Unlearn Your Way to Success: A “Spring into Action” Plan, Part 1

I’ll be truthful with you – at times I don’t feel all that springy and energized. I wish I could tell you that I bounce out of bed every single morning, inspired, focused, and ready to take action. It wouldn’t be true. I have moments where the thought of hanging out under the covers most of the day sounds pretty appealing. But I, like many of you, am learning to be a spiritual adult. This requires finding compassion for where I am in each moment. It means shifting my energy and mindset out of old, limiting patterns and stretching to my highest potential, regardless of discomfort or the unknowns.

A great lesson my spiritual mentor, Barbara de Angelis, shares is that our greatest challenge isn’t a lack of knowledge. Our biggest shifts can come from being willing to “unlearn” things. Old beliefs, disempowering thoughts, inherited patterns of behaviors that form the web of our unconscious programming. It makes a lot of sense. After all, you wouldn’t go planting your beautiful garden for summer enjoyment without clearing out the sticks, stinky leaves …. and other detritus that has built up over the winter.

With that in mind, I would like to share with you 5 “unlearnings” to give your internal energetic motor a spring tune-up. (The first 2 are here, the next 3 will come in Part 2!)

Unlearning #1: Unhealthy Food Habits

I know, I know – we hear so much about how important nutrition is to our health and well-being, but are we taking it seriously? I have had a generally good diet and am fortunately in great health. But whenever stress or frustration built-up, that was all the excuse I needed to dive into cookies, chocolate or whatever “treat I bought just for the kids.” The impact on my weight was one thing, but the impact it took emotionally on my sense of integrity and alignment was heavy.

A few months ago I realized I needed to make a big shift around my relationship with food. I decided to start eating a mostly raw foods diet. I didn’t think I could stick to it, but I have. My enjoyment of food has increased, my energy has never been better and I prepare my food now with a sense of gratitude and awareness for my health. (Feel free to email me and I’ll send you my recipe for the Green Lemonade I make every morning!)

Action Step: Identify 3 unhealthy food habits you know you have. Make a plan to shift at least one of them in the next 7 days.

Unlearning #2: Unlearning Toxic Self-Talk

If our internal negative dialogue was broadcast on a speaker so everyone could hear it, I have no doubt many of us would quickly be up on charges of emotional abuse. Those incessant voices that question us and criticize us are always going to be there. It’s just part of our ego’s game plan to keep us safe and playing within our comfort zone.

If you’re able to tune into that self-talk appropriately, however, you’ll discover there’s an important seed of wisdom it offers you. To step up and play a bigger game in life, you need to develop a strategy where toxic self-talk doesn’t take you out of the game completely.

Action Step: Adopt the motto “Be Prepared!” Keep your journal handy over the next 7 days and when you feel an onslaught of negative self-talk, write it all down in your journal. Pour it out onto paper until you feel done. Then close up your journal and move on with your day.