but as an opportunity for spiritual growth, even when it unravels the fabric of your life, such as losing a job, ending a relationship, suffering from an illness, or grieving the loss of a loved one. As a channel of spiritual information, you know that you are the co-creator of your reality and capable of manifesting your heart’ s desires.

With such“ all in” trust, you know deep within your heart that what happens in your life is consciously and divinely orchestrated for your greater growth and good. From this perspective, you see the divine order that exists in everything around and within you. You let go of trying to control your life and allow the simple unfolding of it.

Trusting yourself requires more than taking deep breaths and saying positive mantras; it takes a conscious connection to your divine source. Like having a safety net while walking on a high wire, it takes a sense of innate security no matter what is happening in your life. Even if you feel like you are operating without backup, your connection to your divine source is in fact your safety net. When you trust this connection, you realize that you are not alone because the divine always has your back and most importantly, your heart.

Here’ s another way to look at it: Trusting yourself and your inner guidance is like getting into an express elevator to an observation deck, rather than taking the stairs and overanalyzing every step. Trusting yourself governs how you perceive and respond to all challenges in life. It affords you the personal power to express love, flow with the stream of life, and transcend even the most difficult circumstances.

Many of us are looking for trust outside ourselves instead of looking within. We lack trust because we fear that by letting go we will lose everything, most of all ourselves. Instead, we try to micromanage everyone and everything around us. We continually check our bank accounts to see if we are financially secure. We obsess about our physical symptoms, thinking we may be ill. We stay in a familiar job even if it causes us misery. We remain in unhealthy relationships to avoid being alone, and maintain toxic social connections to feel like we belong. Above all, we live in a perpetually guarded state, with locks on our hearts as well as our doors ― all in an effort to feel safe and secure. In When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön

WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH