When we set our sights on a goal or specific outcome and begin taking action steps, we always want to believe that the Universe has our back. And it does. So what’s really going on when we seem to take one step forward and two steps back?
Have you ever started an endeavor that you just knew was right on target, but couldn’t gain the momentum to get it off the ground or see it through to the end? No matter what you do, or how much effort you’ve put in, it’s like a cosmic two step?
If so, you could be missing clues from your higher self to look at, or work through, issues or obstacles in your priorities that will continue to prevent success, if left on the back burner. Consider then, that any delay is a sign that it is time to work on self care in some form or another.
Let’s consider for a moment how a delay in progress can be a blessing. Obsessing over what we did wrong or left out of an action plan every time we met failure, on even the smallest level, is a rather pointless endeavor – there may be nothing to find there, and this practice only lowers our morale, making it even more challenging to recognize the signs all around us.
When we have sudden down time in our ability to move forward, it gives us a really useful opportunity to work on self-care. Perhaps there is a need to focus our attention on a matter more pressing that we hadn’t recognised before, or one that we refused to acknowledge on some important level.
It could be a mundane task or ignored etheric calling, a personal relationship, or a need to further education our review skills and toold in our chosen field. It may even simply be our higher selves asking us to take a more laid back approach in order to avoid burnout and continue a positive path.
It’s all well and good to keep on task and push forward at full throttle when we’re full of energy and good intentions. But just like a car, when we’re running low on fuel, punching the accelerator will not get us to the destination any faster, it will simply burn the fuel out faster, potentially stopping progress altogether. Likewise, all the stop and go can be equally frustrating, not to mention a waste of that precious fuel.
The solution? Slow down, relax, review strategy, meditate, and clean house, both figuratively and physically. The act of tying up loose ends in physical life or business, and sweeping those mental cobwebs away can ignite the creative flow, and allow for clarity in perception to return.
Once we’ve come back to our senses, we can review or life’s priorities. When progress shows, celebrate it! When progress slows, look around. Do our spouses,parents, or children need some nurturing? Are there unfinished projects that can be advanced or completed during this down time? Does your soul need nurturing?
List your priorities, and take the time to really decide how important they truly are. Have you kept some priorities in the forefront because they are truly important to you, or has it simply been out of habit? Be honest, and rewrite the list in order of actual importance to you.
Once that’s done, ask yourself: Do you feel better? Are you less stressed with more energy? Have you found sudden inspiration or new ideas? If not, that’s okay, too. Now that you’ve done the work, it’s time to reward with a relaxing activity, such as a stroll through a park, a light hike through the woods, a nice soak in a bath, hot tub, or sauna, maybe a massage, Reiki treatment, or a spa treatment.
Once we begin pursuing our goals again with a refreshed body, mind, and sense of priorities, setting a new and more realistic pace will seem natural and easy moving forward. Without taking time to recharge, we’ll never achieve there life we want. The more often we stop to engage in this process, the more we can enjoy life and find success.
How do you usually choose to recharge? What is your favorite “go to” method for reducing burn out? Share in the comments!
