"We become what we love. What we put first in our lives is what we receive from life."
~Guy Finley
In case you haven't noticed yet, the truth of who you are is intelligent, creative, and naturally fulfilled. This is your essence, your true nature that is undeniable, always available, here right now in this very moment.
You don't have a life -- you are life. You don't find peace -- you discover that you already are infinitely peaceful at the core.
But sometimes the clouds move in, and your inner glow seems to be hidden. You want to be happy, yet feelings get in the way. You long for an end to suffering, but you just don't know how to go about it.
You are desperate for your light to shine even though it seems very, very dim.
When you are perfectly aligned with your true nature, life unfolds effortlessly. But when you are caught by conditioned habits, it helps to know what to do to find your way back to peace.
And if you're really serious about living as the brilliant one that you are, you will meet each moment of unhappiness that occurs in your daily life with the intention to find release from it. This is what I have done for years, and it's been a joy to know in my own experience that the light is always shining, here behind any cloud, patiently waiting for your kind attention.
Familiarize yourself with these five actions, then, when the moment is right, put them into practice. Notice the results, and prepare yourself to be revealed. For each one is a doorway to your limitless light.
1. Let go of stories you tell yourself.
We tell ourselves stories about the past and worry about what might happen in the future. Stories can be dramatic, scary, or sad. Some common ones are:
- I'm a victim.
- I can't.
- I'm not worthy.
- I deserve...
- I should or shouldn't....
No story serves the release of your inner brilliance. Stories categorize and define. They convince you that you are a fraction of who you really are. And they divert your attention from what is real, free, and alive.
Lose interest in all stories and the ways that they restrict you. Shed the veils of thinking, and enjoy as your brilliance takes over.
2. Listen to the whisper voice of your natural self and let it guide you.
Once the roar of thinking dies down, there is space for you to listen. Rather than trying to figure everything out, experiment with being quiet. Let yourself be infinitely open and available to receive.
Guidance is always here, sometimes showing up in unexpected ways. Your job is to listen and let it speak through you.
Are you willing?
3. Don't feed the drama of your emotions.
Emotions can easily get you side-tracked. Say, "No more."
See that emotions come and go like weather. Don't worship at the altar of your feelings or let them direct your precious life.
Witness your emotions, but don't get involved with them. They are not a reliable source of information or a signpost. Simply let them be, then the natural direction of your brilliance will unfold.
Try it out, and see if this is true for you.
4. Follow happiness.
Don't be afraid of happiness, and don't protect yourself from experiencing joy. Turn away from a need to please others or to live according to your should's and expectations. Don't be bound by pressures of any kind.
Now is your chance to be free. And now, and now. It's very simple. If you were to let happiness guide you:
- What would you do?
- How would you relate to stories and emotions?
- How would you show up in the moments of your life?
Align yourself with happiness, and your natural brilliance will overflow everywhere.
5. Be completely open in your mind and heart.
If you are closed and resistant, you are locking yourself into a very small room. Instead, cultivate a sense of curiosity about everything.
- Maybe you can be more fulfilled than you could ever imagine. (What is possible for you?)
Be open to recognizing and questioning all assumptions. You will be well on the road to living as the infinite brilliance that you are.
It is true that you get out what you put in. Find the place inside you that can't bear the suffering, confusion, and troubled habits one moment longer. Practice these five actions continuously.
Then step out of the way, and live as you are, beautiful self, shining everywhere.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in conjunction with our women's conference, "The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money & Power," which took place in New York on June 6, 2013. To read all of the posts in the series and learn more about the conference, click here. Join the conversation on Twitter #ThirdMetric.