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IGNITE Our Inner Self

Ignite our inner self. Ignite the awareness of our inner world. Let’s move mountains within ourselves as we climb through our emotions and self-talk. Let’s explore the peaks and valleys of our values and goals. Challenge the journey through the feelings, thoughts, and emotions. When our emotions are overwhelming us and we need to calm the clutter with a meditation. When our self-talk is unhealthy and we need to give it a prebiotic of daily mantra. Our inner self has the power to change the world in the stories around us. In this episode of IGNITE, we will reach our goals by becoming more familiar with the space we hold within us.

We make better choices. When our mind and energy feel spacious with enough room to accept what the world wants to give us or throw at us, we have more confidence in who we are. Our inner self feels proud and capable. This is very similar to when we eat healthy versus unhealthy food (whatever you deem “healthy and unhealthy” to be)- our physical body reacts accordingly. Our muscles are a bit stronger on our next walk/run. Our gut is less heavy at the end of the day. Our headaches have dulled a bit more than yesterday. Whatever it is we put into our bodies and embrace our bodies with determines the results of that choice. Wherever we nestle our inner self will determine the direction our values take us to reach our goals. Give it a space that motivates and pushes forward while blanketing it in love and comfort. We will see our true power and wisdom more clearly and precisely when we are in connection and awareness with our inner self. It changes direction of the negative thought patterns or cycles. It moves emotions into clarity. It erupts feelings that ebb and flow. It is important to make better choices and keep better mental health. Our inner self is the athlete in our life sport. We start with the smallest noticing of where our inner self is sitting or standing while the outside world whirls and twirls around us.

“Micro meditations” is what I am calling the small noticings I take of my inner self. Every time we meditate our amygdala shrinks. The length of the meditation is not as important as the action of doing the meditation. The amygdala regulates our emotions, encourages our learning, and links our environment to memories. The smaller the amygdala, the clearer the brain clutter. The clearer the mind, the less overwhelmed we feel. The less overwhelmed we feel, the better choices we make. With every better choice we make, the world becomes a better place. A one-minute meditation, can change a person’s world. A one-minute meditation involves a quiet space (with or without headphones to drown out unwanted noise) and small noticings. Notice how we feel in our mind, heart, and gut. These are the three spaces where we make most of our decisions and move forward in life. Attach words to the feelings. We will take it another step by writing the feeling words on paper or in text or by starting an inner dialogue with ourselves. To have an inner dialogue we question the feelings with, “Why does my heart feel heavy? Why is my gut tight and knotted? Why is my mind screaming?” Notice it, answer it, then let it be there and move on. For a micro meditation, we may only acknowledge a feeling and pause again later to meditate and reflect. The importance is in the action regardless of length or quantity. Set an alarm and create a daily ritual- set a morning meditation moment and an evening meditation moment.

Rituals empower our inner self and enhance our well-being. Daily rituals simplify our lives and community rituals amplify our lives. Daily rituals organize parts of the brain to allow space for more complex thinking. When I struggle with the decision of most appropriate outfit for the day, I remind myself of Steve Jobs. He ALWAYS wore a black t-shirt and jeans. He simplified his clothing attire to allow more space in his brain for more brilliant thinking. Daily rituals are meant to simplify. Community rituals are meant to bring people together with a common purpose and experience. We are relational beings and require various levels of togetherness with other beings. Community rituals involve family, friends, and strangers. I have a ritual with myself to complete a big race at least once a year. I find comfort and motivation in the community of runners. The community of runners may not have my same ritual but we have a common goal that keeps my feet running. Rituals reduce stress, provide comfort, and embrace our inner self.

Our inner world is governed by our emotions, thoughts, feelings, goals, and values. We have the beautiful ability to provide whatever type of environment our inner world needs in order to make us better and healthier. When our inner world is chaotic, loud, scrambled, flooded, ignored, and malnourished our meditations and daily rituals need to be calm, promoting, organized, fruitful, and quiet. Too much stimuli will build a barrier to a peaceful inner self that makes better choices and keeps better mental health. Let’s flip it! We can build a barrier to the overt stimuli with meditations and rituals. With meditations and rituals we can move with our emotions, change our self-talk, and breathe. We can be the ritual for our GOTR team. We can be the space that ignites our girls’ inner self and unlocks her I CAN! POWER.

Shayla A is the Coach Mentor for Girls on the Run Greater Kansas City. Her background comes from the classroom, coaching, day treatment schools, wellness, and advocating for children with special needs. She enjoys empowering and advocating for girls and coaches in every challenge and celebration. Connect with her for support and assistance this season via call, text, or email. shaylaaranda@gmail.com | 816-284-9770

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