What is a realization and how can it help you discover your purpose in life?
We have had a few episodes where guests have spoken about their a realization they had and how it catapulted them to take action and pursue they journey to their purpose in life.
Diana and Matthew shared how they realized how their life was so precious and committed to living intentionally.
Vineeta realized that she was limiting herself with her beliefs and instead decided to overcome those beliefs and fears and is now pursuing her passion.
Athenas realized that she wanted to live in Vancouver so she manifested her dreams by making a promise to herself.
What is a realization? A realization is a moment when messages become clear and your path becomes apparent. You realize what you need to do to pursue your journey and how to get started. This all starts with self-reflection and shifting your mindset.
The journey to having a realization
As you start on your journey, you will start by self-reflecting to connect deeper with yourself, understand your dreams, your desires and your barriers. What do you want to achieve in your life? In your personal life? relationships? career? parenting? Be very clear on what it is you want to achieve and WHY. It will take dedicated time to work through your thoughts and be very clear on what you want to manifest.
As you self-reflection, it is inevitable that you will journal to keep a record of your thoughts and feelings. Make sure you create a habit of journaling while you are doing this hard work to connect deeply with yourself. You will appreciate the ability to review and realize how far you have come.
In the process of journaling and self-reflecting, you will begin to shift your mindset. As you do this, you will begin to see things in a different light and you will begin to have REALIZATIONS! You will realize why you have been feeling a certain way for so long, why certain people you prefer over others, why you do what you do or why you don’t do what you don’t. You will begin filling in the gaps of WHY the things in your life or the way you react to things in your life are as they are.
What are some realizations you have had in the past?
Share them with me on social media @howdidyoulearntodothat or by email info@howdidyoulearntodothat.com
I would love to hear your realizations and help guide you to think deeper and reflect more!
What happens after you have a realization
Alright, you have had a realization. Something makes complete sense now. So what now?
Well, here is a 5 step process to determine how to move forward:
- Write down your realization right away!
- This is so important so you don’t forget and you can review what you realized!
- What does your realization mean for you? your work? your relationship?
- Now that you have had a realization, what does this clarify and how does it change how you perceived things? It is important to clarify and dig a bit deeper.
- Make sure you document!
- Take a break and breathe!
- Realizations can completely shift your world and life. Therefore, take some time for a break and take 10 deep breaths to help you through your realization.
- Brain dump activity
- Set a timer for 10 minutes and write down all the things that you want to do now that you have had a realization.
- Do you want to mend a relationship? End relationships? Switch jobs? Work on becoming more aware and present? Create dedicated time for self-care, spending time with your family or exercise?
- What has this realization taught you about yourself and how can you continue to grow?
- Theme, Prioritize and Date!
- Now that you have a list of things you want to do after having your realization, theme the items as you see fit.
- Some suggested themes are: Family, Parenting, Career, Finances, Self-development, Self-care, Fitness & Health, Relationships
- What are top 3 most important things you want to put into action right away that will have the biggest positive impact for you?
- Schedule these 3 items into you calendar for the next week.
- Schedule the rest the following weeks until you have completed your list!
Repeat this exercise every time you have a realization that you want to put into action to help you grow, develop and become a better version of yourself. Also, it helps relieve a lot of pressure and brings a sense of happiness when you can take action and see things begin to shift.
Essential Tips
Here are some essential tips to keep in mind that I wrote in an earlier blog post!
- YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF ONLY YOURSELF!
You are not in control of anyone else. You cannot tell others what you think they should do, or not do or think. You also cannot force anyone to self-reflect, they have to want to do it on their own and in their own way.
You are the only person who is responsible to make yourself happy. No one else is responsible to make you happy. Only you can heal from the inside and live a more peaceful life on the outside. Materials goods and food can not replace the hard work of self-reflecting, healing and moving forward with a new perspective in life.
- Pen & Paper – Journaling
Use a pen and paper to write down you thoughts, feelings and emotions as you are self-reflecting. You can use a journal or you can write freely in a book. It is important to write it down because it helps to relieve some of the pressure and it also creates a document that you can revisit to reflect upon.
I have linked the blog post from last week’s episode above in the bullet point which has some great tips of how to get started with journaling. You can also get free access to my journaling tool when you sign up for my monthly newsletter.
It is very important that when you are self-reflecting that you continue to do so until you have discovered the why. The reason why you reacted as you did or felt as you did. This is the first step to understanding where you need to put your effort to heal. Once you have discovered the why, then you can start to create your action plan of how you will begin to heal. What will you do? What activities bring you joy and are your non-negotiables in your day?
If you want to start with some guided questions for various parts of your life, these 6 questions from Holstee are amazing to start with:
- MIND – Do you feel clear headed, engaged or intellectually challenged?
- BODY – Does your body feel healthy, nourished, strong?
- SOUL – Do you feel at peace and connected to the world around you?
- WORK – Do you feel interested in and fulfilled by your work?
- PLAY – Do you feel joyful? Are you engaging in activities that bring you joy?
- LOVE – Do you feel positive about the relationships in your life?
Therefore, the most important tip I can provide is to start self-reflecting today. Start with as much or as little time as you can, with whatever tools you have but start today. Begin to learn how to self-reflect so you can master this essential skill, which will allow you to weather any storm and create a strong and deep connection with yourself.
Deck of cards with prompting questions to get to know yourself deeper
Best Self – Courage over Comfort Deck
Get the Courage over Comfort deck with my affiliate link above!
How did you learn to do that? Podcast
The How did you learn to do that? Podcast shares stories of people who have made small daily commitments that have changed their lives. It has helped them discover their purpose, increase their level of happiness and become a higher version of themselves. Investing in yourself has the ability to catalyze your life from ordinary to extraordinary. Join us weekly as we explore the stories and lives of those around us!
Join us weekly as we explore the stories and lives of those around us!
