What Do You Want to Feel?

I originally wrote this article on November 9, 2014.

I learned from inspirational speaker Esther Hicks about reaching for a feeling, asking ourselves what we want to feel. And that what we are feeling is more important than what we are doing, per se.

Once we decide what it is we want to feel, we can then ask ourselves this question:

‘As someone who feels _____, what would I be doing/saying/being right now?’

The doing, saying, being then becomes practically effortless. It also takes away the feeling of despair, such as, ‘What am I doing here, in this life, in this relationship, at this job, in this town?’  It brings consciousness to this very moment rather than being swallowed up by details and to-do tasks.  And it generates a sense of empowerment over circumstances:  you are running the show, not your tasks or your despair.

Here is an example scenario:

I’m currently feeling overwhelmed with my life and my not being where I hoped to be by now. Having a messy kitchen reminds me of one more task which makes up my life, one more thing I have to do which I don’t love doing.

I ask myself, ‘What do I want to feel?‘

I want to feel free, ease, light, anticipation, organized and put-together.

As someone who feels free, what would I be doing right now?

• I would be breathing calmly and smiling.

• I would be calling my best friend to talk to while I’m doing my dishes.

• I would be listening to music or a podcast I enjoy while doing the dishes.

• I would be washing my dishes while daydreaming.

Immediately, I feel free. And the actions, even washing dishes, seem like part of my life-purpose; and so I begin the actions with a feeling of freedom.

Then, from the feeling of freedom, I begin to lighten up, I feel like I’m becoming put-together and organized, and I anticipate all the possibilities that my daydreaming will present to me—all of which I wasn’t able to access while being weighed-down and overwhelmed.

What do you want to feel?

Warmly,