Don't Try Hard. Try Easy.

There's this story I've told myself for my entire adulthood.  Here's the story:

I can achieve anything I want in the entire world - love, money, success, accomplishments.  There's simply nothing I can't have or do.  BUT I have to work harder than anyone else to get it.   

As a little girl I watched both of my parents work very hard in different ways to achieve their success.  My mom was incredibly successful in business, but worked long hours and sacrificed time with her family to achieve that level of professional and financial success.  My dad was as hard working as the day is long and didn't have anything in life handed to him.  Maybe that's where I picked up this long held belief.   

As you know from my previous blog post, 2018 is the year of "enough."  So I'm also saying "enough" to old stories.  Years ago, I had a yoga teacher who would say:

"Don't try hard, try easy." 

 A few weeks ago, I set the intention for 2018 as a year of abundance and ease.  I write my affirmations down daily and, while they vary from day to day depending on what's in my heart, one theme is consistent - things can come easily.  So for instance, my affirmations include things like:

"I am surrounded by love and connections.  They flow easily into my life."

"I am surrounded by abundance and opportunity and it flows easily into my life.  I don't have to struggle or work hard for it."

In just the past few weeks of writing down these affirmations, my life has exploded with love, abundance, ease and a renewed peace and confidence.  

Important: there's nothing wrong with hard work.  I'm super into hard work. The people I know who have worked hard are the most exciting people I know.  I'm a better and more interesting person because of my years of working hard for everything I have achieved and the relationships I've built.  But why does everything have to come with the prerequisite that hard work is the only path?   That's the mindshift I'm allowing into my life with this affirmation.  

The visual: I'm baking warm chocolate chip cookies, opening the front door, letting the inviting scent waft out onto the sidewalk and inviting love, abundance and opportunity into my "house" with no questions asked.   It's like laying out the welcome mat to the universe.  

So today I ask you - what stories have you told yourself?  You know those things you want in your life?  Roll out the red carpet.  Welcome them into your life and your home.  So much of what we want in life isn't out of reach.  It just needs a warm welcome and a cookie.  

Listen here to my podcast episode on this topic! 

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