{"id":2371,"date":"2017-08-09T05:20:40","date_gmt":"2017-08-09T05:20:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifereader.co.uk\/articles\/?p=2371"},"modified":"2017-08-09T05:21:18","modified_gmt":"2017-08-09T05:21:18","slug":"inner-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifereader.co.uk\/articles\/inner-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Inner Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jane:<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span> Our lives are built and inter-woven with stories and they flow through all the time: \u2018How did your day go?\u2019, \u2018What was the concert like?\u2019 Did you find an outfit for the party?\u2019 or \u2018Is that movie worth going to see?\u2019 and on it goes.<\/p>\n

We have our foundational stories too: the ones we absorbed when we were growing up, the opinions of our friends and families, our workplace, environment, culture and beliefs.<\/p>\n

\"1jane2\"<\/a> The stories develop as we strive forward in our lives and they link in with our \u2018self-talk\u2019. Everything in modern life pushes us to form goals with plans wrapped around them and this all adds to what drives us. We hold the belief that we will be happy when certain things happen. If we find a partner, own a certain home, live in a particular place, do this or that kind of work, have children, attain this or that job title, drive a whizzy car or have \u2018X\u2019 amount of money and on it goes. It is natural to have goals and plans, because we all have responsibilities. Yet, it dampens our spirit and leaves little room for joy because there is no space to nurture ourselves. It is forever moving our happiness into the future, attaching it to the things we are striving for and disconnecting us from \u2018you\u2019.<\/p>\n

If we are not happy now, just as things are, then how can any future event, or any person, make us happy? It is a crippling weight to place on anyone else, or thing and can end up breaking it.<\/p>\n

We each hold an inner light that brings joy into the present moment and we each have personal responsibility to nurture that light.<\/p>\n

What do you do each day that brings a smile to your face?<\/p>\n

As we grow and build our stories we can forget what brought us joy before the responsibilities of adulthood came piling in. Making time to explore and play nurtures us. Did you used to make things, knit, paint, draw, write, bake, cook for pleasure, grow herbs, veggies and flowers, dance, write or play music? Take time out to listen to the birds singing, watch the clouds float across the sky, drink tea from a favourite mug, wear a bright colour, or go for a simple walk? When did these things stop for you?<\/p>\n

If you find yourself saying \u2018I can\u2019t\u2019, the room is there to change the words to \u2018what if?\u2019 and \u2018why not?\u2019. Whatever it is that works for you, have an explore, try something different and feel your heart talk to you with sparks of joy as you discover something that makes your soul sing. Your heart knows.<\/p>\n

Feel your inner light come on and watch as you turn it up brighter with each self-nurturing action you make. Sometimes it is the simplest, smallest things that make the biggest changes.<\/p>\n

\"1jane2\"<\/a>