Simple Techniques For Stress Relief
by Gabrielle Bernstein
"At some point all lies are brought to the surface and truth comes forth no matter how hard we try to hide it." -Gabrielle Bernstein1. Happiness is A Choice You Make
Whenever I’m asked about the greatest lesson I’ve
learned, my response is: Happiness is a choice I make. It’s very easy to
look for how to be happy outside ourselves; in a relationship, a dream
job, or the perfect body weight. When we chase happiness externally,
we’re simply looking for God in all the wrong places. The outside search
is based on false projections we place on the world. These projections
build up a wall against true happiness, which lies within us. This first
exercise will help you understand how nothing “out there” can save you
from the conflict that resides within. You must develop a rich inner
life to enjoy life altogether.
Each time we make this shift and choose happiness,
we experience a miracle. Our mind shifts from fearful delusions and
reconnects to our truth, which is love. To begin your commitment to new
perceptions, start by paying attention to attack thoughts toward
yourself and others. Whenever you notice your thoughts detour into
attack mode, say out loud or to yourself: Happiness is a choice I make.
Make this your mantra.
The more you retrain yourself to choose happiness
over fear, the more blissful you will be. Repeating a new behavior is
what makes change stick. When you repeat a new pattern often, you
literally change the neural pathways in your brain. This shift helps
true change settle in.
Miracle Message: Happiness is a choice I make. #MiraclesNow
2. Make Forgiveness A Practice
“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In all my books, lectures, and teachings I
emphasize the importance of practicing this F-word like a full-time job.
The experience of forgiveness is rooted in all spiritual teachings and
is the method through which we release the past and reclaim love in the
present. Forgiveness is a great way to become unstuck and open up to a
more vibrant life.
When you’re unforgiving you feel stuck, weak,
angry, and resentful. All those feelings contain low-level energy and
therefore block your capacity to heal, grow, and live life to the
fullest. Like many things, forgiveness is a habit. Get into it by
learning how to forgive yourself first.
Yogi Bhajan once said to a room full of his
students, “The only difference between me and you is that I practice
forgiving myself all day long.” Yogi Bhajan shows us that a key to being
the master of your own mind is to learn how to forgive yourself. So for
today, just for one minute, practice forgiving yourself. Make it a
conscious, purposeful action. It only takes a few moments, but it’s
radically transformational.
The moment you recognize your self-attack, follow these four steps:
- Witness the attack thought.
- Breathe into the feeling of discomfort.
- Feel the feeling.
- Say to yourself, “I forgive this thought. I know it is not real.”
Practice these four steps and prepare yourself to go deeper into the forgiveness process.
Miracle Message: Forgiveness offers me everything I need. #MiraclesNow
3. See The Tormentor As The Mentor
There are probably people in your life who really
push your buttons—the ones who make you feel twitchy every time you
encounter them, such as the childhood pal who knows how to rev up your
insecurities or the parent who can drive you over the edge within five
minutes of saying hello. No matter how difficult these people may seem,
they are your greatest teachers. Whenever you encounter an obstacle,
there are opportunities to learn and grow. So how can you begin to see
your tormentors as mentors?
The exercise is simple. Whenever your “tormentor”
gets under your skin, instead of rushing to defend yourself or mount a
takedown of whatever they’ve said, take a moment to breathe deeply.
After three long, deep breaths, say to yourself, “What can I learn from
this?” Open your consciousness to receive guidance on what can be
learned from the situation. The feelings that others ignite in you are
feelings that must come to the surface. Rather than push them down and
blame the other person for driving you nuts, pay attention to what’s
coming up. If something is triggered, then something needs to be healed.
Then, take a minute to sit in stillness. Allow
your subconscious to open you up to receive information about what you
can learn from this person. It’s very possible that your intuition will
speak loudly and offer you guidance. Maybe you’ll hear a word such as
“release,” “love,” or “forgive.” Honor the intuitive hits you receive.
If you don’t get any guidance in that minute of
stillness, then pay attention to what comes up subtly throughout the
day. You may hear a song that leads you to release pent-up anger or
notice a tweet that offers you the exact message you need to hear.
Guidance comes in many forms and is available to us all. We just need to
ask for it and look out for the signs.
If you’re dealing with a truly difficult person,
sometimes the first lesson is simply tolerance and patience. It may take
time to approach love and forgiveness, but taking that first step
toward learning to tolerate others and be patient with them can help you
shake off resentment and anger and turn torment into mentorship.
Miracle Message: I can see the tormentor as the mentor. #MiraclesNow
For more ways to attract miracles to your life, see my book, Miracles Now - 108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose.
Comments