Emotional Benefits Of A Media Fast: Part 2

 Now that you’ve committed to your media fast, how can you make the most of it?  One thing that I’ve learned in my work with coaching hundreds of people to overcome blocks is that behavior modification rarely works.  Why?  Because modifying a behavior is to treat the symptom (the behavior) and not the cause.  So, to just give up watching the news, listening to news radio or reading the paper will probably not have lasting effects on your emotional health unless you address the deeper cause of the fear, stress, overwhelm and anxiety you’re experiencing.

During your media fast, you must begin to question the thoughts and beliefs that are associated with undesired emotional states.  It’s actually quite simple, here’s how it works:

When you have a thought that’s related to your personal finances or the economy that makes you feel anxious, nervous, depressed or any other negative feeling ask yourself this question:  What meaning have I created about myself  in relation to this thought/belief? OR What does this mean about ME?

Here’s an example.  Perhaps you catch yourself thinking, “ I can’t pay my bills this month, what am I going to do?”  Simply notice the thought and then ask yourself: What does it mean about me (not what does it mean) that I can’t pay my bills?  You might have several answers: I’m not a good wife/husband because I’m not contributing; I’m a failure; I’m not worthy or deserving.  Notice the difference between ‘What does it mean about me’, versus ‘What does it mean’?  If you were to answer the latter question the answer would be very different: “I might get kicked out of my apartment’, ‘ The debt collectors will come after me’, ‘My utilities will get shut off’. You want to get to what you believe about yourself in relation to your situation, not what you imagine will happen to you in your life.

With this line of questioning you’re trying to discover what core beliefs you have that could be blocking you and keeping you stuck.  Once you have an awareness about a limiting belief, you can choose to replace it with a more empowering thought by asking yourself: What thought would be more empowering right now?  For instance, instead of continuing to dwell on the thought “I can’t pay my bills”, you might choose another thought that shifts your emotional state such as ‘I’m doing everything I can to resolve this.’ or ‘I contribute to my family in many ways, not just with money.’  or  ‘ This is an opportunity for me to find new ways to create abundance that I may never have thought of.’  You can choose any thought that focuses on possibility and that take you further away from the stress and anxiety and closer to feelings of peace and a sense of detachment.  It may take some time to find a thought that makes you feel more empowered than your original thought, but the more you practice the easier it becomes.

Working with your core beliefs will have the greatest effect on your emotional state, so this is a critical piece of the 40-day media fast process.  In my next posting, I’ll discuss the final two components to a media fast.

Lisa Engles uses several integrative healing techniques in her work as a certified life coach including EFT, music therapy and movement based healing arts.  She has a degree in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiolgy, and has spent many years in personal study of  consciousness and the new sciences.  She is available for private coaching as well as corporate presentations, workshops and seminars.  Email lisa@innerstatecoaching.com for more information.

A Radical Change Is Occurring…

A radical change is occurring in our collective consciousness today.  Many of us are being awakened to a deeper sense of purpose, and in that awakening are experiencing both physical and emotional crises.  Maybe you’re constantly battling health issues such as chronic pain, illness or injury.  Or perhaps you just can’t seem to overcome the stress and anxiety of a fast-paced life.  It could be that you’re even experiencing a breakdown in relationships or a general lack of energy and enthusiasm for life.  These are just a few examples of how our physical and emotional bodies manifest pain and discomfort when we unconsciously fail to respond to the emerging impulse within to answer ‘the call’ or to step into a more empowered way of living and being.

Many are saying that these are times of great change.  The collapsing of our outer state of affairs and all that is manifest in it is but a reflection of the collapsing of our inner state both personal and collective.  This is the good news we’ve all been waiting for!  Yes, I said good news because transformation cannot happen without there first being a total breakdown of the existing structures.  

Although you may be experiencing more fears, frustrations, doubts and overwhelm than normal, there is a sudden emergence of tools, techniques and practices from the healing arts and energy medicine fields that can help in easing the great transition that many of us are experiencing.  Among these are Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) a form of energy psychology and TaKe TiNa (pronounced Ta-Kay-Ti-Na), a powerful musical healing process.  

My work involves teaching  these practices both to individuals and to groups so that they may excavate their inner-landscapes and release emotional debris.  This is the work needed to support the impulse for a radical shift and conscious evolution.

For more information visit www.innerstatecoaching.com