When Life Gets in the Way of Your Plans: Caught in the JAWS

Are you getting in your own way?

The truth is that sometimes you get in your own way. When this happens, you’re not always aware of it at first, and it usually has more to do with your emotional state than anything else.

These roadblocks that you create for yourself come from fears and limiting beliefs. We make decisions about what is and isn’t possible in our lives (and careers) based on these subconscious factors that play out without our awareness at times.

It often takes hitting a pretty hard block in the road and deep frustration and disappointment before you can start to realize that you are getting in your own way, blocking the success you really want to manifest in your life.

Getting really clear about your heart’s desire can be a challenge if there are roadblocks in the way. Roadblocks can include conscious or subconscious fears, limiting beliefs, self-sabotaging habits, procrastination, your own doubts, and the doubts of people in your life.

What you may not know is that roadblocks – those subconscious fears, habits or patterns – are there to protect you, even if they aren’t really helping you attain your goals at the moment.So it can be very helpful to approach them from a gentle place of compassion in order to best learn what you need to move forward from that stuck place.

Often these fears and beliefs about who we are and how we are supposed to act are put into place by our minds while we are still children. We make up rules about what we’re supposed to do based on our limited understanding of what’s happening in our environment. These assumptions continue to play out in adulthood until we challenge and unravel them so that we can move forward in our lives.

So how do you get out of your own way?

Trust yourself and your inner guidance. I think this is the hardest part. Often, on some level, I know what I need to do to overcome or remove the roadblocks in my way. Yet, what I need to do is often something I don’t like or don’t believe. I think this is true for most of us.

And yet accessing your inner guidance is not something most of us are good at. We look to others to figure out what’s right or wrong, instead of looking inside our hearts to find out what’s exactly what we need and desire.

Developing the skill of listening to your inner wisdom is crucial to quickly and gently overcoming the emotional roadblocks that get in the way.

Even if you don’t like or don’t believe the inner wisdom you receive when you listen to your heart for guidance, I want you to take that step anyways. Suspend disbelief, and just try it and see what happens before you judge it. Even if you don’t like it.

Developing the confidence to trust your inner guidance and take those steps to move forward takes practice, and it’s what sets you up to be successful in creating the life you desire.

Your Transformational Homework this week:

Sit or recline comfortably somewhere you won’t be disturbed for about 30 minutes. Have your journal with you. Relax.
Ask yourself this question: “What’s holding me back from achieving this practice?” and just wait with an open mind for an answer to float into your mind.

Once you have an idea in mind about your biggest or most urgent roadblock, bring it to mind. Reflect on it, but don’t give up.

Ask yourself these questions: “How does this roadblock serve me? How is it protecting me or what is it giving me?”

Once you have clarity about your most pressing roadblock, it’s now time to find out how to get around it. Ask yourself: “What step can I take right now to get around or remove this road block and move closer to achieving my vision?”

Write down all your observations, thoughts and feelings in your journal. Also write down the step that came to you for getting around or removing the roadblock that’s challenging you right now.

Not great at listening to your inner guidance on your own?

Download Joanna’s guided meditation for overcoming roadblocks from her Lulu storehere, or schedule aprivate breakthrough sessionwith Joanna on the phone or in person. When Life Gets in the Way of Your Plans: Caught in the JAWS20288When Life Gets in the Way of Your Plans: Caught in the JAWS Da Duh….Da Duh….Da Duh…

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. Remember the theme from JAWS? Remember that scary bass thumping out that musical theme and you KNEW something bad was about to happen? Do you sometimes hear that music in your head when your life is reeling out of control? Here’s What I Know For Certain: Life will be rolling along and I think I have a handle on all 10 of the balls I am juggling, when a crisis arises that knocks everything out of my very capable hands. Before I know it, all the balls I’m juggling have fallen to the ground and I have to regroup and start all over again. Often I am so overwhelmed that I perceive that I can’t start again. Remember, perception IS belief. What you perceive is what you BELIEVE (even if it isn’t true!) My perception for the moment, the day, the week, the month that I am in crisis, is that I can’t do one more day with interruption, death, illness, sorrow, STRESS! Yet, what are my choices? What are yours? Here is a list of what I have found works:

1. Hunker down. Give yourself a quantifiable period of time to be mad, sad or overwhelmed. You can start with a 15 minute period if that works for you. Maybe you need a day or a week. Give yourself a specific time to mourn your pain and STICK TO IT. Here’s the biggest snafu that you must resist; it’s easy to go under the covers, hide in your cave, escape into an unhealthy habit. What’s significantly harder, is pulling yourself out of yourmope and sticking to a schedule again. You need to give yourself a timetable and FORCE yourself to stick to it.

2. After yourmope period, start the healing process so you can get back on your path to success and joy once again. Force yourself to call someone and talk, because you need a support system; make plans to go out (and then GO); journal your frustration; exercise. Do something, or as Nike says,Just Do It!. Get it all out or as much as you are capable of releasing. Express what’s going on in some form or fashion. You’ll get your head back into the game if you can talk or journal or exercise or find your own path through the trauma that’s assaulting your sensibilities.

3. Make a plan going forward. Write your plan down. Stick to your plan. Here’s an example: Someone I love is desperately ill and I am a primary caregiver. How can I find time to run my business and take care of my children and simultaneously have a life? My plan for business would be to workx hours/day and stay present in that work period. My mind has to be focused on my work when I’m at work and NOT on the issues at home. At home, my mind has to be focused on home and NOT on what I should be doing at work. I have to staypresent wherever I am.stay in the moment. My plan for my children would be to make sure they got the time from me that is critical for their personal growth. If that means asking for help, then I HAVE to ask others for help even though I am proud, stubborn and have a difficult time receiving from anyone without feeling obligated. As importantly, I have to take care of myself. If I don’t haveme time (even just 15 minutes/day!) then I’m not any good for anyone else. We’ve all heard the analogy of being on an airplane and putting your oxygen mask on first and then helping your child. It’s a truismtrust it.

4. Finally, PRAY, PRAY AND THEN PRAY JUST ONE MORE TIME. I believe there is a Higher Power and my time spent meditating and talking quietly to my God helps me to just keep going. You Can Do the thing you are most overwhelmed by and afraid of. You might get knocked off track, but you can find your way back and do it as soon as you can.

Try to stay positive and not speak negatives. Speaking negatively DRAWS more negativity to you and to youraura. Force your mind and your mouth to only speak positive affirmations daily. I know it’s hard to do when you are in pain. Just try to do it once. Then twice. Then 3 times. Before you know it, the positive will come back.

Here’s 3 cheers to you and a victorious triumph over that which would try and take you down!