, which create behaviour.
You are constantly curious about your internal world, asking, “I’m feeling tense right now – what’s that about?” and simultaneously choosing what you would rather feel. “I want to feel ease right now – what thoughts would create a little more ease for me?”.
This focus on constantly managing your internal world replaces the habit of constantly trying to manage your external world and expending energy trying to figure other people out. It’s an internal dance that frees up your energy and shapes your external circumstances, allowing you to show up as the person you want to be.
6. You can generate positive emotions independently of what is going on around you
Did you know it’s possible to create elevated emotional states no matter what is going on around you?
Spiritual channel Esther Hicks teaches emotional calibration beautifully through processes that allow people to use thought and intention to gradually move up the emotional scale. Through this, students develop an understanding that while it’s a stretch to move instantly from anger to ecstasy, it is possible to move from anger to frustration to hope to compassion.
It’s an internal dance that frees up your energy and shapes your external circumstances, allowing you to show up as the person you want to be.
Think about what is possible when you’re able to manage your internal world:
- All anxiety around relationships falls away. You can confidently and authentically express yourself from a soul level and lead the way for others to do the same
- You can move beyond fear and claim the space, opportunities, love and money that is your birthright
- Instead of hustling to be liked and approved of, you are someone who is powerful enough to like and approve of yourself and others – serving humanity with your elevated energy
- Instead of wasting time and energy creating things you hope will bring you positive emotions, you become adept at creating positive emotions internally, which (funnily enough) creates the very things you thought would bring you positive emotions in the first place. Except you don’t need them to feel good!
- Your time and energy are channelled into thoughts and intentions that serve your soul. You have more time, more resources and a feeling that life is on your side
Now imagine a world where everyone has learned to manage themselves. How much more beautiful could our relationships, our institutions, our systems and communities be?
I believe that this way of being will one day be universal and each person who decides to focus on learning these life-affirming skills plays a vital role in ushering this more beautiful world in. The time is now.
Geordie Bull is an emotional wellness coach, journalist and mum of two who lives in Crescent Head, Australia with her family. Find more of her writing at www.geordiebull.com.au.
