There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life.
There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek thatĀ mine.
O traveler, if you are in search of That
Don’t look outside, look inside yourself and seek That.
~Rumi
What is the point of living if we aren’t enjoying ourselves? This is the question that came to me as I was thinking about my full to-do list and worrying about an upcoming presentation. And it stopped me in my tracks.
When I took a look at all the things that seemed so important to accomplish, clear seeing showed me that everything was just fine. Nothing was late, and all was well.
It’s a pattern that can grip meāthe need to do and keep up with tasksāand it was beautiful when the light of awareness pierced through these false and stressful thoughts. Immediately, I was homeāto peace, relaxation, and pure enjoyment.
Here, I’m empty of conditioning and fully available to life!
Radio Interview
Where can you let go to return to ease, simply being here as pure presence?
This is one of the questions we discussed in an interview I did recently on ConsciousTalk Radio. The interviewers, Brenda Michaels and Rob Spears, were so much fun, making for lively conversation. Here’s the link to the interview that starts at about 4 minutes in. I hope you enjoy it.
Interview on ConsciousTalk radio
Book Available for Pre-Order
Also, exciting news! My book, The End of Self-Help: Discovering Peace and Happiness Right at the Heart of Your Messy, Scary, Brilliant Life, is available for pre-order. It will be released on April 16, but you can order it now from Amazon.com in the paperback or ebook version.
Here’s the link: Pre-order book on Amazon
If you’re thinking of getting it, this may be the right time. You’ll be helping the book get noticed by Amazon, which will spread its message about happiness and freedom to as many people as possible.
It’s called The End of Self-Help because we’re not broken, damaged selves who need help. We’re already whole, full, and overflowing, and the book explains how to realize this. You’ll be able to read all about it on April 16.
What About You?
So for now, my question to you is: what stories can you let go of that trick you into believing you’re damaged or inadequate? What do you discover when you get out of your own way? I’d love to hear… And if you’re reading this by email, please click here to visit GailBrenner.com and to comment.
Always in love,
Tracy B. says
Interesting interview. I have struggled quite a bit with not feeling controlled by emotions. The other day, though, a fascinating thing happened while I was in the midst of having a root canal done. I wasn’t very relaxed about it, but was doing fine until all of a sudden, a wave of anxiety came over me. The first thought that came was, “This is horrible, I can’t do this, I want out.” And the second thought that immediately followed was, “You don’t have to do anything about it. You could just detach and observe this feeling, because you’re actually fine.” Breathe in, breathe out. And you know, within half a minute it passed. I’ve never really meditated, but it was intriguing to watch myself apply the principles in the moment. It sounds like this is some of what you talk about. A light-bulb moment in a dentist’s chair–who knew??
Gail Brenner says
This is some of what I talk about, Tracy, and as you experienced, the insight can happen any time, any place.
You got to see so clearly how thinking makes us suffer. You were doing just fine until the anxiety and the thought. The anxiety wasn’t the problem in and of itself. But when we miss it and go into thinking instead – trouble. So beautiful to catch it and tell yourself the truth about the situation – you’re perfectly okay.
It is absolutely true that peace is possible in any moment. Thanks so much for sharing yours…
Amanda says
That’s the problem, I don’t know how to get out of my own way! Inside Im screaming out for better and I just don’t know where to start. My ‘negative’ thoughts and low self esteem have gotten out of control i no longer know who I’m becoming. I struggle to trust people most of all my partner and everyday just seems to be getting deeper into a dark hole. I’m loosing who I am and it’s scary! I want to drop all the negativity and be happy and enjoy life to the full with my young daughter but my head is constantly thinking negatively and this impacts my whole life. It’s miserable and I dislike who Iv become. I know deep down who I can be but I don’t allow that person to surface as I feel Im not good enough. Life is passing me by and each day is more miserable than the last, how do I put the first foot forward to changing this? I am at a loss at how I can fix it. Thank you for listening, sorry If I have went off track with the question. Have a blessed day x
Gail Brenner says
Hi Amanda,
It sounds to me like for some reason, fear and lack have gotten control of you and your mind. It sounds like you are in tremendous conflict, with different parts of yourself at war. First, I want to invite you to take a big breath and exhale. Let’s calm everything down so you can look at what’s happening with a clear view.
Now, let’s press pause in all of it – the thoughts, the hysteria, the struggling, the misery. Just like it’s a tape playing, press pause, and take a breath. Now that you’ve stepped your attention away from these experiences in you, you have some control. I’d like you to ask yourself how you want to relate to these troubling thoughts and the feelings that come with them. Do you want to jump into them and be at their mercy, or do you want to stay here, just breathing and observing?
This space of being aware of your thoughts, feelings, urges, and anything else is your true home. And it’s always here. At any moment, you can stop, pause, breathe, and be aware. Then you can let these thoughts be as you stay present with a clear mind and open heart. Keep returning here as your true anchor in the midst of any storm that appears. It doesn’t matter how many times you get caught in these troubles. Every time, breathe, stop, step back, and be aware.
I hear an intelligence in you that knows you want better, wants to trust, and wants to enjoy life. Don’t question this. Instead live it, do it. What would you do if you were living in trust, enjoyment, and wholeness? Find that in you, that true anchor that’s aware and always here and let that move you. It’s the choice that you can make, and I know you have it in you to make that choice.
Peace is one split second away – always. And possible for all of us to know.
I’m here in love and support. Feel free to let me know how it goes…
Bles Dones says
Indeed, a heartwarming and lovely interview; rather enthralling. I got a lot from the exchange between you and the hosts. You know, when my mother died last year, I felt my whole life has changed. My father died when I was in my teens and all of my adult years were spent with my mother, I took (and still taking) my mom’s death very hard, and no matter how much I want things to be different, emotions always grab me; creating anguish, grief, sadness. So consuming. I started erecting walls and barriers to my feelings and emotions, danced around them, so to speak, so I can avoid pain and the loss. I’ve ignored my emotions and kept them hidden that I began to see a limited view of myself and procrastinating often. It seems that I get sucked up into this type of addiction to want to always feel inadequate, self-criticizing, and mired in patterns of constant self-defeating behavior and pain playing out in my head but seemed disguised as normal. Because I keep these feelings firmly locked, sometimes I feel that, yeah, these emotions are pretty justified. I wish there was a way for me deconstruct these feelings to their plain and simple elements so I can know pretty much what they are and realize the truth of the moment. Maybe, just maybe, I can experience the only thing that is real.