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The Law Of Polarity: What It Is And Why It Matters
In this article, learn about the Law of Polarity, one of the 12 Laws of the Universe. Plus, get journaling questions to help you understand how the Law of Polarity can offer a deeper perspective of your own life.
Pin this for later! The Law of Polarity: What it Is and Why It Matters The Beauty Of Contrast
When I lived in Hawaii for a year, one of the most surprising realizations I had was realizing that I actually kind of missed cold weather.
Now, if you know me, you know this is a pretty big deal.
I’m someone who has always lived for warm weather and sunshine. I’m the weird person at the summer barbecue who would rather sit in the sun than in the shade, and the temperature in my apartment is a consistent 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
To say I don’t like the cold is an understatement. I’ve spent most of my life despising it. I was born for sunshine and summer heat, and I’ve always dreaded the coldness of winter.
At least, until it was gone.
During the months of continuous hot days I experienced in Hawaii, something kind of funny started to happen. I realized that I actually kind of missed those cold days when I’d get to stay in my sweats all day and snuggle up on the couch with a mug of something warm.
I missed the gray, rainy days when I’d feel completely justified doing absolutely nothing at all.
And I especially missed having a white, snowy Christmas, even though I always assumed Christmas in Hawaii would be a dream.
To this day, if you ask me what I prefer, I’ll absolutely tell you I’d take bright, sunny days 98% of the time.
But I can begrudgingly admit that some cold days aren’t so bad, and I know I’d be sad if they didn’t exist at all.
For many reasons, the contrast of hot days and cold ones is needed, even if we prefer one over the other.
This is the Law of Polarity.
What Is The Law Of Polarity?
The Law of Polarity states that everything has an opposite, and the existence of these opposites is vital in helping us to gain a deeper perspective of our own lives.
The example I used above shows you how this law plays out in its most basic form. While I’m clearly on Team Sun, I don’t think I’d want it to be bright and sunny all the time. There’s a reason why cold weather exists.
Plus, rainy days are good for both the earth and the soul.
On top of that, the existence of the cold makes me appreciate the sun even more. If all I ever knew was sun, I’d probably take it for granted and eventually get sick of it.
One way to think about the Law of Polarity is to think of two sides of the same coin, which we typically call Heads and Tails.
These two sides are forever inextricably linked. As long as you’re holding this coin, there will always be a Heads and a Tails. One cannot exist without the other. And when you need to make a decision and decide to flip a coin, Heads represents one possible outcome and Tails represents its opposite.
Now, you can pretty much take anything that’s considered an opposite and view it as though they’re opposing sides of the same coin: hot vs. cold, light vs. dark, good vs. evil. All of these things are forever linked together. They’re two sides of the same coin, or opposite sides of the same pole. Because there’s duality in everything, you can’t have one without the other.
This is the Law of Polarity at its foundation: everything in the world has an opposite. Duality exists in everything.
And the existence of these opposites is critical to how we understand our lives and the world we live in.
Lessons From The Law Of Polarity
If you had to break the Law of Polarity into its core parts, you might use words like opposites, contrast, and duality.
Every positive has a negative. Every up has a down. And every day has a night.
It seems like a simple-enough concept, but what can it teach you?
Love the Good When You Have It
Every time I get sick, I think, “I am never going to take for granted the days my body feels healthy again.”
Actually, I think about this with all the pain I’ve experienced, especially the really big, painful experiences. Like when I crashed mountain biking a couple years ago and ended up in the ER. Or when my body broke out in hives for two weeks after a bad reaction to laundry detergent.
“I just want my body back,” I remember thinking during both of these instances. “I’ll never take my body for granted again. I promise.”
Moments of pain and sickness have helped me to truly appreciate my body and all that it does for me.
And this is one of the greatest miracles of the Law of Polarity—it helps us to value and appreciate all the aspects of our lives we’d likely take for granted if we didn’t experience some kind of contrast.
A not-so-great relationship often helps you to value and cherish a really good one more fully and deeply. Scholastic or career rejection can help you to love and feel grateful for your successes. Knowing what it’s like to have less money often helps you appreciate having more. There is purpose to all of it. There’s a gift in all of it.
But still, it’s up to you to find the gift and embrace it for what it is. You get to choose your mindset. You can say, “The universe is always out to get me,” or you can say, “Every experience I’m given is an opportunity for gratitude and growth.”
These two perspectives are available to you at all times. It’s just up to you to decide which way you want to lean.
The “Negative” Has Value & Purpose, Too
For me, this is most clearly shown in my relationship with cold weather. I despised the cold weather until I didn’t have it anymore. Then, I realized that there were things about the cold that I actually liked.
My favorite way to think about this, though, is in terms of darkness and light.
Symbolically, light is often used to represent a universal good, while darkness is used to represent a universal bad.
But “good” and “bad” are just labels we bestow upon ideas and things—there is no moral good or bad when it comes to darkness and light.
And darkness has value and purpose, just as the light does.
Darkness is beneficial for the health of the planet as well as our own biological health.
But it’s not just the darkness of the night that has its benefits. We all carry shadows within us, and often, we try to suppress these shadows or pretend they don’t exist.
But if you look deeper, you’ll see that your shadows are kind of beautiful, too. Your grief, sadness, pain, and even the moments when you get angry at the universe are all evidence of a life fully lived.
I’ve found that my inner shadows are usually my greatest teacher. When I step into my darkness, I uncover my innermost thoughts and feelings; this, in turn, helps me to grow and transform.
When you really dig into the Law of Polarity, you see that often, it isn’t a situation of one side of the coin being “good” while the other is “bad.” Rather, both sides have meaningful value to offer the world.
You Have To Know What You Don’t Want To Know What You Do Want
This is one of the greatest lessons we often learn in early romantic relationships. When you first start exploring serious relationships, it’s likely you don’t have a long list of must haves and deal-breakers. This is generally a good thing. Keeping your mind and heart open to multiple possibilities allows you to discover more about yourself and what you want; you may even uncover some unexpected realizations along the way.
It may be easy to write off the relationships that ended badly as mistakes, but nothing is truly a mistake. Every experience offers an opportunity to learn.
For instance, maybe you had never thought a lot about political views in a relationship, but after dating someone with polar opposite political views, you’ve realized that you need to be with someone who holds similar views and attitudes. This doesn’t mean you have to agree on everything all the time, but there may be some social and political issues that are especially important to you.
Or maybe traveling is a priority for you, and you’ve dated someone who isn’t big on traveling. You may not have known just how important this was to you until you dated this person, and now it’s something you know moving forward.
In many situations, we have to experience what we don’t want in order to truly know what we do want.
The first time you buy or rent a home, you’ll likely begin to notice an assortment of random “little things” that might bother you, like having only one sink in the master bathroom instead of two. And maybe this isn’t a deal-breaker, but then you start to notice that there isn’t enough storage space to keep all your things.
Storage space, you realize, is a non-negotiable.
So now you know that when you rent or buy your next home, you’ll absolutely be making sure that there’s plenty of storage wherever you go.
Contrast illuminates what’s really important to you. It sheds light on what matters.
Let the negative situations be teaching experiences to show you what you do and don’t want in your life.
- You May Also Like: The 12 Laws of Karma Explained (A Complete Guide)
Going Deeper With The Law Of Polarity
How can you use this knowledge of the Law of Polarity to gain a deeper understanding of your own life? And how can it help you with any current hardships you’re facing?
To understand how the Law of Polarity is currently playing out in your life, you have to take a step back and get a wider perspective.
Think about the different aspects of your life right now: your relationships, your career, your home, your health, your free time, and your habits.
What’s working? What’s not working? For anything that’s not working, can you pinpoint what exactly it is? What is this experience showing you? What are you learning about yourself and your preferences?
For anything that you feel isn’t working, don’t judge yourself. In fact, have the perspective that this is a good thing—that it’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve.
Below are some questions to help you gain an understanding of how the Law of Polarity plays a role in your life. You can journal your answers or simply think about your responses.
- In what ways have you experienced contrast in romantic relationships? (What you do want vs. What you don’t want)
- In what ways have you experienced contrast in your career? (What you do want vs. What you don’t want)
- What other examples of contrast in your life have I experienced?
- Write about a time when experiencing something you didn’t want helped you to learn what you did want.
- Write about a time when something went wrong, and this helped you to have more appreciation for when the same thing is going right. (For example, when sickness allowed you to appreciate your healthy body more.)
- Write about something that you’ve always labeled as bad (i.e., cold weather), but you’ve discovered there’s value and meaning to the existence of this thing.
- What’s one aspect of my life right now you wish you could change? What is this teaching you? How can you grow through this experience?
- What’s one aspect of your life right now that’s going really well? Has this aspect of your life always gone well? What did past experiences teach you, and how did they lead to this thing going well right now? (For instance, if you’re in a really great relationship or career right now, did you have a past relationship or job that helped you to see what you didn’t want, leading you to this relationship or career?)
For more resources on spirituality, meditation, manifestation, and all things self-love, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, where I’m posting positive affirmations and empowering messages daily.
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Pin this for later! The Law of Polarity: What it Is and Why It Matters 
Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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What are the 12 Laws of the Universe? (A Complete Guide)
In this post, learn about the 12 Laws of the Universe and how they can help you create a life of true joy, love, freedom, and abundance.
Pin this for later! What Are the 12 Laws of the Universe? (A Complete Guide) What Are the 12 Laws of the Universe?
You’ve likely heard of the Law of Attraction. The belief that like attracts like has inspired millions (judging by the over 30 million copies of The Secret that have been sold) to take control of their lives through the power of their own vibration.
In the most basic sense, the Law of Attraction works like this: if you approach your daily life emitting feelings of joy, love, and positivity, you receive experiences in your life that mirror these emotions.
But if you’re constantly negative and believe that nothing ever works out for you, you’ll continue to receive experiences that reflect this belief.
Essentially, your outward world reflects your inner energy.
Most people learn about the Law of Attraction and stop there. But this is a mistake.
Because the Law of Attraction is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
You see, the Law of Attraction is just one of just one of 12 spiritual laws that are all inextricably linked. When you live in alignment with all 12 of these laws, you feel a greater sense of purpose and are able to see how all experiences serve your highest good. These laws also guide you in creating your truest, most authentic, most abundant life.
For instance, the Law of Attraction doesn’t really work if you’re not also taking meaningful action to create the life you want to live. You can’t just sit around wishing for good things to show at your doorstep. That’s where the Law of Inspired Action comes in. (More on this below.)
Just as I discussed in my post on the 12 Laws of Karma, these laws aren’t mean to restrict or limit your freedom. It’s actually the very opposite. They’re meant to set you free.
When you live in alignment with the 12 universal laws, you feel a deeper sense of empathy and compassion for others. You understand your own power in creating the fulfilling life you desire, and you’re able to feel deeper gratitude and appreciation for all that you have. You feel aligned with your purpose and are able to navigate the balance between work and rest.
These 12 universal laws help you to create more joy, love, peace, and prosperity in your daily life.
Below, I go in-depth on each of the 12 Laws of the Universe and how they can serve you in your daily life. As you read through these laws, I encourage you to approach them with an open heart and open mind. You might even choose to journal about each of these laws and how they connect to your own life.
The 12 Laws of the Universe
Law of Divine Oneness
The Law of Divine Oneness states that everything and everyone is intrinsically connected to one another as we all come from the same source.
You have a substantial impact on the world with every word you say, thought you think, belief you hold, and action you take. Sometimes, you’ll gain an understanding of how your words and actions affect others, and other times, you may never fully become aware of how something you said or did had a ripple effect in the universe.
This is the foundational law of the universe, and it’s rooted in empathy and compassion. As you gain awareness of how you’re intrinsically connected to all beings, you cultivate more empathy for others. You’re able to release anger and negative feelings toward another because you inherently understand that they are no different from you. We are all one.
Law of Vibration
The Law of Vibration states that everything and every being is in a constant state of vibration, always emitting frequencies and energies that often aren’t seen on the surface. Everything is always in constant motion.
Take a look around you: every object you can see is emitting a certain frequency. Some are higher frequencies and some are lower. Next time you walk outside, look up at the sky. The sun carries its own energy. So do the cars on the road. And the trees. And even the phone and wallet you’re carrying.
Now look within. You, too, are emitting a vibrational frequency. This frequency can and often does change. And once you understand that you possess your own vibrational frequency, you realize you have the power to tune your frequency to a higher vibration.
The vibrational frequency you emit has a profound effect on your daily experience. When you operate at a higher frequency, you invite a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment into your world.
Law of Correspondence
Have you ever heard of the phrase, “The universe continues to deliver to you the same lesson until you learn it”? The Law of Correspondence states that patterns continue to repeat in the universe on both grand and small scales.
Look at recurring patterns in your own life. Do you feel like you continually have bad luck with dating? Have you tried and tried to be successful in a specific endeavor to no avail? Do you ever feel like the universe is out to get you?
The patterns we experience are directly correlated to our inner worlds. This means that what you’re experiencing in your outer world is a mirror of your own inner world. You have the power to change your lived experiences in your outer world by changing your inner world.
If your life has felt particularly chaotic recently, consider the ways in which you may be experiencing chaos within. To release the external chaos and invite more peace into your life, seek to cultivate peace inside you first.
Law of Attraction
Chances are, you may already know a bit about the Law of Attraction as this is undoubtedly the most well-known of the universal laws. The Law of Attraction states that like attracts like; the vibrations, beliefs, and emotions we put out into the world are what we receive in our lived experiences.
If you approach your daily life emitting feelings of joy, love, and positivity, you receive experiences in your life that mirror these emotions. But if you maintain a negative attitude in which you always consider yourself the victim and claim that nothing ever works out for you, you’ll continue to receive experiences that reflect this belief.
I do always think it’s important to note that the Law of Attraction is not an invitation to engage in toxic positivity. You do not have to force yourself to suppress negative emotions and pretend you’re happy when you’re feeling sad or disappointed or angry.
You can feel sad sometimes but still believe in your heart that everything is working out for your highest good. You can have a bad day while also knowing that it will pass. When you experience these emotions, explore them with gentleness and compassion, and ask yourself, “What can I learn from this experience? In what ways is this experience serving my highest good?”
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Law of Inspired Action
The Law of Inspired Action is inextricably connected to the Law of Attraction and is often the overlooked step that may cause some to claim that the Law of Attraction “doesn’t work.”
The Law of Inspired Action states that you must take real, actionable, inspired steps in order to achieve your goals and invite your manifestations into your life.
But what exactly is an inspired step? An inspired step is action derived from your inner knowing. It’s when something deep within calls you to take action, even when it doesn’t make sense. Inspired action is based on surrendering to the guidance of the universe and listening to the call of your inner knowing.
Let’s use dating as an example. You want to attract love into your life, so you choose to vibrate at the frequency of joy, love, and all the positive feelings you associate with finding the love of your life. You go out every weekend, believing this is the best way to meet someone.
However, deep down, your inner knowing is telling you to sign up for an online dating website.
You resist the idea because you really wanted to meet someone “the old fashioned way.” Going out every weekend is an action, but signing up for that online dating profile would be inspired action because it stems from a deep inner knowing within.
Law of Perpetual Transmutation of Energy
This one has arguably the most confusing title, so let’s break it down:
- Perpetual: constant, everlasting, without end
- Transmutation: the act of changing/being changed from one form into another
The Law of Perpetual Transmutation states that energetically, everything in the universe is constantly fluctuating and changing from one form to another. Most of the time, you don’t see these changes because they’re happening at a cellular level.
Here’s what you need to know about this law: your vibrational frequency has the power to affect another’s, and another’s vibrational frequency can affect yours. If a coworker comes to your cubicle and starts complaining, their negativity can affect your own energy. You don’t see your energy changing, but you can feel it; one moment, you were having a great day, and the next, you feel frustrated and dejected. On the other hand, your positive energy can lift up your coworker’s and help their day become a little brighter.
The key here is understanding how another’s energy can affect your own and vice versa; once you understand this power, you can use it to protect yourself from negative energy and uplift those around you.
Law of Cause and Effect
This law is exactly as it sounds, and if you’re familiar with Newton’s Third Law of Motion, you’re likely already putting the pieces together. The Law of Cause and Effect states that all actions have corresponding reactions, or consequences. (The word “consequences” tends to have a negative connotation, but consequences can be positive, too).
When you donate money to a person or organization in need with a sincere heart, this kindness will come back to you, even though you may not always see it right away. Similarly, if you lie, cheat, or steal, you will eventually feel these effects, even if not immediately.
This law is directly tied to the Great Law, the first of the 12 Laws of Karma.
Law of Compensation
The Law of Compensation is often tied to the phrase, “You reap what you sow.” This can have both a positive and negative connotation, and the idea is pretty closely tied to the concepts in the Law of Attraction and the Law of Cause and Effect. (What you put out is what you receive.)
So how does this law differ from the other laws it’s connected to?
I like to think of it as this: compensation can come in many forms, both good and bad. And often, what may appear good on the surface can really be a negative thing, and what can appear negative on the surface can be a positive thing.
For instance, say you’ve been trying to manifest a specific job. If you don’t get the job, you may feel like your manifestation has failed, but what if this job wasn’t as good as it seemed? The universe may be saving you from negative experiences and toxic energy tied to this job.
Or maybe you do get the job, but you lied and deceived in order to get it. Soon, you realize that the job that you believed would change your life is changing it, but it’s for the worse rather than for the better.
Again, this comes back to the idea that you reap what you sow. Did you lie and deceive to get that job? You may still get it, but it won’t be the glamorous and awesome position you believed it to be.
Law of Relativity
The Law of Relativity states that everything is neutral. When we label something as good or bad, rich or poor, or enough or not enough, it’s only because our perspective is influenced by our personal experiences and relationships.
For instance, one person may think making $20 an hour is a huge amount because they have only made lesser amounts in the past, and they’ve adapted their lifestyle to fit their average paychecks. However, for another, $20 an hour could be a huge pay decrease because they’ve always made significantly more, and they’ve adapted their lifestyle to higher paychecks.
For one person, an 1,800 square-foot house could be considered huge because they grew up in smaller houses, but for another, 1,800 square feet might be deemed small because they’ve always had twice the space.
So is $20 an hour a lot or a little? Is 1,800 square feet big or small? Neither—they’re both neutral.
The labels we put on these experiences are relative to our personal lived experiences.
The important thing here is to remain mindful of your biases and the labels you put on different experiences. When you’re slipping into a state of feeling like you don’t have enough, you can shift your perspective and view your situation from someone who has less than you. This can help you see that you do, in fact, have plenty, allowing you to feel more gratitude and appreciation in your daily life.
Law of Polarity
The Law of Polarity states that everything has an opposite, and the existence of these opposites is vital in helping us to gain a deeper perspective of our own lives.
This law is all about embracing contrast in your life; the bad times help you to appreciate the good. A bad relationship may help you to appreciate a good one (and to know what you’re looking for moving forward). Rainy days help you appreciate the sunny ones, and too much sun can help you appreciate the rain.
I always think of the quote, “In order to love your life, you can’t hate the experiences that shaped you.” For instance, in my own personal life, I’ve had past failures and rejections as a writer that felt really difficult at the time. However, living through these experiences has made me appreciate my successes even more. And I don’t hate that I had these experiences, because I understand that they all served my growth.
Law of Rhythm
The Law of Rhythm states that everything comes in cycles, and nothing stays in one state forever. This can most easily be seen in the changing of seasons. Summer eventually gives way to fall, which turns into winter, which turns into spring, and eventually, it’s summer again.
This also manifests in ways that aren’t always as easy to see unless you step back to get a wider perspective. Are you experiencing hardships in your life? Those hardships won’t last forever. When you understand that this is just where you are in a cycle, and that this hardship isn’t a permanent state, you’re able to cultivate more calmness and peace within.
It’s also important to pay attention to your own inner rhythm, and to flow with this rhythm instead of against it. For instance, maybe you’re feeling tired and need a break from the stress of daily life. Instead of trying to ignore these feelings, you can choose to accept your own inner rhythm, possibly by taking a social media break and instead spending time in nature.
Law of Gender
The Law of Gender states there are two types of energy: masculine and feminine. In order to live a fulfilling, joyful, purpose-driven life, we must achieve a balance between these two energies.
Masculine energy is tied to hustling, achieving, and doing. Feminine energy is tied to surrendering, allowing, and just being. Neither energy is better or worse than the other. When you find a balance between the two, you’re able to live your truest, most authentic life.
Here, it’s also important to listen to your inner rhythm. For instance, if you’ve been in hustle mode for too long, your inner being may tell you it’s time to step back for a while and allow yourself to just be.
For positive affirmations, self-love tools, manifestation inspiration, and spiritual resources, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram.
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Pin this for later! What Are the 12 Laws of the Universe? (A Complete Guide) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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How To Love Yourself More Each Day (And Make It Last)
In this article, learn the meaning of self-love, why it’s important, and how you can love yourself more each day. Plus, get tips on how to lean into self-love even on those days when loving yourself feels a little harder than most.
Pin this for later! How To Love Yourself More Each Day What Is Self-Love?
Self-love is a state in which you treat yourself with kindness, compassion, respect, and appreciation.
It means forgiving yourself when you make a mistake and speaking to yourself with care and kindness in the privacy of your own mind.
It also means nurturing your personal growth and prioritizing your total well-being: mind, body, and soul.
Self-love can sometimes get mischaracterized as selfishness, and many of us have been taught to believe that prioritizing ourselves is somehow inherently wrong. But it’s actually this belief that’s misguided.
You see, when you practice self-love, you’re first and foremost taking care of your own energy. Metaphorically speaking, you’re filling your own cup. You’re giving yourself what you need instead of constantly searching for it from outside sources.
And because of this, you’re able to better show up for the people in your life who matter to you. You’re able to give more of yourself to others. If someone needs to borrow from your cup, you can give easily and willingly, because you know you have the power to replenish it yourself.
And maybe even more importantly, when you cultivate deep and unconditional self-love, your inner light glows. You become a shining light for others, unconsciously giving others permission to shine their own light, too.
So self-love is the furthest thing from selfishness. Self-love is necessary.
It’s how we begin lifting the vibration of the world.
But first, it starts within.
By cultivating deep and unconditional self-love, you emit the vibration that you are open to receiving even more love in your life. You also release that desperate feeling of always looking for validation and acceptance from outside of yourself. And because this desperate energy is no longer within you, you can more easily lean into the flow of the universe. Walking your authentic path becomes easier. The energy of the entire universe moves effortlessly through you.
Self-love is a bridge. It takes you from a state of constantly striving and hustling to simply being, knowing, trusting, and aligning. It allows you to take risks, make mistakes, and grow, knowing that no matter the outcome, you are always deeply worthy of unconditional kindness from yourself.
So how do you begin to cultivate deep, profound self-love?
Below, you’ll find eight practices for how to love yourself more each day. None of these practices require much more than your own conscious time and attention. And each practice is meant to serve your entire well-being: mind, body, and soul. You’ll also learn how to cultivate self-love on even those heavier days, when loving yourself may feel a little more difficult.
Because no matter what, whether you’re feeling good or bad, whether you have or haven’t been your highest self, you are always worthy of unconditional love, kindness, respect, and compassion—both from others and (especially) from yourself.
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How To Love Yourself More Each Day
Practice Self-Compassion
Self-compassion means to be kind, loving, and gentle to yourself, even through your perceived failures, mistakes, and shortcomings.
Kristin Neff, pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, says, “Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings—after all, who ever said you were supposed to be perfect?”
And that simple question right there is the key to unlocking deep, meaningful, lifelong self-compassion.
Who ever said you were supposed to be perfect?
You, probably.
I’m guessing you’re your own worst critic. You may tear yourself apart over things that nobody else even notices. And those errors and blunders you’ve made? While others have long forgotten them, you’re still carrying with you mistakes you made years ago—collecting them and storing them in a pocket of your mind where you can go back and replay them over and over again.
It’s not going to be an overnight process to turn this mindset around. You have to intentionally choose compassion every single day, and then you have to keep choosing it, even when it isn’t easy.
So how do you begin this journey?
One practice that really helped me was thinking about people I love. Whenever I started to criticize myself for my own perceived shortcomings, I’d step back and ask myself whether I’d have these same thoughts about the people I love. Would I tell my best friend that she isn’t enough? What about my nieces and nephews? What about my parents, sister, brothers, cousins, and other family members?
No. I’d never say these things about any of them. And I’d never allow another person to say any of these things about them, either. I’d fight for them without hesitation.
So why was I saying all these hurtful things about myself? And why wasn’t I fighting for myself the way I would fight for someone I love?
Nobody’s perfect. We’re all just human beings trying to navigate life and figure things out as we go. So give yourself grace during this journey. Know that you can be imperfect and make mistakes and still be worthy of your own love and compassion.
Make A Self-Love Gratitude List
You likely know what a gratitude list is: a list of people, things, and experiences in your life that you feel truly and deeply grateful for. A common practice is to write down one to three things you’re grateful for in a journal every morning.
But how often do you write your own name on this list?
How often do you allow yourself to simply appreciate you?
What about yourself do you love?
Do you love your courage? Your inner strength? Do you love the way you stand up for the people you care about? Do you love your inherent kindness? Is there a specific act you’ve done that you feel really proud of? Are you simply grateful that you get to be you?
Start acknowledging yourself every single day by creating a gratitude list entirely devoted to you. Each day, write one or two things you really love about yourself. You might add a “because” statement to each item on the list, like “I’m really grateful that I give my smile freely to others because it lifts others up and adds a spark of joy to their day.”
Don’t hold back here. Freely write down all the things you love about both your inner and outer self. It’s so easy to criticize yourself and feel like you “deserve” that criticism, but how often do you actually celebrate yourself? This is a profound daily practice that will go a long way to helping you cultivate deep, unconditional self-love.
Create A Soulful Self-Care Routine
Chances are, you’re already practicing some form of self-care. Brushing your teeth, scheduling medical checkups, taking showers, and getting enough sleep at night are all forms of self-care.
But for this one, I’m talking about a deeper level of self-care: self-care for the soul.
We often associate self-care with spa days and luxurious bubble baths, and these things can definitely be part of a soulful self-care routine. But self-care is also something intrinsically more.
Self-care means asking yourself daily, “What does my soul need?”
And then, giving it to yourself.
Sometimes, your soul may need silence. Sometimes, it may crave time spent in nature. Sometimes, it might need a warm cup of tea and a good book. And other times, it may just need you to speak to yourself with a little extra kindness. To meet your own gaze in the mirror and whisper a simple yet deeply needed, “I love you.”
Self-care is an act of self-love. Whether it’s standing in the sunshine with your eyes closed for sixty seconds or packing up for a weekend getaway, you can practice self-care in both the smallest and biggest of ways. It’s a chance to nourish your soul. To feed the fading embers within so they grow back into beautiful and fierce flames dancing inside you.
It’s a chance to renew. To reenergize. To realign with the truest and deepest you.
And you are so worthy of giving the gift of self-care to yourself. You are deserving. Not just every once in a while but every single day.
Every day, ask your soul what it needs. Every day, listen for the answer. And every day, make space to receive it. To have it. To give it to yourself.
Embrace Your Inner Creative
When we’re young, we’re encouraged to create for the sake of creating. It isn’t about creating something that someone else will deem valuable. It isn’t about being productive. It isn’t even about making something that’s going to last forever. A child can create something in pure joy, then let it go and never think about it again.
But how often, as adults, do we create without any strings attached?
Embracing the creativity inside you without trying to make something beautiful or perfect or valuable is a profound act of self-love. It allows you to let go and find freedom in creating something that isn’t for anyone else but yourself.
It also allows you to fully be you—to embrace your own unique self-expression.
And what greater act of self-love is there than to allow yourself to be you without holding back?
Make space in your life for embracing your inner creative while you immerse yourself in an environment that feels really good. Maybe you’ll create something truly beautiful. Maybe you’ll create something you’ll forget about tomorrow. It doesn’t matter either way.
The beautiful creation isn’t more valuable or meaningful than the one you’re going to throw away.
It’s the act of giving yourself a chance to fully express yourself without limitations that matters.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is non-judgmental, conscious awareness in the present moment.
This means being aware of your own thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in the present moment without putting labels on any of it as right or wrong. Mindfulness is sometimes referred to as the art of noticing, as it doesn’t require anything from you except to simply notice.
And this seems really simple, but it’s actually really hard for most of us to do.
How often do you notice your thoughts without putting labels on them? It’s so easy to tell yourself that you’re bad or wrong—to constantly and persistently criticize yourself.
But what if, instead, you just noticed what’s happening within you without any of that judgment? And then, what if you took a step back and gently probed your thoughts with non-judgmental awareness?
“I’m having this thought again. That’s interesting. Why am I thinking this? What’s the source of this thought?” And then: “Is it actually true?”
Additionally, it’s common for us not to notice our thoughts at all. To simply go into autopilot mode and accept them at face value.
But mindfulness allows us to break free from the autopilot mode.
And when you do this, you can begin consciously shifting the narrative. And that’s where this gets really powerful for cultivating more self-love in your life.
Because once you start noticing your thoughts, you can consciously choose to shift them. You might notice a thought you had during autopilot mode like, “I’m not worthy,” and then you can say, “Oh. I’m having that thought again. But is it true? No, it’s not true. I am worthy. I’ve always been worthy.”
And soon, even your autopilot mode will begin to change. Instead of those persistent negative thoughts, you’ll begin having more persistent positive thoughts about yourself. And you’ll begin creating a truly deep, profound relationship with yourself based in true, authentic love and compassion.
- You May Also Like: 11 Best Mindfulness Books & Journals To Read This Year
Take Social Media Breaks
I’m actually pro-social media. I think what we get out of it is all a matter of how we interact with it. If given the chance, social media can be a beautiful platform for connecting with incredible souls, discovering daily positive messages, and creating a community based in love, kindness, compassion, and support.
But even I know we all need a break from it sometimes.
You don’t have to go on a total social media detox (unless it feels right for you to do so). But try to schedule regular social media breaks in your calendar. You might also decide that you’ll only go on apps like Instagram and Facebook between certain hours of the day, kind of like intermittent fasting but for social media.
Why is this important when it comes to self-love?
For one, it’s a meaningful way to protect your energy.
But also, the first step to tapping into your intuition and hearing the voice within is to get really quiet. You have to be able to step back from the noise of the outer world and go within. To embrace silence. We sometimes use social media as a distraction from what our hearts are trying to tell us.
But I promise—listening to what your heart has to say is the best thing you can do for the long-term health and well-being of your mind, body, and soul.
So every once in a while, give yourself a chance to step back. Take time away from social media and other outside distractions. Get really quiet. Breathe. And just listen.
Set Loving Boundaries
For many of us, this can be the most difficult one to practice. Setting boundaries isn’t easy, especially because it often leaves us feeling like we’re doing something wrong. Will I hurt someone’s feelings? What if they’re not receptive to what I tell them? What if they take it the wrong way and think it’s something against them when really, it’s about me?
Trust me, I know how hard it is. I’ve often thought many times throughout my life that my very existence is centered around not hurting another person’s feelings. It feels like it kills a little piece of my soul every time I think I might have hurt someone.
But I’ve learned that setting boundaries isn’t just an act of self-love; it actually helps to strengthen my relationships in the long-term.
Setting a boundary might mean establishing your own personal space. It might mean setting non-negotiable time during the week in which you get to dedicate all your energy to yourself. It might mean establishing boundaries regarding verbal or even non-verbal communication. Whatever your boundaries are, they’re going to be specific and personal to you.
It may feel easier at first not to verbalize your boundaries out of fear of confrontation, but holding these thoughts and feelings inside you will only build resentment and anger. It’s a detriment to both you and your relationships.
If you have difficulty setting boundaries, here are some practices you can start with:
- First, write a list of all your boundaries, both in your personal and professional life.
- Write down what each boundary means to you. Include concrete examples.
- Ask yourself, if you don’t communicate this boundary, how will you feel in the long-term? Can you live with this, or would it ultimately hurt the relationship more if this isn’t done?
- Consider how you can communicate these boundaries in a respectful way. Often, a boundary is less about the other person and more about you. For instance, I’m an extreme introvert. I need a lot of personal time during the week to renew and recharge. When I set the boundary that I need my own time and space, I make it clear that this isn’t about the other person; it’s one of my basic, foundational, soul-level needs. It might help you to write down how you can communicate your boundaries in a kind, calm, respectful way.
Connect With Your Innermost Self
I was going to put this first on the list, but I decided to put it last because I think in some ways, all of the practices above require some level of self-connection.
And that seems so simple, yet for some reason, it’s one of the hardest things for us to do.
We get so distracted by outer noise. There’s errands to run. To-do lists to check off. People to take care of. Work obligations to complete.
But what about you?
Where do you fall on this list?
And beyond that, how often do you step back from all the noise and allow yourself to go within—to connect with the truest, deepest, most authentic you?
For some people, this happens in meditation. For others, they connect through journaling. And for some, they find connection through immersing themselves in nature and going on daily walks. (Though if you do this, I encourage you to forget about your step count and leave your music and podcasts behind.)
Be present with yourself. Is there anything you’ve been suppressing lately? Gently allow it to come to the surface. Maybe someone said something that hurt your feelings, and you’ve been trying not to think about it. It if feels okay, see if you can go within and discover why it hurt you so badly. Are you able to let it go, or will these feelings linger unless you talk about them with that other person?
Whatever practices you prefer for connecting with your inner self, the most important thing is to be honest. Don’t lie to yourself.
Show your deepest feelings that they’re seen. Show your deepest hopes that they’re seen. Show your deepest beliefs that they’re seen. Show your deepest regrets that they’re seen. Show every neglected fragment of your inner being that it is seen.
Show yourself that you are seen.
How To Practice Self-Love When You’re Feeling Low
You can do everything “right” and still have days when you have a harder time loving yourself fully. And that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with having hard days.
There are still a lot of really worthwhile practices you can try to help yourself in these situations. And maybe they won’t immediately fix everything. Maybe they won’t be the cure to all of your emotional and spiritual ailments. But they can still be truly profound and helpful if you allow yourself to lean in.
It starts with mindfulness.
Mindfulness on these really difficult days might look like this: “I”m not feeling my best right now, and that’s okay. I acknowledge that I’m having a hard time loving myself right now. I allow myself to have this experience without needing to fix or change anything. Right now, it just is. And that’s okay.”
The ironic thing here is that by not trying to fix or change anything, we often do. There’s power in acknowledging your thoughts and emotions—in showing them that they’re seen.
After you’ve recognized your thoughts and feelings as being valid, see if you can lean a little further into self-compassion. Remember Kristen Neff’s words: “Whoever said you have to be perfect?“
Can you recognize that you’re imperfect and still be kind and gentle with yourself?
Can you recognize that you may make mistakes and still give yourself grace?
Can you recognize that you’ve done the best you can—that you’re willing to learn and grow from these experiences—and let that be enough?
Finally, ask yourself, “What feels like love to me?”
Does love feel like lying on the couch watching your favorite TV show? Does it feel like going on a walk? Does it feel like eating a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie? Does it feel like calling your best friend? Does it feel like making plans for your next vacation? Does it feel like going to the gym and engaging in physical activity?
This is, essentially, self-care. It’s asking your soul what it needs and then giving it to yourself.
And even on the days when you’re having a hard time feeling that deep self-love, you can still practice self-care.
This is how you love yourself more each day. This is how you connect to the truest, most authentic you. This is how you remember who you are.
This is how you come home to yourself.
For more resources on spirituality, meditation, manifestation, and all things self-love, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, where I’m posting positive affirmations and empowering messages daily.
More Articles For You
- 8 Best Self-Love Workbooks To Read This Year
- 11 Beautiful Poetry Books About Self-Love & Acceptance
- 44 Spiritual Growth Quotes For Your Spiritual Journey
- 30 Profound Journal Prompts For Spiritual Growth
- 4 Undeniable Reasons Why You Are Not Broken
Pin this for later! How To Love Yourself More Each Day Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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11 Beautiful Poetry Books About Self-Love & Acceptance
Below, discover 11 beautiful and inspiring poetry books about self-love, self-acceptance, and embracing who you are at every stage of your life: past, present, and future.
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product using my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Pin this for later! 11 Beautiful Poetry Books About Self-Love & Acceptance Poetry Books About Self-Love
Words hold immense power. They have the power to soothe, heal, guide, and inspire. When you’re feeling heavy and alone, words have the power to either lift you up or meet you where you are, sitting with you in this quiet space, reminding you that you aren’t alone.
Why do we gravitate towards poetry books about self-love? I think it’s because they remind us that even in solitude, we’re never truly alone.
For every person, there is a book that they’ll connect to like no other–a book that will feel like it was written just for them. These books remind you that nothing about you needs to be fixed. You are whole and complete, even as you continue to grow.
Below, discover 11 beautiful poetry books about self-love, self-acceptance, and embracing your own inner transformation. These books are profound additions to your personal collection as you can come back to them over and over again throughout your own self-love journey.
They also make for some of my absolutely favorite gifts–especially for no reason except to show someone that you see them, you’re thinking about them, and you’re grateful they exist.
We’re all on our own journeys of personal growth, self-discovery, and self-acceptance. I hope these books can guide you in yours.
- You May Also Like: How To Love Yourself More Each Day
Check out the Authentic You series for digital workbooks that will guide and support your self-love journey. All Along You Were Blooming
Morgan Harper Nichols’ All Along You Were Blooming is like a love note for your mind, body, and soul. Not only is it gorgeously illustrated, but the words feel like sunshine pouring into every cell of your body. They remind you to live fully in this moment, and most of all, they show you that even through your challenges and imperfections, nothing about you is a mistake.
Self Love Poetry For Thinkers & Feelers
Melody Godfrey’s Self Love Poetry For Thinkers & Feelers is a beautiful collection of 100 pairs of poems that gently explore profound self-love concepts such as resilience, surrender, authenticity, and self-belief. What makes this one special is that it includes poems for the left side and right side of your brain, bringing together your thinking and feeling selves and leading you on a journey to embracing every part of you, exactly as you are.
Clarity & Connection
Very few writers offer what Yung Pueblo does in his words: meaningful insight that is universal for all yet feels very personal and specific to each individual reader. Clarity & Connection is an incredible collection that guides you through your own personal transformation by going inward and releasing your past so you can grow and transform. (And be sure to check out his first collection, Inward, as well.)
You’ll Come Back To Yourself
Michaela Angemeer’s You’ll Come Back To Yourself is a beautiful journey of self-discovery. This collection of poetry and prose explores themes such as lost love and body image while helping you to recognize your power in coming back to–and ultimately choosing–yourself.
The Sun Will Rise & So Will We
Jennae Cecelia’s The Sun Will Rise & So Will We is a gorgeous collection of poems that remind you that even in your hardest moments, the sun will always rise. The gentle and loving words within these pages will make you feel known, heard, and seen while lovingly lifting you up and reminding you that there is so much to live for in this world.
Healing Words
In Healing Words, Alexandra Vasiliu explores topics ranging from heartbreak and loss to growth, happiness, and self-love. This collection of poems is specifically for those experiencing a broken heart, helping them to find their inner strength and embrace their own personal transformation.
the things i didn’t say in therapy
Logan Duane’s the things i didn’t say in therapy is a raw and vulnerable look into grief, abuse, and perseverance. For those who have experienced profound hardship, this collection of poetry will resonate deeply. While there are moments of heaviness, it also gives you reason to hope and believe in the possibilities of the future.
the princess saves herself in this one
In the princess saves herself in this one, Amanda Lovelace offers readers a dose of empowerment and inspiration. This collection of poems focuses on themes such as failure and redemption, pain and healing, and love and loss. Most of all, the words in these pages will remind you of your inherent resilience as well as your ability to save yourself and write your own ending to your personal story.
Falling Toward the Moon
Cowritten by r.h. Sin and Robert M. Drake, Falling Toward the Moon is a beautiful collection of poetry and prose written to help you connect to your inner self. Reading this collection is like sitting at a windowsill in solitude, staring up at the stars; it gently leads you to uncovering both your darkness and light, accepting all pieces of you, and knowing that you are always worthy and enough.
Pillow Thoughts
Courtney Peppernell’s Pillow Thoughts is like a friend that will be there for you in all stages of your life: through love, heartbreak, loneliness, hope, and everything in-between. As you navigate these different stages, these poems are here to be both a mirror and a reflection, offering insight into your own inner world and giving advice only a best friend can provide.
September Love
Lang Leav’s September Love is a deeply introspective collection of poetry and prose that focuses on going within to discover your own identity. Leav’s words offer comfort to the spirit and nourish the soul, helping you to explore your own inner world with gentle love and acceptance.
Do you have a favorite poetry book about self-love and self-acceptance? Share your favorite writers and books in the comment box below!
And for more self-love resources, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, where I post daily affirmation stories every morning. And don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, where I’m pinning positive affirmations and empowering quotes every single day.
Pin this for later! 11 Beautiful Poetry Books About Self-Love & Acceptance Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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8 Best Self-Love Workbooks (For 2024)
Below, discover eight of the best self-love workbooks for 2024 to help you connect with your innermost self and cultivate deep self-love and acceptance.
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product using my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Pin this for later! 8 Best Self-Love Workbooks (For 2024) Your Self-Love Journey
Cultivating deep and profound self-love is a journey that never really has a beginning or an end.
And it certainly isn’t a linear path, either.
There may be days, weeks, even months when you feel really positive and accepting of yourself–when you know, undoubtedly, that you love yourself deeply. That you’re worthy, deserving, and more than enough. That there’s no one else you’d rather be.
And then, one day, something happens. Maybe someone says something negative that sticks with you. Or maybe it’s something you say to yourself. Maybe it’s just stress and anxiety creeping up on you.
Whatever it is, during these times, you may be a little harder on yourself. You might wish you could change certain aspects of yourself. You might have a hard time accepting who you are.
And I want you to know, it’s okay.
It’s okay to not always be your highest, best self. It’s okay to have days, weeks, even months when you struggle to work through the hard stuff.
What I hope is that through these times, you’ll remember this:
You are worthy of grace and self-compassion–both from others and especially from yourself.
One of my favorite practices when I’m going through a difficult time is journaling. For me, the simple act of writing something down allows me to get all that extra weight I’m carrying out of my body and onto the paper. And when I step away from my journal, I always feel a little lighter.
Workbooks are also another option that work just as well. I love workbooks because they always gently nudge me toward thoughts and emotions I didn’t even realize I was experiencing. They help me to view situations from a different perspective, and they give me the tools I need to aid my own self-discovery and personal growth.
Below, you’ll find eight of the best self-love workbooks to help you cultivate self-love, self-respect, and self-acceptance. All of these workbooks offer profound guidance, exercises, and reflection prompts to help you connect with your innermost self. And none of these workbooks are a one-time thing. Even after you’ve completed a workbook, you can continue to come back to it again and again to guide your journey.
- You May Also Like: 11 Beautiful Poetry Books About Self-Love & Acceptance
Looking for a digital workbook you can start using today? Check out the Authentic Self series! Best Self-Love Workbooks
Self-Love Workbook for Women
Megan Logan’s Self-Love Workbook for Women is everything you could possibly want in a complete, practical, and well-rounded workbook. It’s filled with exercises and activities to help you embrace your whole self, cultivate self-compassion, improve your self-esteem, and discover the true you. Additionally, it includes quotes, affirmations, and inspiring messages that will leave you feeling positive and empowered.
What I really love about this workbook is that it isn’t just a one-and-done thing. You can continue to come back to the pages in this workbook to create a wholehearted, empowered relationship with yourself for life.
The Self-Love Workbook
Dr. Shainna Ali’s The Self-Love Workbook is another empowering workbook that guides you through recognizing your inherent self-worth and cultivating a positive mindset. If you’re an avid journaler or someone willing to practice deep self-reflection, you’ll especially love this book. It’s filled with journaling prompts and reflection questions designed to deepen your relationship with your inner self. I also love that it’s organized into sections, including Self-Love, Self-Awareness, Self-Kindness, Self-Respect, and more.
This is a well-crafted, well-organized workbook that makes for a perfect gift to yourself or a loved one.
Confidence and Self-Love Workbook for Women
Roberta Sanders’ Confidence and Self-Love Workbook for Women is all about helping you embrace you. From building self-esteem and self-confidence to helping you navigate feelings of worry, overwhelm, and anxiety, this workbook is filled with empowering tools to guide you on a meaningful journey of self-discovery.
Note that what’s presented here isn’t a quick fix, but if you lean into the tools and guidance you’re given, you’ll take a worthwhile journey that will help you for your entire life.
Let That Sh*t Go
If you like a little humor thrown into your personal development journey, Monica Sweeney’s Let That Sh*t Go is the workbook for you. While technically marketed as a journal, it’s so much more than what you’d expect in a typical journal. It’s filled with meaningful messages tied in with a little cathartic profanity, practical activities, and even some coloring pages for those days when you just want to relax and let go.
The 5-Minute Self-Care Journal for Women
Judith Belmont’s The 5-Minute Self-Care Journal for Women is the perfect option for anyone who wants to work on their relationship with themselves but doesn’t have a ton of time for a long daily journaling routine. In this workbook, you’ll find 150 five-minute prompts, a short practice for you to do each day, and a daily affirmation–all of which are designed to help you connect to and embrace your whole self: mind, body, and soul.
The Gift of Self-Love
If I was to describe one workbook on this list as being “the one you didn’t know you needed,” it’s this one. Simply put, I adore Mary Jelkovsky’s The Gift of Self-Love workbook.
In addition to being filled with meaningful exercises designed to help you get in touch with your inner self and release the pressure to people please, it also holds a lot of truly heartfelt messages, personal stories, advice, and research. There’s no fluff here. The Gift of Self-Love is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Mental Health Journal for Men
Dr. Ryan Howes’ Mental Health Journal for Men is filled with practical exercises, journal prompts, and opportunities for meaningful self-reflection. This workbook is powerful and free of fluffy words and activities. Here, you’ll find truly thoughtful and compassionate guidance to help men prioritize their mental health and total well-being. This workbook gives men permission to focus on themselves in a safe, judgment-free way.
The Self-Love Workbook for Teens
I included Dr. Shainna Ali’s The Self-Love Workbook above, but I also wanted to include The Self-Love Workbook for Teens, as this is a really great and profound option for the teenager in your life. It’s filled with interactive activities, reflective exercise, journaling prompts, and practical advice to help teens conquer self-doubt and develop a healthy mindset that will stick with them for life.
Do you have any favorite self-love workbooks or journals? Share your favorites in the comment box below!
And for more self-love resources, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, where I post daily affirmation stories every morning. And don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, where I’m pinning positive affirmations and empowering quotes every single day.
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Pin this for later! 8 Best Self-Love Workbooks (For 2024) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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How To Tap Into Your Intuition (The Ultimate Guide)
In this article, learn how to tap into your intuition, plus discover what your intuition should feel like, how your intuition relates to manifestation, and what to do if you don’t like what your intuition is telling you.
Pin this for later! How To Tap Into Your Intuition (A Complete Guide) What Is Your Intuition?
In many ways, your intuition is the least glamorous thing about you. It isn’t showy. It doesn’t like to be the center of attention. It’s so subtle, in fact, that many people question whether theirs works.
Right away, I’m here to tell you that you do have one, and it does work. You’ve probably even encountered it recently.
We all possess a deep inner knowing softly whispering inside of us—we just don’t always listen to it because our cognitive minds are so busy worrying, stressing, second-guessing, developing worst-case scenarios, and overthinking.
The second your intuition nudges you to do something out of the norm, your logical brain says, “Hold up, but what about all these 5,000 things that can go wrong?”
And sometimes, you actually hear your intuition loud and clear, but you don’t really want to listen to it.
- Your intuition may tell you it’s time to break up with your partner, but you’re terrified of change and don’t want to cause another person pain.
- Your intuition may tell you not to accept that seemingly perfect job with the great pay, but how could you turn down that money?
- Or your intuition may tell you that you need some more time to yourself before you dive into another relationship, but you really hate being alone.
If you want to strengthen your relationship with your intuition, there are some key practices you can start doing today.
In This Article
- How To Tap Into Your Intuition
- What Does Your Intuition Feel Like?
- Your Intuition & Manifestation
- What If You Don’t Like What Your Intuition Is Telling You?
How To Tap Into Your Intuition
Below, find six practices to help you tap into your intuition, plus a few additional exercises you can try. Consistently following these practices will strengthen your connection with your intuition and help you tap into this deep inner knowing with ease.
Quiet Your Mind
The first step to take to start connecting with your intuition? Listen.
You can’t hear what your inner voice is trying to tell you if you’re constantly immersed in noise.
The quickest and most profound way to start connecting with your intuition is to let silence be a normal part of your life.
If you have a daily meditation practice already, you may already be benefitting from these regular encounters with silence and stillness.
And if you don’t have a meditation practice, that’s okay. I know meditation may seem overwhelming at first. This is partially due to the myth that meditation requires you to have no thoughts. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about meditation and why many people believe meditation isn’t for them.
But if you listen to just about any meditation teacher, they’ll tell you the same thing: meditation is not about clearing your mind of thoughts. If it was, I’m not sure any of us, not even the most advanced meditators, would ever succeed. The last thing we want to do is suppress or evade our own thoughts.
At its heart, meditation (especially practices rooted in mindfulness) is about non-judgmental observation, conscious awareness, and gently rooting yourself in the present moment. It’s a chance to step away from the external noise and come home to yourself for a little while.
And this is where your intuition shines: in the quiet places where you can simply be.
The paradox of using meditation to connect with your intuition is that you’re not actively going to try to connect with your intuition during your meditation. If you sit in silence and try to force something to come forward, you’re likely going to put excess pressure on yourself; in turn, this often causes frustration and anxiety.
The key is patience. Sit in stillness for ten minutes today. Then, sit in stillness for ten minutes tomorrow. Day after day, keep sitting in stillness for ten minutes at a time. Don’t try to force anything. It will come on its own. All of the mental clutter will start to clear up, and your intuition will come forward.
- You May Also Like: Meditation Practices For Beginners
Practice Mindfulness
One of the biggest barriers to connecting with your intuition is being anywhere but where you are right now.
What do I mean by this?
As you go about your day, it’s easy to get lost in thoughts about the past or future. You might find yourself replaying yesterday’s events or worrying about the days ahead. When this happens, your mind becomes so busy with troublesome thoughts, you lose your connection with that quiet voice within.
Mindfulness is the key to returning to this moment right now and getting in touch with your inner knowing.
First, let’s take a step back and talk about mindfulness itself. What is it, and why is it so important?
Mindfulness is non-judgmental, conscious awareness in the present moment. This means being aware of what’s happening within and around you in this moment. How does your body feel? Where do your thoughts stray? Are you experiencing any anxiety or tension? What can you perceive with your five senses?
The key here is not to judge anything you notice. Don’t label any of it as right or wrong. Just notice.
So why is mindfulness important when it comes to connecting to your intuition?
Mindfulness allows you to become aware of what’s happening within and around you in this present moment.
Remember, your intuition isn’t flashy. Every once in a while, it might scream at you, like when it knows you might be walking into a dangerous situation. But for most of the daily stuff, it tends to remain soft and quiet, like a soft whisper deep inside you.
You can’t always expect it to speak up louder; instead, you must consciously step away from all the mental chatter so you can hear it.
Mindfulness quiets the noise of your worries, fears, judgments, and daily stresses so you can hear what’s really going on in the deepest parts within.
If mindfulness is new for you, you can check out some helpful mindfulness exercises you can try to start practicing mindfulness throughout your day.
Truly, I can’t emphasize enough how important mindfulness is in connecting to your intuition. It may feel like this is a slow process, but I promise, if you consistently practice mindfulness techniques for a month straight, you’ll begin noticing shifts within yourself.
This is the bridge to connecting to that quiet voice within: being consciously aware of what’s happening inside you in this present moment, without judging what’s going on. Simply listening. Breathing. Being.
Cultivate Calm
I’ll keep this one short: clarity comes with calm.
People don’t usually make good choices when they’re feeling stressed, worried, angry, or depressed.
Connecting with your intuition requires you to first do the two things I mentioned above: quiet your mind and practice mindfulness. Mindfulness will allow you to recognize that you’re feeling “low” or “off.” By recognizing your own low mental state, you can choose not to make any big decisions at that moment.
Conversely, it will help to bring clarity when you’re experiencing a more positive mental state. This is when the magic happens. When you’re experiencing a sense of calm and inner peace, that’s when you’re in greatest alignment with your inner knowing.
Start consciously working with your intuition during moments when you’re feeling really good. I started with walks around my neighborhood. During these walks, I always felt calm, grounded, and connected to my higher self. So I started asking my intuition to guide me when I should turn and where I should walk next.
Most of the time, nothing really happened. And that’s completely okay. Sometimes, when you work with your intuition, nothing will actually seem to happen around you. This is normal. Just because nothing happens around you doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
Keep practicing in these moments. This is preparing you to trust your intuition for those bigger moments when you do feel that soft nudge within.
Practice Picking Up Signals From People Around You
Think of the people you spend the most time with: family, friends, coworkers. How often have you taken one look at a person you’re close with and known that something was wrong?
What about those times when it’s less obvious? Someone may seem fine on the surface, but you can just tell that something’s off. They seem distant. Distracted. Heavy.
Start approaching your daily interactions with the intention to pick up on any underlying feelings that may be going on beneath the surface. When you begin your interaction, ask yourself, “What do I feel from this person right now?” See if you can name that underlying feeling.
As you continue to practice this, it will become easier to tap into that feeling within. In time, this will expand into other areas of your life. Not only will you be able to connect with your intuition when interacting with other people, but you’ll feel those subtle hunches when it comes to your own life path.
Take Days Off
This directly correlates with what we’ve discussed in some of the different points above: make space for stillness, step back from the noise, and give your soul a chance to take a deep sigh of relief.
If you’re currently immersed in a cycle of feeling stressed and busy all the time, you’re going to have a difficult time connecting with your inner knowing. See if you can plan days throughout your month where you don’t have anything on the to-do list. Do things that make you feel calm and at ease.
Again, you don’t have to actively try to make your intuition come forward. Let it come to you.
And to add to this, spending time in nature and taking social media breaks will also help you escape all the outer noise and connect to your inner self. You’ll often hear about these practices when it comes to self-care and taking care of your mental and emotional health, but they have the added benefit of also helping you develop and strengthen your intuition.
Connect With Your Body
You’ll experience your intuition in goosebumps, shivers, chest pressure, and inner aches. You’ll also experience it in more subtle feelings and hunches.
The better connected you are with your body, the more you’ll be able to pick up on subtle changes happening inside you.
Yoga and meditation are two practices you can use to connect with your body. You can also practice simply standing with your two feet on the ground, closing your eyes, and connecting with how you feel.
Connection also comes just by paying attention.
Take moments to pause throughout the day and ask, “How does my body feel right now?” Answer without judgment. The more you practice this, the easier it will become to pick up on any understated shifts that happen within.
A Few More Practices
In the long-term, mindfulness and meditation are the two practices that will have the most profound effect on how you connect with your intuition. However, if you want to start working with your intuition more closely right away, there are plenty of other meaningful practices you can try today. Here are a few examples:
- One of my favorite things to do is go into a store that has crystals and gemstones and let my intuition guide me to pick out a new gemstone for myself. (The small ones are often as inexpensive as $1, so this doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.) Once I pick out my stone, I’ll take it home and read about the spiritual meaning of that gemstone. Then, I’ll think about why my intuition may have led me to that stone. Is it because of the spiritual meaning, or does it simply have a feeling of positive energy? There’s no right or wrong answer here. It’s just a fun and easy practice for developing your intuition, plus you get a new crystal or gemstone from it. You also don’t exclusively have to do this practice with crystals. Pick something you like that makes you feel good, like flowers, books, jewelry, or candles.
- Working with oracle cards is also a great way to develop your intuition. Pick a card, and before you consult a guidebook, let your inner knowing interpret the meaning of the card.
- You might also start keeping a dream journal. Try to write what you remember about your dream shortly after you wake up. (The sooner, the better.) Consider if your intuition was trying to tell you something within your dream. You might also see if your intuition can help you uncover any deeper meanings or symbolism in the dream itself.
- A pendulum is another great tool for developing your intuition. It’s most often used to gain insight and clarity when there are areas of uncertainty in your life. Anytime you have a question and are looking for help or advice, you can use a pendulum to receive guidance from a higher power.
What Does Your Intuition Feel Like?
Your intuition can be so subtle, it’s often difficult to describe what it feels like.
For a situation in which you might be putting yourself in danger, the feeling will be louder and more obvious. Your heart will race, your palms will get sweaty, and that voice within will yell at you to turn around and find safety. Sometimes, your breath may quicken, and you’ll get shivers down your spine.
When you encounter these experiences, don’t question these feelings. And especially don’t question whether you’re overreacting. Err on the side of caution. Trust what you feel.
Most situations in life aren’t like this, though–especially when it comes to intuitive nudges you have about your own life path. Your intuition usually doesn’t speak in shouts but in whispers.
And often, it’s less of a feeling and more of a knowing. You’ll experience a sudden understanding: clarity that just comes to you, often unexpectedly. If something is off (maybe with a relationship or a business deal), there will be a part of you that just knows.
Your intuition comes from your heart’s consciousness, which isn’t always as easy to grasp as the logic and reason of your mind’s consciousness. Thus, you may try to talk your way out of whatever it is that you’re feeling. You may keep trying to reason with yourself and follow your logical mind.
And it’s okay; most of us have done this at some point in our lives. We’ve been taught to trust logic and reason over intuition and inner knowing. And that’s what can make following your intuition feel kind of scary—because it requires you to alter your mindset. It’s less about thinking your way forward and more about feeling your way forward.
Here are a few of the ways in which you might experience your intuition:
- An unexplainable “knowing”
- A feeling of “rightness”
- Clarity
- Ease
- Hunches
- A quiet voice within
- A recurring thought
- Goosebumps
- Shivers
- Racing heart
- An inner ache
- Pressure in your chest
- Physical discomfort
- Emotional discomfort
Your Intuition & Manifestation
So what role does your intuition play in manifestation?
First, let’s consider how manifestation works:
- You set an intention based on the authentic, deeply felt dreams that have been placed in your heart.
- You communicate this intention to the Universe. Your positive vibrations are one way of communicating this intention, as by vibrating at the frequency of your desires, you express that you’re ready to receive more of this good-feeling thing.
- The Universe works behind the scenes to set everything in motion. It communicates back to you in the form of messages, synchronicities, and most importantly, your own intuition. Being in the vibration of what you desire allows you to receive these signs and inner nudges with clarity. (In contrast, being in a state of stress, worry, and anger will cause you to miss these signs and feelings.)
- Then, you take inspired action based on the communication the Universe has given you. This leads you on your path forward.
The art of manifestation is the art of learning how to communicate with the Universe. You communicate every single day through your vibration. The Universe communicates back to you through your own intuition.
So if you’ve set an intention, that means signs, synchronicities, and inner nudges are going to come. Your job now is to listen and take inspired action. Once you do this, you’ll receive your next nudge forward. As you follow this path, you’ll be in divine flow with the Universe, and your manifestations will start to come alive.
I know this might sound like a long process, but I promise, it’s not. Depending on the specific dream, some things could come in months, weeks, days—even hours.
The key is not to worry about when it will come. Release the timeline and continue to focus on how you feel in the present moment. As you step forward on the path, the path will continue to reveal itself, one step at a time.
What If You Don’t Like What Your Intuition Is Telling You?
So let’s say you’re trying to manifest something, but your intuition is telling you to do the very opposite of what you think you should be doing. Often, when you want something, it’s because you imagine that outcome will make you feel a certain way.
- You may want to manifest a perfect partner, even though your intuition is telling you to take some time to be single, because you imagine the partner will make you feel loved.
- You dream of getting a prestigious position for a certain well-known company, even though your inner knowing says it’s not as perfect as it seems, because you imagine you’ll finally feel successful and worthy of your parents’ approval.
- Or you want to manifest money to live a more luxurious lifestyle, because you imagine this will make you feel like you’ve finally made it.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting these things for yourself. Nothing. It only becomes a potentially negative thing when it goes against your intuition.
This is when I urge you to step back and re-evaluate your overall goal. Take some time to pause. You can meditate, journal, or take a day off to spend time in nature. Set the intention to understand your desires and what you really want. Allow yourself to shift your vision.
Instead of going after that perfect partner, job, or lifestyle, set an intention to encompass the feelings of being loved, successful, worthy, beautiful, and empowered (or however you imagine this external thing will make you feel) right now in this present moment.
Focus on those feelings, and allow your intuition to guide you forward on your path. Trust that your inner knowing always has the right answers, and believe that the Universe will always take you where you want to go.
It may mean that your perfect partner isn’t supposed to come into your life right now, but you find that you feel so loved anyway, you’re okay waiting.
Even if what your intuition is telling you doesn’t make sense today, it will with time.
If you’re feeling lost, instead of searching for external answers to guide your path, sit in the quiet of your own mind for a little while.
You’ll often find you already have everything you need to take the next step forward.
For more resources on spirituality, meditation, manifestation, and all things self-love, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, where I’m posting positive affirmations and empowering messages daily.
You May Also Like:
- 30 Affirmations For Tapping Into Your Intuition
- What Are The 12 Laws Of The Universe? (A Complete Guide)
- 33 Profound Spiritual Healing Quotes To Guide Your Path
- 30 Journal Prompts For Self Growth (& Deeper Self-Love)
- What Is The Art Of Allowing? (A Complete Guide)
Pin this for later! How To Tap Into Your Intuition (A Complete Guide) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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30 Day Self-Care Challenge (Free Printable)
Download your free 30-day self-care challenge and challenge tracker below, plus get tips for how to approach each activity to best serve your total well-being: mind, body, and soul.
Pin this for later! 30 Day Self-Care Challenge (Free Printable) What Is Self-Care?
Self-care refers to the combination of practices you engage in to serve and support your physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being. When you stick to a sleep schedule, brush your teeth, schedule medical checkups, eat healthy foods, and take walks around your neighborhood, you’re practicing daily self-care.
But self-care also goes a little deeper. Self-care means making space in your life for silence. Connecting with the innermost you. Asking your soul what it needs. And then, giving yourself that thing.
And at an even deeper level, it means noticing the trending direction of your thoughts. Are you speaking to yourself with kindness? Do you constantly criticize yourself? Are your inner dialogues loving and compassionate or condescending and judgmental toward yourself?
And when you notice that you’re being hard on yourself, you then have the option to choose differently—to be a little gentler, a little kinder. A little more understanding. (This is directly tied to mindfulness.)
Self-care is a deeply personal practice. What looks and feels like self-care to you might not align with someone else’s definition of self-care. And that’s okay. What’s important is defining what self-care means to you—and then, prioritizing it not as an option but as an essential aspect of your health and well-being.
To help you with this, I’ve created a 30-day self-care challenge filled with practices that you can personalize to fit your own needs.
In many ways, this is also a self-love challenge. This challenge is designed to help cultivate a mindset of deep care, kindness, and compassion toward yourself. (Because if you’re anything like me, you’re likely your own harshest critic.)
As you begin your self-care challenge, I want you to remember that this is your challenge. So if there’s anything on this list that doesn’t resonate with what feels right to you, feel free to change it to something that feels better.
You’re also empowered to define what each activity means to you. Below, I provide you with suggestions for how to approach each self-care practice, but if you have different ideas, definitely go ahead and do what feels best to you.
Don’t worry so much about being perfect. Rather, focus on what feels good, right, and aligned.
30-Day Self-Care Challenge
Below, you’ll find some suggestions for how to approach each of the activities in this challenge. But remember, this is your self-care challenge. So if you have a different idea for how you want to proceed, or if you want to replace one of the challenge tasks altogether, go for it!
Click the image above to download your free printable! Start A Gratitude Journal
And don’t forget to download your free 30-day self-care challenge here. No newsletter signup is required to access this free printable, but I definitely encourage you to sign up for my newsletter, as I send a free printable affirmation calendar to my subscribers every month.
You can use a notebook, journal, or even your preferred notes app on your phone. Write down 3 things you’re grateful for. Then, for the rest of the challenge, keep writing 3 things you feel grateful for every day. If you need help, check out my list of 500 things to be grateful for today.
Write Down 10 Things You Love About Yourself
This one can also be done in a notebook, journal, or digital document. Pick 10 things you really love about yourself and write them down. These can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual qualities—anything you want. If you’d like, you can add a “why” statement to each list item, diving deeper into why each of these things make you so incredible and unique.
Recite 1 Positive Affirmation Every Hour
A positive affirmation is an uplifting statement designed to boost your confidence and self-belief. I have thousands of positive affirmations across this website if you need help. Recite at least one positive affirmation to yourself every hour today. If it helps, you can set phone reminders or write these affirmations on post-it notes.
Set Phone Reminders With Uplifting Words
Set phone notifications to go off throughout the day filled with words to uplift, inspire, and motivate you. You can be your own biggest cheerleader here, reminding yourself that you’ve got this, you’re worthy, you’re incredible, you’re more than enough—whatever you most need to hear throughout the day. Fill the screen with positive, loving words. You can also write affirmations or your favorite quotes here if you’d like.
Compliment Yourself & Others Throughout The Day
How often do you tell yourself what a good job you’re doing? How often do you spend time simply being proud of yourself? How often do you look in the mirror and smile into your own eyes? Compliment yourself throughout the day. Then, spread these good vibes and compliment the people you interact with. Make someone’s day today.
Journal & Reflect On The Past Year
In the busyness of daily life, we can often forget to spend time reflecting on how far we’ve come. Take some time today to reflect. Journal your thoughts and feelings. If you encountered difficult moments, make sure to honor your own resilience and strength. Acknowledge both the good and the bad. Be kind, honest, and compassionate.
Do Something That Makes You Happy
This one’s pretty broad. Simply do something that makes you happy.
Does buying yourself a special coffee make you happy? Does reading a good book or watching your favorite movie make you happy? Does time spent in nature make you happy?
You’re not limited to doing just one thing. If possible, you can do one thing that makes you happy in the morning, one things that makes you happy in the afternoon, and one thing that makes you happy in the evening.
Follow A Guided Meditation
If you already meditate, this one should be pretty straightforward. Don’t meditate? That’s okay! I personally use the Insight Timer app for guided meditations. There, you’ll find thousands of free meditations you can listen to. See if you can find one that appeals to you. You don’t have to sit in a special posture or try to clear your mind of thoughts. Just sit comfortably, close your eyes, and listen.
- You May Also Like: 9 Guided Meditations For Manifesting Your Desires
Express Your Creativity
Draw. Paint. Write. Play with chalk. Make paper snowflakes. Color in an adult coloring book. Or a children’s one. Whatever feels good to you.
Spend Time In Nature
This can be as simple as going out for a walk around your neighborhood. You might also go out on a hike or spend some time near a lake or the ocean. Whatever you do, turn off your phone and unplug for a bit. Notice the moment using all of your senses. Inhale peace. Exhale anything that doesn’t serve your mind, body, and soul.
Cook A Special Meal For Yourself
You can cook your favorite breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (Or all three.) You might also try cooking one of your favorite recipes from childhood. And if cooking sounds more like self-torture than self-care, order out from your favorite takeout spot.
Practice Yoga Or Do Some Light Stretching
If you don’t feel super comfortable with yoga but are willing to try, there are tons of great yoga routines for beginners on YouTube. You can also find a light stretching routine to try out!
Write A Letter To Your Younger Self
I’d definitely recommend doing this practice when you have some uninterrupted time to yourself. You can grab a notebook, lined paper, stationary, or open up a blank digital document. Visualize yourself at a certain age, whether it’s when you were 8, 11, 16—whatever feels right to you. What do you want to say to this version of you? Is there something you think they really needed to hear? Write these things down. There’s a good chance your present-day self needs to hear these things, too.
Read A Book You Genuinely Enjoy
Do you have a favorite feel-good fiction book? Is non-fiction more your thing? Is there a new book you’ve been dying to read? Make time for some reading today. I’d recommend reading at least for an hour, but this is completely up to you.
Spoil Yourself – You Choose How
What does spoiling yourself mean to you? For some, spoiling themselves means buying a special coffee or meal. For others, spoiling themselves looks like candles and bubble baths. Try to find at least one way to spoil yourself today. (But it’s completely okay to pick more than one thing—encouraged, even.)
Try An Artistic Endeavor
You don’t have to be a poet to write poetry, and you don’t have to be a painter to paint. Even if you’re a creative person already, see if you can try something you wouldn’t normally do. Don’t judge your work. Just have fun with it.
Make A Music Playlist Of Old & New Favorites
See if you can remember your favorite songs from childhood. Add in some of your current favorites. Fill your ears with sounds you love.
Write Down 10 Self-Promises
A self-promise is a commitment you’re willing to make to yourself about your life and your future. For help here, you can check out my article, 100 Wholehearted Promises To Make To Yourself Today.
Write Down & Release 1 Limiting Belief
A limiting belief is a deep-seated belief that holds you back from realizing your limitless potential and living the life that you know you’re truly meant to live. It’s the thing that’s preventing you from moving forward: your fears, your worries, your doubts about your own potential.
Take some time to identify what beliefs you carry that aren’t serving you. Write at least one down. Then, create a new, reframed belief. So if your limiting belief is that you don’t have what it takes to succeed in your chosen career path, you can create a new belief that you’re more than capable of succeeding and thriving.
For more guidance, I’ve created a digital workbook for releasing limiting beliefs to help you begin releasing your old, limiting beliefs (and creating new, empowering beliefs) today.
Unplug For At Least 2 Hours
What makes you feel good when you’re not on your phone or devices? Do that thing.
Brainstorm Ways You Can Destress Your Life
What are the biggest stressors in your life? Write them down. Then, write down some ways you can remove some of your daily stress.
Ideas include going to bed on a set schedule, meditating first thing in the morning, meal prepping at the beginning of the week, organizing your office, decluttering your email inbox, and anything else that might remove a little bit of the daily stress you often experience.
Write A Letter To Your Future Self
Choose a specific age in the future: one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now—whatever feels best to you. Sit down and write a letter to this version of you.
You can write about what’s happening in your life right now and share some funny or heartfelt stories that will make your future self smile. You can write about your hopes and dreams. You can write your favorite quotes and/or something you heard recently that’s especially meaningful to you.
When you’re done, place your letter in an envelope, address it to yourself with a date on the front, and stash it somewhere for safekeeping.
Write Down Your Goals For The Next Year
I’d recommend writing down five to ten big and small goals. Then, pick a goal and write an action plan for it. What’s the next step you need to take to achieve this goal? You can write next steps and action plans for as many goals as you’d like.
Treat Yourself – You Choose How
This one’s just like the spoil yourself day—you get to define what treating yourself means to you. Maybe it means a spa day. Maybe it means treating yourself to a couple hours of uninterrupted you time. Maybe it’s buying your favorite dessert from a bakery or going to the bookstore and picking out some books. Whatever it is, just make sure it feels special and good to you.
Make Space For Fun & Play
What’s fun to you? What feels like play to you? Engage in activities that make you feel good. Play video games. Have a crafting day. Build a blanket fort. Create your own Lego masterpiece. Go to the beach. Dance like no one’s watching. Connect with your inner child and let yourself come alive in pure, unadulterated joy.
Connect To The Earth & Nature
My favorite way to connect to the earth is to stand with my bare feet against the dirt and close my eyes. You can also do this while watching the night sky. Gardening is also a profound way to connect to the earth. What can you do today to connect to the trees, sun, stars, ocean, wind, and all parts of nature?
Compliment Yourself When You Look In The Mirror
Every time you look in the mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say either internally or aloud something really kind to yourself. Offer yourself sincere compliments. Speak with loving kindness.
Declutter Your Social Media Accounts
Go through your most-used social media accounts and unfollow/unfriend anyone who may cause you to feel negative energy within. Keep the ones that uplift your spirit, inspire your dreams, and/or make you laugh. If they feel like positive energy, keep them on your list. If they feel like negative energy, send them love and gently distance yourself from them.
Try 1 Thing You’ve Never Done Before
It’s easy to get in a rut in your daily life, so this is a chance to do something new. It doesn’t have to be a really big thing like skydiving or traveling to a new country. Maybe there’s a restaurant you’ve never tried or a dish you’ve never cooked. Maybe there’s a crafting activity that’s been hanging out on your Pinterest boards for a while that you’ve been meaning to get to. Maybe there’s a park you’ve never been to that you can go visit. This can be as big or as small of an activity as you want.
Repeat Your Favorite Activity From The Challenge
This is the equivalent of the free space in bingo. What activity did you really love doing over the past 30 days? Do it again! You can also repeat multiple activities if you want. For instance, you can recite positive affirmations once per hour throughout the day while also making time in the evening to read a good book.
For more resources on spirituality, meditation, manifestation, and all things self-love, connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, where I’m posting positive affirmations and empowering messages daily.
More Articles You May Like
- Manifestation Challenge: Free 30-Day Calendar
- How To Visualize (For Manifestation)
- How To Tap Into Your Intuition (A Complete Guide)
- 369 Manifestation Method: What It Is & How To Do It
- Manifestation Journal Template (Free Printable PDF)
Pin this for later! 30 Day Self-Care Challenge (Free Printable) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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500 Things To Be Grateful For Today
In this article, discover 500 things to be grateful for today. For easy reading, these 500 list items have been divided into 15 categories. Use this list to help you develop your own gratitude practice and remind you that while life may not be perfect, there’s still a lot of really wonderful things in this world to feel grateful for.
Pin this for later! 500 Things To Be Grateful For Today Finding Gratitude
Embracing gratitude is the practice of expressing sincere appreciation for your daily miracles. But these daily miracles aren’t necessarily “really big” things. Often, it’s the normal, everyday experiences of our lives that provide us with the biggest reasons to express our gratitude:
Having a safe, warm home to live in. Being loved and appreciated by family and friends. Possessing a strong heart and healthy lungs. Your first sip of coffee in the morning. The ability to open your eyes and greet a brand new day.
Every morning, I write down at least three things I’m grateful for that day. However, in this practice, I find myself often writing down the same things week after week. And while there’s nothing wrong with this, I wanted to see if I could come up with a longer list of people, places, things, and experiences to feel truly grateful for in my life.
Below, you’ll find 500 things to be grateful for today. I’ve separated these list items into subtopics such as Body, People & Relationships, Past Experiences, and Nature. However, you’ll find that many of these list items can fit under multiple categories.
Whether you have an ongoing gratitude practice or are starting a new one, I hope that this list of 500 things to be grateful for today helps you to view your life from a perspective of true abundance: seeing it for all that you have rather than all that you lack.
Not all list items will apply to you, and that’s okay. They may still help you to spur new thoughts and ideas about things you feel grateful for in your life. Because while 500 things to be grateful for may seem like a lot, it’s actually just barely skimming the surface of all there is in this world to appreciate. (For instance, after I finished the list, I realized I didn’t include very much about your job and career!)
And finally, no matter what’s going on in your life, I hope you remember that expressing gratitude doesn’t mean you have to ignore the your heavy emotions or suppress any frustration you may feel in this moment.
Rather, it’s an opportunity to take a deep breath and acknowledge that even when life isn’t perfect, there’s still a lot of really beautiful things in this world to feel grateful for.
500 Things To Be Grateful For Today
Body
- Healthy lungs for breathing
- A strong heart
- Eyes that give you vision to see the world
- Ears to hear music and laughter
- A nose to smell flowers and freshly baked cookies
- A tongue (and taste buds!) to taste your favorite foods
- Lips to kiss your partner, your children, or your pets
- A functioning brain for thinking, problem-solving, and all-around living
- Healthy legs for walking, running, and dancing
- Arms for hugging the people you love
- Hands and fingers that allow you write, draw, and hold a hot mug of something warm and tasty
- An immune system that keeps you healthy
- A liver that removes harmful toxins
- Muscles that help you to move, lift, speak, and enjoy life to the fullest
- Strong bones to help you stand, move, and experience the world
- Resilient, self-repairing skin that shields and protects you
- Those scars you have that are proof of a life fully lived
Yourself
- Your skills and talents
- Your kindness
- Your compassion
- Your strength
- Your courage
- Your resilience
- The challenges you’ve faced with your own courage and strength
- Your ability to see the world through the eyes of love and appreciation
- How far you’ve come
- Your endless capacity to love
- Your ability to persevere, even when life feels hard
- Your generous heart
- Your integrity
- Your intelligence
- Your creativity
- Your problem-solving skills
- Your deepest, most heartfelt dreams
- Your passions
- Your humor
- Your unending hope
Nature
- Sunsets and sunrises
- Dreamy blue skies
- Fluffy white clouds
- The breeze against your skin on a warm day
- The endless beauty of the ocean
- That glorious mountain in the distance (or the one you’ve climbed)
- The trees that stay rooted to the ground, no matter how hard the wind blows
- The changing of the leaves from lovely green to spectacular reds, oranges, and yellows
- A peaceful lake, river, or creek
- The warm sand beneath your bare feet
- The brightness of the full moon
- A sky full of stars on a clear night
- Beautiful, majestic wild animals
- The soft whisper of the snow as it blankets the earth
- That one place you can always find peace, no matter how heavy life feels
- Birds chirping outside your window
- The smell of freshly cut grass
- Wildflowers
- Lavender fields
People & Relationships
- Your mother
- Your father
- Your siblings
- Your children
- Your partner
- Your grandparents
- Your stepmother
- Your stepfather
- An adult who helped raise you
- Your aunts and uncles
- Your cousins
- Your nieces and nephews
- Your in-laws
- Your first best friend
- Your high school best friends
- Your college best friends
- Your current best friends
- Your boss
- Your coworkers
- Your neighbors
- Your community
- Your first love
- Your past and present mentors
- Your coaches
- Your mentors
- Your classmates
- Your religious leaders
- Kind strangers
- A teacher who made a difference
- The cashier who knows you by name
- Your mail deliverer
- Your doctor and nurses
- Your work best friend
- Your roommates
- Your hairdresser
- Your therapist
- Someone you barely knew who said something that sticks with you to this day
- Someone who makes you feel safe
- Someone who always makes you laugh
- Someone you can be your true self with
- Someone who has seen you through your highs and lows and still loves you, no matter what
- Someone who makes you believe in the goodness of people
Entertainment
- That song that always makes you want to dance
- That song that touches your heart every single time you hear it
- That song that reminds you of a special memory
- Your favorite band
- Your favorite singer
- Music, in general (and its healing power)
- Your favorite movie
- A movie scene that always makes you laugh
- A movie quote you love
- The best acting you’ve ever watched
- That TV show you can rewatch 100 times without ever getting tired of it
- A nostalgic video game
- Your favorite podcast
- Your favorite content creator
- Your favorite writer
- Your favorite book series
- Lord of the Rings Marathons
- Harry Potter Marathons
- Watching Home Alone every December
- Anything with Keanu Reeves
- Going to a concert
- Going to a show
- Going to a sports game
- Watching the Super Bowl for the game
- Watching the Super Bowl for the commercials
- Watching the Super Bowl for the snacks
- Watching the Super Bowl for the people you get to spend time with
Past Experiences
- Past experiences you’re really proud of
- Past experiences that made you stronger
- Past experiences that helped you to grow
- Past experiences that brought you joy
- Past experiences that made you laugh so hard you cried
- Past experiences that showed you the beauty of being alive
- Past experiences that led you to where you are today
- Past experiences that you wouldn’t take back, even if they didn’t lead where you wanted them to
- Past experiences that showed you that you’re so much braver and stronger than you realized
- The smallest moments that made the biggest difference in your life
- Past experiences that brought you peace
- Past experiences that showed you the power of forgiveness
- Past experiences that surprised you in the best way
- Past experiences that helped you to learn from your mistakes
- Past experiences that helped you to break out of a rut
- Past experiences that made you shake and tremble with nerves – but you got through them
- Past experiences that allowed you to feel truly alive
- Past experiences that showed you the meaning of true love
- Past experiences that helped you to connect to yourself
- Past experiences that helped you to connect to others
- Past experiences that helped you to connect to the universe as a whole
Possessions
- Your home
- Your car
- Your phone
- Your laptop
- Your tablet
- Your video game consoles
- Your television
- Your bed
- Your blankets
- Your pillows
- Your toothbrush
- Your toothpaste
- Your body-cleansing products
- Your lotion and moisturizer
- Your hairbrush
- Your makeup
- Your kitchen table
- Your coffee maker
- Your favorite coffee mug
- Your plates and bowls
- Your eating utensils
- Your kitchen sink
- The food in your pantry
- Your microwave
- Your stove
- Your refrigerator
- Your toaster
- Your air fryer
- Your Instant Pot
- Your pots and pans
- Your baking sheets
- Your oven mitts
- Your dishwasher
- Your garbage cans
- Your couch
- Your desk
- Your clothes
- Your washer and dryer
- Your security system
- The locks on your doors
- Your Smart Home devices
- The roof on your house
- Your furnace
- Your wall decorations
- Your fitness tracker
- Your headphones or AirPods
- Your shoe collection
- Your hair dryer
- Your hair straightener
- Your curling irons
- Your vacuum
- Your windows
- Your curtains
- Your blinds
- Your light fixtures
- Your gardening equipment
- Your lawn tools
- Your toys and games
Food & Drink
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Smoothies
- Chocolate
- Spicy snacks
- Pancakes & waffles
- Pumpkin pie
- Pizza
- Tacos
- Pasta
- Seafood
- Sushi
- Fresh vegetables
- Tropical fruit
- Organic foods
- Gluten-free foods
- Sour candy
- Hard candies
- Gummy bears
- The combination of peanut butter and chocolate
- Mint chocolate chip ice cream
- Cookie dough
- Lemon-flavored sweets
- Chocolate-covered strawberries
- Burgers (Vegetarian ones, too!)
- Crispy fries
- Your favorite meal
- Your favorite treat
- Comfort food on heavy days
- Warm soup when it’s cold outside
- Soft, warm, freshly baked bread
- That one meal from your favorite restaurant
- Home-cooked meals
- Home-baked desserts
- Sparkling water
- Sparkling cider
- Your favorite soda
- Orange juice
- Freshly squeezed lemonade
Animals & Insects
- Cats and kittens
- Dogs and puppies
- Horses
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Deer
- Cattle
- Pigs
- Chickens
- Hummingbirds
- Ladybugs
- Butterflies
- Eagles
- Giraffes
- Zebras
- All. The. Animals. (I could make a list of just 500 animals, so I’m going to stop myself here!)
The Little Things
- Seasonal candles
- Fuzzy socks
- Stretchy leggings
- Slippers
- Crystals & gemstones
- Essential oils
- Affirmation cards
- Motivational quotes
- Souvenirs from past vacations
- Old journals and diaries
- Polaroid cameras
- Plants
- Freshly cut flowers
- Succulents
- Mala beads
- Old pictures
- Bookshelves filled with classic literature
- A meaningful piece of jewelry
- The soft glow of a Himalayan salt lamp
- The scent of your favorite body wash
- Bubble bath
- Throw pillows
- Coffee dates with your best friend
- A kind smile from a stranger
- Board game nights with friends and family
- The feel of freshly washed sheets against your bare legs
- A rainy day spent inside snuggled on the couch
- Deep conversations with people you connect with on a soul level
- Wearing a new outfit that makes you feel really good
- Getting a meme or gif that makes you laugh
- Crying it all out
- Finding money you didn’t know you had
- The scent of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven
- Ridiculous dancing with friends
- The moment your favorite song starts playing on the radio
- Your favorite family traditions
- Buying from a small, family-run business
- Winning something unexpectedly
- Running into someone you love while you’re out in public
- Comfy pajamas
- Girls’ nights
- Guys’ nights
- A feel-good book
- Sleepovers with your best friends
- Three-day weekends
- Creating a playlist of your favorite songs
- The first sip of coffee in the morning
- A warm shower
- Outdoor lunch breaks on a perfect-temperature day
- A peaceful moment to yourself before the day starts
- Rewatching your favorite holiday movie for the 500th time
- Beach days
- Lake days
- Cabin days
- Snow days
- Summer nights with friends
- The fresh scent of the post-rain air in the spring
- The touch of the sun’s rays against your skin in the summer
- The autumn colors and crisp coolness of the air
- Snowy winters spent indoors next to the fireplace
- Getting dressed up for no reason at all
- Giggling with your best friend over inside jokes
- Taking a vacation day to stay in and do nothing
- Taking a nap in the middle of the day
- Dinner parties with friends
- Having breakfast for dinner
- Having cold pizza for breakfast
- A goodnight kiss
- A kiss on the forehead
- Your favorite childhood toy
- A beautiful ending
- A new beginning
- Moving into a new home
- Doing a cartwheel
- Talking to your mom on the phone
- Cuddling with the person you love most in this world
- Receiving an unexpected gift
- Giving a gift to someone when they don’t expect it
Firsts
- The first time you saw the ocean
- The first time you travelled by plane
- The first time you touched snow
- The first time you held your crush’s hand
- Your first kiss
- The first time you drove a car
- The first car you owned
- The first time you ran 5K
- The first time you ran 10K
- The first time you achieved something you never thought you would
- The first time you meditated, even though you were quite certain you were doing it wrong
- Your first job
- Your first paycheck
- Your first promotion
- The first time you fell in love
- The first house you bought
Modern Conveniences
- Food delivery services
- Grocery delivery services
- Curbside pickup
- Wireless internet
- GPS
- Fast food
- Drive-thrus
- Online shopping
- Zoom
- Spotify
- Meditation apps
- Google Calendar
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Amazon Prime
- HBO Max
- Cell phone cameras
- UPS
- Fed-Ex
- Same Day Delivery
- Two-Day Shipping
- Overnight Shipping
- Indoor plumbing
- Electricity
- Water heaters
- Curbside garbage service
Activities & Experiences
- Meditating
- Practicing yoga
- Camping
- Hiking
- Jogging
- Biking
- Reading
- Writing
- Painting
- Drawing
- Crafting
- Cooking
- Dancing
- Singing
- Baking
- Gardening
- Exercising
- Roller blading
- Ice skating
- Skateboarding
- Skiing
- Sledding
- Snowboarding
- Snowball fights
- Building a snowman
- Going on a picnic
- Art in the park
- Roasting marshmallows over a campfire
- Running through the sprinklers on a warm day
- Swimming in the ocean
- Swimming in the lake
- Swimming in a pool
- Paddleboarding
- Spending a day at the theme park
- Riding a roller coaster
- Road trips
- Stargazing
- Daydreaming
- Journaling
- Traveling somewhere new for the first time
- Working in a job you love
- Going to a museum
- Golfing
- Mini-golfing
- Working from home
- Re-reading your favorite book
- Watching the city lights from a viewpoint high above it all
- Celebrating a birthday
- Dressing up for Halloween
- Staying up until midnight on New Year’s Eve
- Sharing a New Year’s kiss with someone you love
- Going to a high school reunion
- Watching a waterfall
- Traveling the world
- Walking on the beach
- Falling in love
- Learning how to love yourself
- Speaking your truth, even when your voice shakes
- Standing up for yourself
- Standing up for someone else
Places In Your Community
- The gym
- The grocery store
- Restaurants
- Clothing stores
- Schools
- The building you work in
- Hospitals
- Urgent care clinics
- Fire stations
- Recycling centers
- Hair salons
- Spas
- Parks
- Nail salons
- The yoga studio
- The art studio
- The art museum
- Your local bookstore
- Your local game store
- The family-owned corner store that’s been there forever
- Coffee shops
- Bakeries
- Bagel shops
- Your favorite pizza place
- Home decor stores
- Locally-owned businesses
- Shoe stores
- Candy stores
- Donut shops
- Ice cream shops
- The Farmer’s Market
- Plant and garden centers
- Hardware stores
- The bike park
- The skateboard park
- The airport
- Gas stations
- Hotels
- Waterparks
- Toy stores
- Libraries
- Office supply stores
- Vet clinics
- Daycare facilities
- Sporting goods stores
Growing Up
- Your education
- Having your own bedroom (or sharing a room with your close-knit sibling)
- Eating home-cooked meals
- Wearing new clothes to school
- Wearing brand new shoes on the first day of school
- Having coats and warm clothing that fit you
- Having parents who worked to keep you warm, fed, and safe
- Having parents who made you feel unconditionally loved
- Getting what you asked for on your birthday & holiday lists
- Going on vacations with your family
- Having adults in your life who cared about your well-being
- Being in an environment in which your imagination was encouraged
- Being told you can do and be anything you want
- Never having to guess where your next meal will come from
- Being allowed to just be a kid
What things are you most grateful for in your life? Share some of the items on your personal gratitude list below!
And for more resources on spirituality, meditation, manifestation, and all things self-love, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, where I’m posting positive affirmations and empowering messages daily.
Pin this for later! 500 Things To Be Grateful For Today Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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8 Best Chakra Books For Profound Energy Healing
Below, discover eight of the best chakra books for both beginners and those looking to expand their knowledge of energy healing and the chakra system. Plus, learn more about the Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle, a digital resource designed to help you heal stagnant energy and live in alignment with your highest self.
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase a product using my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Pin this for later! 8 Best Chakra Books For Profound Energy Healing What Are Chakras?
Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning “wheel” or “disk.” A commonly accepted definition for the word chakra is a wheel of energy in your body. You might also think of it like a vortex of energy within you. What makes it confusing is that this vortex isn’t actually a physical thing like your bones or organs. You can’t see your chakras in an x–ray. Rather, you experience them through feelings, sensations, and your own inner knowing.
When talking about chakras, we typically focus on the seven main ones in your body: Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown. However, your body actually has at least 114 energy centers in your body, and some people believe there to be more.
So what exactly does a chakra do? Energy is meant to flow, and when your chakras are open, your life force energy, or prana, can flow freely through your chakras at all times (through energy channels called nadis). In turn, this means that you’re more likely to feel confident, open-hearted, joyful, strong, creative, and in alignment with your highest, most authentic self.
But if any of your chakras are closed or blocked, your life force energy gets trapped inside you. This often happens due to difficult experiences in your outer world. For instance, rejection, shame, heartbreak, and grief can all result in blocked chakras. This heavy, stagnant energy can result in feelings and experiences such as excessive isolation, lack of confidence, and a closed heart.
To really understand how your chakra system works, I recommend picking up chakra books that go into full detail on how energy works in the body. To help you get started, I’ve listed eight of the best chakra books available, both for beginners and those looking to expand their knowledge about chakras, energy healing, and their body’s energy system.
And for deeper insight into chakras as well as guidance on profound chakra healing, check out my Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle, which includes a Chakra Healing eBook, Chakra Healing Workbook, and 8-Week Chakra Healing Guide. You can learn more about each of these digital resources below.
- You May Also Like: Chakra Colors & Meanings: A Beginner’s Guide
Best Chakra Books
Chakra Healing: A Beginner’s Guide
Margarita Alcantara’s Chakra Healing: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Healing Techniques that Balance the Chakras is the perfect chakra book for beginners. It includes practical guidance to help you identify your own mental, physical, and emotional imbalances to determine which chakra may be causing it – and how to heal your own energy blockages.
The Ultimate Guide To Chakras
Athena Perrakis’ The Ultimate Guide to Chakras is another great beginner’s guide that is both beautifully written and illustrated. It includes deeper insight into each of the chakras and provides information on crystals, oils, chakra recipes, and more.
Chakras & Self-Care
In Chakras & Self-Care, author Ambi Kavanagh offers meaningful resources to balance and heal your body’s energy centers. You’ll find affirmation and visualization exercises, essential oil blend recipes, daily rituals, and more practices to help you experience true peace of mind and optimal alignment of your entire being: mind, body, and spirit.
Chakras Activity Book & Journal
For something a little different, Suzi Barrett’s Chakras Activity Book & Journal offers over 108 fun yet powerful activities to heal your chakras and cultivate deeper personal empowerment. The playful tone of this journal removes some of the pressure and seriousness that often comes when journeying within and promotes the effortless flow of life force energy.
The Subtle Body
If you’re ready to venture a little deeper into learning about chakras, Cyndi Dale’s The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy may be just what you’re looking for. This is a comprehensive encyclopedia of human energetic anatomy and includes information on chakras, meridians, and fields, as well as the role of your intentions and beliefs when it comes to healing. For anyone wanting to dive deeper into their energy fields than ever before, this one won’t disappoint.
Essential Chakra Yoga
In Essential Chakra Yoga, Christina D’Arrigo provides assistance to beginners and experienced yoga teachers alike to unblock and heal their chakras using yoga poses and controlled breathing. This is a great resource for bringing balance to your mind, body, and spirit through movement, breathing, and mindfulness.
Essential Chakra Meditation
April Pfender’s Essential Chakra Meditation provides a series of guided meditations tailored to open, balance, and heal each chakra. It also provides mantras (short chants), mudras (hand postures), and detailed information about each chakra to help you diagnose and treat any blockages you may be experiencing.
Energy Medicine
One of my personal favorites, Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine provides detailed information on how to work with the body’s energy systems to promote health and well-being. While it discusses chakras, this one goes beyond just talking about chakras and discusses your entire energy system as a whole. If you’re completely new to chakras, I’d start with one of the other books first, as all the information here can be a bit overwhelming. But if you’re ready to cultivate a deeper understanding of your body’s energies, this may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Ultimate Chakra Healing Bundle
If you’re ready to learn more about your body’s chakras, heal stuck and stagnant energy within, and live in alignment with your highest self, the Chakra Healing Bundle will take you on a profound journey into healing your mind, body, and soul.
Here’s what you’ll get with the bundle:
Chakra Healing eBook
- Get an introduction to your seven main chakras.
- Learn the signs and symptoms of balanced and imbalanced chakras; what causes blocked chakras; how to heal your chakras; and more about the roles and attributes of each of your body’s energy centers.
- Get 50 positive affirmations for each chakra.
- Get 30 journal prompts for each chakra.
- Receive guidance on using crystals and gemstones, essential oils, yoga, meditation, and other healing practices.
- Plus learn about spiritual concepts such as your highest self, manifestation, limiting beliefs, and more!
Chakra Healing Workbook
- Get infographics and guides on the seven main chakras, their attributes, healing foods, crystals, essential oils, and more!
- Create your dream life and assess how each of your chakras can help you achieve your dreams.
- Connect with your highest and most authentic self.
- Complete assessments for each of your chakras.
- Get 14-day healing calendars with simple, guided practices for each of your seven main chakras. All calendars are repeatable so you can complete these practices as many times as you want!
- Get journal templates for chakra healing, meditation, morning routine, and end-of-day reflections.
8-Week Chakra Healing Guide
- Get daily instructions to guide you through 8 weeks of chakra healing practices.
- Take a pre-healing assessment before you start your journey.
- Answer weekly reflection questions to get in touch with your inner self and reflect on your healing practices.
- Receive daily positive affirmations for each week of healing.
- Complete a healing tracker to help you track your progress.
- Answer final reflection questions and receive guidance for next steps to take to keep your chakras open and balanced.
Are you ready to journey within and restore balance to your mind, body, and soul? Click here to learn more and purchase your chakra healing bundle today!
What are your favorite chakra books, journals, and healing resources? Share your favorites in the comment box below.
And for additional chakra resources, positive affirmations, self-love tools, and more, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram.
Looking for more? Check out these posts!
- Sacred Self-Care For The Chakras (A Complete Guide)
- Chakra Healing Foods: A Complete Guide (With Chart)
- A Guide To Essential Oils For Chakra Healing
- 7 Chakra Healing Crystals To Restore Inner Harmony
- Chakra Affirmations: 70 Affirmations For Your 7 Main Chakras
Pin this for later! 8 Best Chakra Books For Profound Energy Healing Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
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How to Release Limiting Beliefs (and Create New Beliefs)
In this post, learn how to release limiting beliefs using several powerful practices. These practices will not only help you release your limiting beliefs, but they’ll allow you to make space to create new, empowering beliefs that will serve you as you step into a new chapter.
Pin this for later! How to Release Limiting Beliefs (and Create New Beliefs) What is a Limiting Belief?
A limiting belief is a deep-seated belief that holds you back from realizing your true potential and living your fullest, most authentic life.
Limiting beliefs can come in many forms. Here are a few examples:
- There are already thousands of wellness coaches out there. I don’t have anything special to offer to stand out from the crowd. I’ll never be able to compete.
- I’ll get back on the dating scene someday, but nobody’s going to love me the way I am now. First, I need to lose twenty pounds. My physical self has to be in peak shape to be loved.
- Only really lucky people get to have that kind of success. I’ll never make it.
Do any of these sound familiar? Or have you experienced similar types of thoughts that have held you back from taking the next step personally or professionally?
Most of the time, you’ll find that your limiting beliefs are rooted in fear: fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, fear of not being enough, fear of failure, and even fear of success.
But know this: you are not your fears.
And you have the power to rise above your limiting beliefs and fears. What held you back yesterday doesn’t have to continue to hold you back today.
Below, you’ll discover how to release limiting beliefs using several powerful practices. You can use one or two of these practices, or you can try them all and see how they feel for you.
Even more importantly, these practices don’t just help you release limiting beliefs; they allow you to create new, empowering beliefs that will guide you in your journey forward into a new, more freeing chapter.
Do you want to dig even deeper into your limiting beliefs and begin creating a new story for yourself today? Check out the Releasing Limiting Beliefs workbook, part of the Authentic Self: Self-Love Workbooks series. In this 42-page digital workbook, you’ll identify your limiting beliefs and do the deeper inner work of releasing them so you can create new, empowering beliefs to guide your self-love journey. Plus, get affirmations and journal prompts for deeper self-reflection. Learn more here!
How to Release Limiting Beliefs (5 Methods)
Make a Reframed Beliefs List
One of my favorite ways to release limiting beliefs is to make a list of new, reframed beliefs.
To do this, you can use a sheet of paper or pull up a blank document on your computer. Make a table with two columns.
Title the first column, Old Limiting Beliefs. Title the second column, New Reframed Beliefs. You can also use the titles, Limiting Beliefs I’m Releasing and Empowering Beliefs I’m Embracing.
Under the Limiting Beliefs column, write down all of the limiting beliefs that have held you back. Maybe there’s just one or two really big ones, or there may be several you want to write down.
Now, what’s the opposite of those limiting beliefs you just wrote down?
In the next column, turn every limiting belief into a new, positive, empowering belief. Essentially, you’re writing a powerful affirmation here. If your belief is that you’re not good enough, affirm that you are good enough. Write what feels good and right to you.
Repeat these new reframed beliefs as often as you need to. You might decide to look at them every morning and recite your empowering beliefs aloud.
Here’s an example of how your list might look:
Old Limiting Beliefs New Reframed Beliefs I’m not talented enough to make it. Why even bother? I have what it takes to succeed and thrive. I’m more than enough. Nobody will want to date someone like me. I shouldn’t even try. I have so many amazing qualities to offer. There’s someone out there looking for exactly someone like me. Burn Your Limiting Beliefs List
Another practice that might feel cathartic for you is to take the limiting beliefs list you wrote above and burn it. Let this be a representation of you letting go of your limiting beliefs and making space for something new in your life.
If you do this, I recommend still finding a way to turn those limiting beliefs into empowering beliefs. After you burn your limiting beliefs, you can make a list of positive affirmations that represent your new beliefs. Instead of focusing on the negative energy of your old beliefs, focus on the fresh energy of your new beliefs. Let this new energy carry you forward into your next chapter.
Visualize Releasing Your Limiting Beliefs
Another one of my favorite practices for releasing limiting beliefs is to envision myself throwing my limiting beliefs off a cliff and watching them disappear.
To do this, find a quiet, safe spot where you won’t be interrupted. Close your eyes. Imagine you’re standing at the edge of a cliff. Below is a deep chasm—you can’t see the bottom. Now, invite your limiting beliefs to come forward. See them with non-judgmental awareness.
This means you don’t criticize yourself for having these beliefs. You don’t place labels on these beliefs as bad or wrong. Simply see them, just as they are.
You might even send a little love to your limiting beliefs and acknowledge the ways in which they tried to serve you. For instance, you might say, “I recognize that you were trying to protect me from getting my heart broken, but I no longer need your service anymore.”
Next, release these old beliefs into the chasm below. Watch them until they disappear. Feel yourself getting lighter without the weight of these fears pressing down on you.
Now you have space to create new, positive beliefs. Create your new beliefs in love, kindness, and courage, knowing you have the strength to step into the life you were always meant to live.
Journal Your Feelings
Instead of making a list, it might help you to explore your limiting beliefs in journaling.
Journaling allows you the time and space to explore the limiting beliefs that have been holding you back. It also allows you to probe these beliefs and ask, “Is it true?”
For instance, you might discover that the belief that you’re not talented enough has been holding you back from pursuing your dreams. But once you start writing about it, you realize that you’ve just been using this fear to stay small.
And you also realize that it absolutely is not true.
You are talented enough. And you have what it takes to succeed—you just had to recognize it for yourself.
Explore your limiting beliefs with love and compassion through journaling. And in your writing, you can release these beliefs and create new beliefs that support your mind, body, and spirit.
Here’s a few questions to ask yourself as you journal:
- What’s stopping me from taking the next step to pursuing my dreams?
- What fears do I possess?
- What beliefs am I clinging onto?
- If these limiting beliefs didn’t exist, what would I do?
- Are these limiting beliefs actually true?
- What new, empowering beliefs am I creating today?
Express Gratitude for Your Limiting Beliefs
One way to overcome your limiting beliefs is to make them a little less intimidating. And you do this by recognizing that limiting beliefs aren’t 100% bad, scary things.
You possess these limiting beliefs for a reason. Most likely, they were protecting you from something. Take some time to explore how these limiting beliefs may have been trying to serve you. You can write this in a journal, create a list, or simply think about your answers.
Then, thank these limiting beliefs for the ways in which they served you. Afterwards, you can use any of the practices on this list to release them, or you can simply say, “I’m ready to release you now.”
Feel the space around you open up as you prepare to create new beliefs that are more in line with the life you want to live.
Next Steps
So you’ve released your limiting beliefs—what comes next?
In the beginning, you may fall back into old thought patterns that don’t reflect where you want to go with your life. When this happens, don’t judge or criticize yourself. Rather, react with love and a whole lot of self-compassion.
It helps to have positive affirmations on-hand that lift your vibration and help you to feel confident and empowered. Choose some of your favorite affirmations and save them to your phone (or print them out). Repeat them daily. To help you get started, I’ve linked to some of my favorite positive affirmations below.
If you find yourself falling back into old, limiting beliefs, you can repeat any of the practices on this list. Remember that it took you years to cultivate these beliefs, so it will take time to release them fully. And that’s okay—in time, you’ll find that your old beliefs are slipping further and further away from your mindset, until you no longer fall back to them anymore.
For even deeper healing as you let go of your limiting beliefs and embrace new, empowering beliefs, be sure to check out the Releasing Limiting Beliefs workbook. Begin writing your new story today.
And for positive affirmations, self-love tools, manifesting tips, and spiritual resources, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram.
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Pin this for later! How to Release Limiting Beliefs (and Create New Beliefs) Zanna Keithley is an author, poet, and social media content creator who writes short prose dedicated to inspiring readers to follow their dreams, trust their intuition, and create beautiful and fulfilling lives. You can find her original writing on Instagram @zannakeithley.
