Most people can agree that self-work is important; that what we strive to understand and amplify in ourselves will eventually work its way into improving the world at large.

At times, I have found the journey of self-work to be so challenging that it seems damn near impossible. But, every time the despondency sets in, my center pulls in a deep breath and I remind myself that this work is important and necessary so that I may live inside of the treasures of high vibration.

I don’t know the answers but I know that what separates the self-work tribe from others is that we have taken responsibility and reclaimed agency over our lives—we are no longer victims of our circumstances—we have created ourselves.

But what happens when it seems like we’ve stopped creating? What happens when that victim mentality creeps back in? How do we stay true to the work?

Here are some tools I’ve learned that help keep me balanced on my high-vibed tight-rope.

1.) Spend 15  minutes in a place that makes me feel safe (Root Chakra)

Often times this occurs in my car or my bathtub. On days when I’m feeling particularly social, maybe it’s with good company and a cup of coffee. It’s important, for me, to feel grounded and safe in my own skin.

2.) Get into my body! (Sacral Chakra)

For me, this meant throwing out every single pair of jeans, every single binding top and all shoes that I couldn’t walk a mile in.

First and foremost—before my body is a sexualized entity and contextualized into the “greater than/less than” spectrum as dictated by US Weekly—my body is my vehicle of expression.

Throwing out my physically restricting clothes meant allowing my body to follow through on physical impulses I wouldn’t otherwise be able to do (trust me—it’s nearly impossible to side-crow it up in scanty cocktail attire).

I love knowing that if this moment calls for it, I will be able to physically express my open-heart in a back-bend or build strength in my warriors…or return to center with a forward fold.

3.) Stick up for myself (Solar Plexus Chakra)

When we’re on a journey of mindfulness, we become hyper-aware of other peoples’ needs. Sometimes, I become so aware of other peoples’ needs that I totally forget my own.

I have to make a daily practice of always asking myself, “What do I need right now?”

I truly believe that when I fulfill my needs, I’m also fulfilling the needs of those around me, because I’m taking the time to come back to center (instead of just freely punishing other people for my own bullshit).

Sometimes, that means not picking up my phone or returning a text message right away.

4.) Get my heart on (Heart Chakra)

The heart is such a tender place and a storage place of wounds and bruising; I have to take care of it as I bring my heart back to a place of spaciousness and openness.

Some days, I’ll do a heart-centered meditation (i.e.,breathing in a heart-centered quality and allowing it to root and exhaling out anything that keeps me from fully embracing that quality).

Other days, I’ll pick a quality and an active daily practice ( i.e., if I choose the quality of gratitude, maybe I spend three minutes before each meal actively thanking the people and the work that went into creating this nourishment for me).

5.) Do something creative (Throat Chakra)

The more that I come into myself, the more I realize that my truth is entirely creative because I am an energetic expression that has never existed before and will never exist again (that’s just biology, folks!).

If I don’t find a way to speak my truth, the world will never know what my truth is because it’s singular to me.

This means I have to create.

These creative pursuits don’t exist for the sake of public consumption—they are my own gifts to myself. Whether it’s journaling or free-writing, playing or writing music or even dancing to Lady Gaga or nature sounds, I’m able to not only glean new understandings of my own inner nature but I’m also able to take sincere pleasure in my own company. What a gift!

 6.) Learn one thing a day and teach one thing a day (Third Eye Chakra)

Some days I’ll even learn one thing in the morning and teach that same thing later in the evening during a yoga class just to synthesize the information! Get that brain-buzz on!

7.) Get quiet (Crown Chakra)

Get quiet. Get quiet. Get quiet. Speak less. Speak less. Speak less. Listen more. Listen more. Listen more. Then—soar

We may not always feel empowered or ever get to a point where the bad days disappear completely but the least we can do is create an inner-body practice that reminds us of the glorious nature of being human.

The least we can all do is live so fully that we are able to transcend normal human barriers—that we might look down and watch our arms turn to wings under moon-shine and open up to soar.

Editor: April Hayes

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