2/11/24
Hello, friends, long time no see.
I've felt called to share.
Due to some health issues, my journey has taken me inward. I've been spending my time meditating, praying, and studying Dharma.
And now I want to give back.
So I will be sharing weekly, from the teachings I have received to my personal stories and practices; I pray that these emails benefit you on your path to self-realization.
Now…
Can we really change?
I'm sure many of you relate to wanting to be a better person or wanting to suffer less. Maybe you wish you were more conscious, creative, grateful, or at the very least, you had more positivity in your life.
You may have put considerable effort into setting new intentions, picking up new habits, and setting forth a plan to improve your life.
However, like many of us experience, days go by, maybe weeks, and then slowly, our "old" self creeps back in. It starts gradually: you had a long day, you're exhausted, and just this once, you'll watch TV, have that glass of wine, or do whatever your numbing habit might be.
Then, slowly, your "new" self fades away and without even knowing it you take on an attitude of defeat and accept that the way things are will just have to do.
But is that true? Sure, it's what we've accepted, but is it True?
For the past year, I went round and round the vicious cycle of suffering. Turning, churning, and hurting, stuck in a wheel of effort, failure, disappointment, depression, repeat.
I was extremely frustrated, and by the end of 2023, I had come to my wit's end. I saw that this cycle was not only affecting me but was affecting those close to me as they would have to listen to my complaints and excuses until, finally, I gained enough strength to do something about it.
That's when my story changed. When I become so fed up with my suffering and misery, that I could no longer afford the luxury of distracting myself or allowing myself to fail.
I realized that no one was coming to save me, there was no mommy and daddy to fix my problems, and suddenly, it was just me alone, deciding if I was going to chicken out or gain the courage to change.
I made a Real plan, with Real support, that wasn’t going to fail. I showed up for myself in the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, and I refused to let excuses win.
It's wasn’t fun or glamorous, but something started to happen. I become happier.
Not because everything was going right but because I had claimed my power.
I realized that I was bigger than the challenges plaguing me and that they could no longer control me.
I chose the path of victory, which made me a winner, not over anyone else, but over my own mind.
This is how we change. We have to conquer our minds. There’s no other way.
I had to face that limiting belief of "I can't," "It's too hard," and "I don't have the strength'“, and realize that it was a facade. It wasn’t true!
I am now living proof of that.
And you can be to.
While I used many tools to help me, the greatest was Joe Dispenza's meditations.
I have linked his book and a free meditation below.
See you next week,
-Nathan