GUEST POST: WRITTEN BY GABRIELLE AITKEN
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Reflect back to when you were a young child. For me, life seemed to flow. It felt magical. I followed my heart and did what I felt like in every moment. Sing at the top of my voice. Dance freely in the lounge room. Draw beautiful pictures. Paint works of art. Play with the fairies. Search for hidden treasure in the garden. Laugh loudly when I was happy. Cry when I was sad.
I loved the wonder of life as each day bought something new and exciting. Anything was possible. I didn't concern myself with success or failure. I just played and created. Perhaps you have similar memories.
Each of us comes in to the world as a perfect being, filled with infinite joy, beauty, creativity, playfulness and imagination. We don't for one minute stop to question our beauty, intellect or abilities. Even those unfortunate enough to be born with disabilities are often not aware of their differences or potential shortcomings as a small child.
As young children, we just 'be', living in the moment. We only see beauty and possibilities in life. We are creative, capable, and connected to the divine spark of life. What a fabulous state of being!
HOW WE DISCONNECT FROM OUR TRUE SELVES
Then, life happens...
As we start to interact with the world slowly our connection to our heart, starts to fade. For some, this may start to happen sooner. For others, later. It inevitably happens to most of us. We learn that certain behaviours elicit certain responses from those around us, and soon we start to make the shift from following our hearts to being driven by ego in order to win the attention or approval of others.
By the time we reach school age we are usually well on our way to conforming with the expectations of others. Often this may be well-meaning parents, siblings and teachers who believe that they know best... but they are taking us further away from our truth.
We encounter the ups and downs of life from the birth of siblings, to the divorce of parents, to school yard bullies and bad teachers. We experience humiliation. We experience pain and suffering. We experience failure.
We are told that we must go to school, get good grades to get in to university, go to university, get good grades to get a good job, get a good job, work hard to increase our career status and earnings, buy a house, get married, start a family, save for retirement...
Before we know it we are through the first couple of decades of our life and we have long forgotten what it feels like to follow our heart. We don't even stop to reflect on whether this is the path we want to take. We're too busy earning a living!
... and chances are we have well and truly made the shift from fabulous and free, to fear-driven.
This little girl who loved to sing at the top of her voice, dance freely in the lounge room, draw beautiful pictures, paint works of art, play with fairies and search for hidden treasure in the garden, grew into a timid young woman who was too shy to speak her truth for fear of ridicule and embarrassment; felt ugly, frumpy and untrendy in her low-end variety store wardrobe (the only clothing her parents could afford); felt boring and dull next to her friends, believing that no guy would be interested in her and that she had nothing to offer anyone; felt ashamed of her body...
Driven by these self-perceptions created as a result of early life experiences, life unconsciously became about proving to my parents, myself and the world that I was worthy of being loved, intelligent, successful stylish, attractive and perfect in every possible way! So much pressure!!
This fabulous, free-spirited little girl connected to her heart was long gone!!
MAKING THE SHIFT, BACK TO OUR FABULOUS SELVES
I have learned that it is not until we become conscious of these patterns that we unconsciously fall in to, and make the shift from unconscious living to living consciously from our heart that we can reconnect with our inner fabulousness we left behind in our childhood!
Somewhere deep inside our heart is calling out to us. By learning to recognise the sound of our heart and tune in to it's whisper we can start to transform our lives in fabulous ways.
We are empowered to shift from being driven by our fears, ego and outside world to being driven by our soul. It is only then that we can truly live our best life, a life that is exclusively ours, aligned with our own unique values, passion and purpose.
As we tune in to our heart we become to realise that there is nothing wrong with failure or imperfection; that they are essential tools for learning and growth. With this realisation our fears lose their power and we move in to ours.
This shift from fabulous, to fear driven and back again is a wonderful gift, which gives us true appreciation of how amazing life can be when we live from our hearts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
This post was written by Gabrielle Aitken, Inner Beauty Stylist and inspirer of Appreciation, Respect and Love (a.k.a Aprelo). Want to know more? You can read more from Aprelo here, or connect on Facebook and Twitter.
This is so true. I work with children, and I'm constantly inspired by their playfulness. They do whatever they feel like doing, and they do it with abandon. They don't concern themselves with who might be watching, who might be judging them. As an adult, it's hard to shed the inhibitions we've let ourselves create. But our hearts can show us the way.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing :)
Thanks Rebecca. I agree, there is so much inspiration and guidance to be gained from watching children. They have so much to teach us (and remind us) about how to live! Thank you for your comment xx
ReplyDeleteOne of the highlights of my week is when, after my regular 8 to 5 job, on Fridays I pick up 3 little sisters from school, drive them to their house, teach them some french and play with them. During these few hours, I forget about all my worries and go back to being a little girl myself. I reconnect with what I used to love to do, it's amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gabrielle and thank you Connie for such an inspiring blog :)
Such a beautiful and inspiring post to read on a Monday morning. Sometimes we have to drift so far from our inner truth in order to 'wake up' again and live the life that brings us true happiness and joy. Thanks Gabrielle and Connie, wishing you both a beautiful week. Bx
ReplyDeleteOlivia - beautiful to hear that you have that opportunity to regularly reconnect with the child-like side of you!
ReplyDeleteBrooke - I agree that there is definitely a 'wake up' process required. It is as if we suddenly become aware that the life we are living is not actually 'ours' and we must then start the journey inwards back to the truth of who we are.
Thanks for your comments ladies! xx