The Power of Looking Inward
“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”
― C.G. Jung
I have been meditating recently on what it means to look within. Among the sea of voices from social media, the news, our friends, family, and work, how can we surround ourselves with enough silence to hear our own voice? Why is it so hard to disconnect from this constant flow of input?
We have all had that feeling of being unsettled, almost uncomfortable in our own skin. You maybe even survey the situation, but cannot identify what is making you feel unwell. This confusion makes you even more nervous! You begin to search for the distraction as opposed to pursuing a more in-depth inquiry.
When I am in the most need of turning my awareness in and deeply connecting with myself, I find that I want to run in the other direction as fast as possible! I search for a distraction; I check my phone obsessively, waiting for that call or text message. I look for something familiar, reassuring, or numbing. I feel cravings for foods that don’t nourish me, and I end up binge-watching a mediocre show on Netflix.
Most always, this behavior stems from a deep-seated need that I do not want to address. These needs are trying to come to light so I can feel better. But that means embracing the truth of the moment, facing the uncomfortable emotions, and possibly disrupting the status quo.
All of that can be scary. It can seem a lot easier to stuff it all way by clicking the next episode, but the truth always comes for us, and the longer we deny our feelings, the more intense they become.
When we ignore these feelings, they are left to germinate. One morning we wake up and realize we have strayed so far from our life’s path, all because we didn’t listen to our feelings in the first place.
We all tend to avoid situations that make us uncomfortable. This isn’t necessarily a wrong instinct. We must listen when our body is telling us that something is wrong. That is how we protect ourselves by staying away from detrimental people and circumstances.
We all have experiences of intuition. The pain in your gut when someone is trying to coax you into doing something you don’t want to do. Those feelings are our warning signs, and we need to learn to trust and listen to them.
Having the courageousness to confront ourselves is not easy. It is a lot easier to scroll through social media and eat ourselves into food-coma oblivion. And don’t get me wrong, there is a time and a place for that! Especially now that we are facing a pandemic and need to isolate ourselves to protect others, these comforts can be helpful. Paracelsus, a physician and philosopher of the Renaissance, wrote. “It is only the dose which makes a thing poison.” Rest and recuperation are vital and necessary for a healthy life, but too much of anything can kill us.
We are looking for balance in our life. Our Health and Wellness lies in the balance of work and pleasure, rest, and recuperation.
Are you numbing your feelings through toxic behaviors?
Do you engage in activities that are supposed to be relaxing but do not nurture you?
Making these changes can be challenging! Sometimes we have difficulty discerning the path before us or are unsure in which direction we want to go. One-on-One Holistic Coaching is all about addressing your habits and behaviors without judgment or punishment. Instead, we acknowledge where you are starting from, determine where you want to go, and create a road map to help you get there.
