No matter what you have experienced in the past 12 months, the arrival of a new year always provides hope. It’s a chance to reflect on your past successes and perceived failures and set intentions for what you would like to achieve in 2023. But more importantly, you have the opportunity to consider who you’d like to become.
For years, as the clock struck midnight, the only intention that mattered to me was to become a mum again. Infertility and pregnancy loss had been physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually grueling. The painful rollercoaster ride was full of momentary highs with each positive pregnancy test, and devastating lows when I heard the sonographer say “I’m sorry, there’s no heartbeat.” Each time I got back up and tried again, I risked further heartbreak. There was never any guarantee of success. But the biological desire to hold a healthy baby in my arms drove me to believe that it was worth the risk.
When I ended up in intensive care after an IVF cycle went disastrously wrong, I learned the hard way how short life is. The doctors could not stop my deterioration, only treat each symptom as it arose. Lying in my hospital bed, I finally understood that fear had been my guiding light, instead of my intuition. Fear had created a life that I thought I ‘should’ be living. From the outside looking in, I had all the things. The corporate job, the education and the white-picket fence. But none of this brought me happiness. I promised myself that if I recovered, I would follow my soul’s calling, even if I couldn’t see where it was taking me.
I strengthened my spiritual practices and kept that promise. Seven months later I left the corporate world, emigrated to Australia, had two daughters I was told I may never have and began a heart-centered business. I’m not going to lie; it hasn’t always been easy. There have been days when I have felt completely overwhelmed by this spiritual growth journey and have wanted the Universe to stop pushing me out of my comfort zone. But deep down, I know my intuition is continually guiding me home to myself. And with that comes more peace and joy. Inner peace and joy.
Please don’t wait to make positive changes in your life. You can learn from my mistakes and start that process right now, rather than being pushed into submission. Transformation begins with taking the smallest step, and then the next. Trust that as you move forward, the path will slowly reveal itself.
If you’re ready to tune into your inner wisdom, find a pen, a piece of paper and a quiet place to sit. Close your eyes and concentrate on where you notice your breath in your body. Breathe deeply and place your hand on your heart. When you feel still ask yourself these questions:
- Are you truly happy? Sit with this question for as long as you need to
- What’s guiding your decision-making? Are fear, scarcity or lack of self-worth in the driver’s seat?
- Are you living your life according to the expectations others have of you and for you?
- What’s your heart telling you right now?
- What’s the first step you need to take?
When you feel you have received the guidance you need and your energy naturally shifts, open your eyes and write down the answers to the questions you asked yourself. What thoughts, feelings and inner knowing came through that you can no longer ignore?
The words you received will not always be ‘logical’. Following this intuitive wisdom may feel scary because you have been raised to believe that if it’s not ‘tangible’ it doesn’t exist. Remember that your heart is your master thinker, not your mind. Your heart knows the answer to every problem you will ever face, you just need to tune in regularly, listen and be brave enough to take action. The more you do this simple exercise and practice using your intuition, the more confident you will become. I also recommend you keep what you have written down and keep coming back to read your heart’s guidance any time you move into self-doubt or fear.
Following your heart means you won’t ever stagnate, keep yourself small and inadvertently limit your soul’s evolution. Every day you’ll move closer to becoming the full expression of who you came here to be. This is the biggest gift you can give yourself, those you love and the future generations you will never meet. Don’t ever underestimate the contribution you already make and will make to this crazy but beautiful world. You are powerful. We are all powerful. As Ryunosuke Satoro so eloquently expresses, ‘Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.’
Sarah Willoughby
