Doing The Work

“The best way out is always through.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello friends!

I'll pick up my story this week where I left off.

So there I was searching. There were so many people saying so many things. Do this, buy this, eat this and you'll feel better.. you'll be "happier". It was hard to discern who was genuine and who was trying to make money off of me.

But eventually I did. I found people that seemed to genuinely be living life in a different way. They were living lives filled with joy, purpose and were creating positive change in the world. I was hooked. Fascinated. And frankly, jealous. I wanted in. 

We only have one go around in this life after all.

So I read and I listened and I learned. And although these teachers used different language and methods, I started to see patterns in the things they were saying.

Until I came to this one profound truth: There was only one path to get to this place that I so desperately wanted to go: living a life in alignment with my authentic truth.

But what does that mean? And how do we get there?

Answer: by "Doing the Work".

Do you know what I mean when I say that? This "Doing the Work"?

What I'm referring to is doing the internal work, of digging through all of your shit and looking at it directly and asking "what's going on here?'' 

It's doing the work of living a deeply examined life - not one run on autopilot and numbness and burnout.

It's the work of figuring out who you truly are, not who society told you that you should be.

The work of figuring out what parts of your life are lead by fear and which are created from love.

It's the work of finding your purpose and then the hardest part of all: cultivating the courage to live it out.

I want to share an excerpt from Brené Brown's "The Gifts of Imperfection" as she is one of my favorite teachers. Her teachings are based on science and research.. just the way my skeptical brain likes it. She describes what life feels like once you do "the work".

"As it turns out the work I had to do was messy and deep. I slogged through it until one day, exhausted and with mud still wet and dripping off my traveling shoes, I realized "oh my God, I feel different. I feel joyful and real. I'm still afraid, but I also feel really brave. Something has changed- I can feel it in my bones. 

I was healthier, more joyful and more grateful than I had ever felt. I felt calmer and grounded and significantly less anxious. I had rekindled my creative life, reconnected with my family and friends in a new way, and most important, felt truly comfortable in my own skin for the first time in my life."

Damn that's some good shit right there.

This topic is complex. Rewiring our brains, our hearts and our souls.. learning to live a different way.. it's not easy. The journey of deeply knowing and deeply loving ourselves takes a radical shift in the way we live our lives and interact with this world. Our culture has not taught us to live this way.

The good news?

While it's not easy, it is the most worthwhile journey you can ever take.

And more good news?

I, my friend, happen to be really freaking good at "Doing the Work".

I was recently in a meeting with one of my mentors and she told me that "Doing the Work" was my superpower. My superpower?? Me?!? 

I was completely taken back at first when she told me that.. but over time, the more I thought about it, I realized it's true. There are many things that I am not good at in this life: keeping my kitchen clean, consistently keeping a planner, running any sort of distance.. not my jam.

But "Doing the Work"?

Hell freakin yeah. I got this.

Turns out that my home, is helping other people find theirs.

Many of you may be thinking.. "ok, you've made your point but HOW?" In the weeks to come I will share many of the things that I have learned about living life this way.. starting next week with one of my favorite topics: Our Emotions.

Oh it's going to be a good one. Stay Tuned!

___

Say Love my friends,
Caitlin