Hey there, friend—
This week on the path, I’m shining a light on two important factors for personal growth and spiritual development that we sometimes use as excuses for not taking action.
The first is staying aligned with who you are and what is most important to you at your core.
The second is finding your new growth edge and consciously choosing to move toward it—especially during difficult and uncertain times.
It’s no secret that, from a global all the way down to deeply personal levels, we are in crazy and chaotic times of uncertainty. We know that old systems are breaking down and strategies we once used are no longer working.
We’re all being tested with major shifts in our lives, be it the economy, labor strikes, lay-offs, wildfires, crumbling businesses, social injustices, loved ones leaving their bodies, family’s separating and so much more.
A lot of people are really struggling right now—with anger, depression, fear, confusion, grief, overwhelm, uncertainty and exhaustion—and because it feels like it’s all happening at once, our tendency is to shut down.
When it’s too much to bear is when we run the highest risk of giving up, numbing out, and burying our heads in the sand hoping the problem will just go away.
We’re so busy blaming others for how things are that we’re missing the point, which is to look inside ourselves, course-correct where we’ve fallen off our path, and take steps to move ourselves back into alignment.
Which brings us to the questions . . .
How do we consciously navigate our lives when we’re being tested, when we’re feeling blocked, and when we’re facing challenges that seem insurmountable?
This line of self-inquiry is precisely where we begin the work of finding our way back into harmony with ourselves, in our relationships and in what we’re here to do.
No matter what is happening globally, in the economy, in your business or your personal life—even when things are crazy, confusing, and chaotic, you can still choose to live in alignment with what you know is authentic and true for you.
Will it make things better overnight? Of course not. And yet, it’s the medicine that will begin to move things in a different direction, when applied daily.
The Universe (your God and your Guides) are always supporting you to live into your best and highest expression—your soul’s purpose for being here—and the only way you can grow into that version of yourself is through learning opportunities also known as blocks and challenges.
Whenever you’re facing some kind of test or obstacle, it’s being presented as a means to get you to look more closely at where you are either not paying attention or not taking action.
This is your invitation to really lean into your fears, to look away from the superficial distractions perpetuated by the news, social media, low-vibe people, and situations—and instead, focus your energy and attention on where you can expand.
- Where can you be in your work by having the uncomfortable conversations so that you can bring about resolution or completion? Even though it’s scary.
- Where can you be in your work by speaking up for what you want and need so that you can stop people-pleasing? Even though you’re afraid of hurting their feelings or being rejected.
- Where can you be in your work by admitting that something you’re doing (or not doing) isn’t working so that you can move yourself out of a toxic situation and into something better? Even though the unknown feels terrifying.
- Where can you set and enforce healthy boundaries so that there is greater clarity, understanding and respect in your relationships? Even when it might cost you your job, a friendship, or your place in the family.
- Where can you see that you’re still walking around with your wounds wide open and projecting your pain and shame onto others, and make the commitment to healing? Even though you don’t know what that could look like.
- Where have you deferred your happiness and decision-making to someone else, and given up your power so that you don’t have to take responsibility for your life being the way it is? Even though it may be painful to look at.
Yes, this is direct. Yes, this may provoke some emotion in you. Yes, this message may be triggering. Yes, these things feel scary, and yes, these things can be really hard to face.
But wouldn’t you rather face these things head on and do what’s needed to grow beyond the mess than to stay frozen by your fear, sitting on the sidelines indefinitely, and waiting for things to break you down over time?
This week, consider what your new growth edge is and make a commitment to work through some of the questions above to get really clear on your next steps.
And, if you’re reading this and you’re not currently in uncertain times, this is your opportunity to level up while you’re living inspired! Get after your growth while you’re in flow versus waiting for things to ebb.
Always Be Rising,
An International Bestselling Author, Lifestyle and Leadership Coach and speaker, Tris Thorp is one of today’s leading experts in the field of personal growth and leadership development, specializing in emotional healing, women’s empowerment and shadow work.
Having spent a decade traveling the world, being trained by and sharing the stage with Dr. Deepak Chopra in the field of social emotional learning, consciousness and mindfulness-based practices, Tris has a real gift for integrating the ancient spiritual teachings with modern-day science and mindfulness to help people all over the world let go of their past and create an empowered new future.
During her tenure at the Chopra Center, Tris apprenticed under the Chopra Center’s co-founder Dr. David Simon, co-facilitating the Healing the Heart and Emotional Freedom workshops alongside him. Prior to his passing in 2012, Dr. Simon appointed Tris as the person to carry on his teachings in the field of emotional healing. In addition, Tris was fortunate to be mentored by the late Debbie Ford prior to her passing in 2013, which is where she continued her extensive studies of the unconscious mind and concepts of the persona and shadow. After the loss of her two mentors, Tris went on to become certified through the Ford Institute as a coach specializing in Shadow Work and reconciling mental and emotional issues stemming from past experiences. She continues to share the gifts of emotional healing and facilitating this work in the footsteps of her former mentors.
Tris is the International bestselling author of Healing Your Heart: Rewrite Your Story with Awareness and Intention. A guide book to understanding your emotions, how we create our story and workable tools and techniques to heal from the past, Healing Your Heart stewards you through the process of releasing mental and emotional baggage, forgiving yourself and others, setting and enforcing boundaries and consciously communicating your needs in a loving and effective way so you can be who you’re meant to be, do the things you want to do and have all that you deserve to have in this life.
Tris is also the co-author of bestseller Mental and Emotional Release® with Dr. Matt James. Written in a language both professionals and non-professionals can understand, Mental and Emotional Release® offers real life case studies, an overview of MER and its foundation, step by step scripts to follow, and clinical efficacy studies comparing MER to other therapies.
Clearly in her dharma, Tris’s passion and dedication to gently guide people on their inward journey through personal growth is evident in her work as a Lifestyle and Leadership coach, Trainer of Mental and Emotional Release and workshop facilitator. She teaches various courses on leadership development, personal empowerment, social emotional learning and higher states of consciousness – both in online courses and her certification programs, live workshops, VIP retreats and 1-1 clients.
Tris Thorp is Board Certified by the Association of Integrative Psychology as a Trainer of Mental and Emotional Release ®, Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis, and Mental and Emotional Release ®, a Certified Reiki Master, and an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance.
Tris is devoted to inspiring and empowering others to cultivate and maintain mindfulness-based lifestyle practices that lead to greater clarity, purpose and fulfillment. Through one-on-one coaching, online programs and live events, Tris specializes in helping people to fully release negative emotions, limiting beliefs and unconscious patterns, enabling them to make quantum leaps into the life they are truly meant to be living.