"Knowing how you want to feel is half the journey to liberation." - Danielle LaPorte, The Fire Starter Sessions.
I've been reading The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte for maybe the last six months. Not because it's a hard read to get thru, but because it's the kind of book full of golden nuggets that you can pick up for a quick fix. A get back on track kind of book with gems of motivation and knowledge that are practical, inspirational and awakening.
Just the other day, I flipped to a page about "the importance of knowing how you WANT to feel." Surprisingly, this concept was so simple and yet absolutely foreign to me. How many times do I actually stop and ask myself "How do I WANT to feel?" With our jammed packed routines, our lengthy to-do-lists and our full blast auto pilot speeds, I'm sure many of us don't usually hit the pause button and ask ourselves that very question.
And if you did, what would that question be?
So, I sat myself down after the kids went to bed and I asked myself, "How do I WANT to feel moving forward?" The first word that came to mind for me was ABUNDANCE.
Then I thought.......ok, so I know what I WANT to feel. Now what?
This is where Danielle LaPorte's, The Fire Starter Sessions, takes it a whole step further. She says that in order to feel what you want, you should actually DO what you want. So for example, if you want to feel abundance, then give the gift of abundance to someone else. This can mean taking time out of your busy schedule to comment on your favorite blog, tweet about a great new mama company, or watch a friend's child for an hour. If it's more love that you WANT to feel, then shower your love upon someone who needs it, give your husband an extra hug before going your separate ways, or send a note to a friend you haven't seen in a while. We all know LaPorte's concept is not revolutionary, but for me, it was a simple reminder. So, I went ahead and gave it a whirl last week.
First, as I rushed off to a session in the city with my lunch in hand, I gave a shivering homeless woman my cup of soup and hot tea. She looked at me with such gratitude. It felt good to help her feel a little more comfortable for a bit. Then I noted that I felt complete abundance. A few days later, I took time out of a crazed day to have lunch with a dear friend who I hadn't seen in a while. It was a fast lunch, but I felt reconnected to her. I felt abundance. Then last night, I read my two children a few extra books before rushing them off to bed. As they nestled into me, I felt full with abundance.
These were simple everyday tasks, but they made me stop and think about how I wanted to feel. I realized that with a little self connection, my crazy and busy days, could be more than just crazy, busy days. If I hit the pause button, they could also be days filled with feelings of abundance.
So, when you go about your day and throw your noodles, think about how you WANT to feel and DO something about it.
And if you did, what would that question be?
So, I sat myself down after the kids went to bed and I asked myself, "How do I WANT to feel moving forward?" The first word that came to mind for me was ABUNDANCE.
Then I thought.......ok, so I know what I WANT to feel. Now what?
This is where Danielle LaPorte's, The Fire Starter Sessions, takes it a whole step further. She says that in order to feel what you want, you should actually DO what you want. So for example, if you want to feel abundance, then give the gift of abundance to someone else. This can mean taking time out of your busy schedule to comment on your favorite blog, tweet about a great new mama company, or watch a friend's child for an hour. If it's more love that you WANT to feel, then shower your love upon someone who needs it, give your husband an extra hug before going your separate ways, or send a note to a friend you haven't seen in a while. We all know LaPorte's concept is not revolutionary, but for me, it was a simple reminder. So, I went ahead and gave it a whirl last week.
First, as I rushed off to a session in the city with my lunch in hand, I gave a shivering homeless woman my cup of soup and hot tea. She looked at me with such gratitude. It felt good to help her feel a little more comfortable for a bit. Then I noted that I felt complete abundance. A few days later, I took time out of a crazed day to have lunch with a dear friend who I hadn't seen in a while. It was a fast lunch, but I felt reconnected to her. I felt abundance. Then last night, I read my two children a few extra books before rushing them off to bed. As they nestled into me, I felt full with abundance.
These were simple everyday tasks, but they made me stop and think about how I wanted to feel. I realized that with a little self connection, my crazy and busy days, could be more than just crazy, busy days. If I hit the pause button, they could also be days filled with feelings of abundance.
So, when you go about your day and throw your noodles, think about how you WANT to feel and DO something about it.
RSS Feed
