A Few Words on Spiritual Bypassing and Influencer Culture…

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The topic of spiritual bypassing has been on my mind for a long time now. It’s one of the MANY reasons I’ve grown so allergic to social media over the past few years, and it’s also something that I’ve come across within the various “spiritual healing” communities that I’ve interacted with over the past decade or so. As a spiritual seeker myself who has attended many healing ceremonies both IRL and online, I’ve been dismayed at witnessing the breathtaking lack of deep healing work by some of the folks out there marketing themselves as spiritual healers, life coaches, and yes even psychotherapists and psychologists. This means they’re out there, serving you and me as “healers” when they’ve avoided dealing with their own unhealed wounds.
Is this who you want to be taking advice from?

Here’s a nugget of truth for you: everyone born on this planet is in need of healing of some sort at one point or another. Not one of us is immune. Yup. I realize that’s not a sexy statement. But it’s the truth.

Here’s another nugget: there are plenty of so-called “healers” out there who have avoided doing their own repair work, yet are really charismatic marketers with huge online followings. Why does this concern me so much? Well, when you’ve worked with as many clients as I have who’ve come to you in tears because the advice they’ve been given by their previous coach/therapist/healer is damaging, you sit up and take notice. I often find myself spending the first few sessions helping my clients unlearn a lot of what they had assumed was carefully curated advice by someone they trusted or viewed as a subject matter expert. And don’t even get me started on the heartbreaking stories of clients who’ve come to me needing to process psychological, emotional, physical and/or sexual traumas inflicted on them by the very unregulated but very popular healers they sought help from. I offer free consults before working with any client; and I’m continuously amazed/saddened that in all my years of practice, I’ve only ever had ONE potential client ask me the most important question of all: “Do you have your own therapist, Sandy?”
Of course the answer is HELLLLLLLLLLL YA!!!!

This past weekend, after listening to a few episodes of the “Kumbaya Confessional” podcast (which I HIGHLY recommend, as it touches on the problematic themes within what the podcaster terms as the “WooSphere”), I went down the rabbit hole of reviewing, with discernment, all the accounts and hashtags that I’d been following on my social media platforms. It’s an exercise I recommend everyone practice regularly. Energy is everywhere around us, and it’s important for each of us to be more mindful of the content we’re ingesting because each post, each photo, each video, each comment on each social media post leaves an energetic imprint on our mind, body and spirit, even if unconsciously.

As a trained mind-body-spirit helping professional, I felt compelled to address this topic head on. Over the past few years (and goodness, especially over the past year during Covid times!), I’ve noticed an explosion of social media posts that espouse toxic positivity and spiritual bypassing as veritable, one-size fits all solutions to ALL! YOUR!! PROBLEMS!!!! I’ve been watching the plethora of such distressing content, truth be told with the same level of dismay one would give to watching an accident about to happen in slow motion.

Truth bomb: there is a LOT of really positive-sounding, yet pithily trite advice from “influencers” right here on this platform as well as across all social media; a lot of them have millions of followers and are seemingly quite successful. Yes, I’m all for freedom of expression and creativity. The year 2020 brought me a lot of lessons; and one of them is that we are living in THE time for digital content creators to shine and thrive and offer their services! This is a good thing. These digital platforms we have access to afford us the opportunity to spread information far and wide (within mere seconds!) around this beautiful blue planet. It’s an exciting time for those of us who like to create and share! Especially those of us who see our roles as healers in service to humanity. However, stepping into such roles comes with a weight of responsibility because what you put out into the world will be the advice that dozens, hundreds, thousands or millions of people will read and accept as gospel for years to come. Because it’s preserved ON THE INTERNET. ForEVER. Anyone can create a pretty and profound-sounding yet pithy meme filled with toxic problematic advice that will not only NOT help you achieve your goals, but will keep you in stuckness because it encourages you to spiritually bypass your actual, real-life problems.

So. What to do, you ask?

I invite you to be more discerning with what you’re taking in online. And I encourage you to continuously ask yourself whether you are engaging in any toxic, spiritually bypassing behaviour yourself. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Are you discerning the content you’re ingesting, day after day? Scroll after scroll?

How is that content making you feel?

Is that content offering you temporary escapism while you continue ignoring what’s right in front of you?

Have you been ignoring dealing with your SELF? The self inside that houses both light AND shadow?

Be honest: have you been all “GOOD VIBES ONLY!” and “LOVE AND LIGHT!” while ignoring your Shadow inside?

Have you been avoiding doing your deep healing work because you’ve convinced yourself that taking advice from memes instead of checking-in with your Self, studying self-help books (and applying their teachings to your life) and/or working with a trained mental health professional to help guide you along your healing journey is the easier path?

Have you asked yourself who you’ve been taking advice from online (and what their qualifications are)?

Have you asked your guru/healer what efforts they’ve been taking to actively heal from their own wounds?

And after you’ve heard their answer, did you check in with your gut/intuition to discern whether their answer makes sense to you?

Most important of all, have you been hindering your personal growth by spiritually bypassing?

_{Sandy Kiaizadeh is a Registered Psychotherapist, Life Coach and Spiritual Healer at Toronto’s Mindful Solutions Clinic. For more information about Sandy and her services, please visit http://www.mindfulsolutionsclinic.com.}

Covid-19 Update: Office News

Sandy Kiaizadeh is a registered psychotherapist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Well, here we all are, two months into Toronto’s battle against a worldwide pandemic that has quickly evolved into a very serious health and financial crisis. What a difference ten weeks can make, right?

The Ontario government has begun its plans for re-opening some services as of today, May 19, 2020. While they’ve included some health services in their Phase 1 plan, it will always be my priority to minimize risk to both myself and each of my clients. I continue to monitor the situation closely, and am following the direction given to me by both my regulatory college and professional association.

Both have strongly advised against any return to in-office sessions for now given nothing about the virus’ contagion has changed since March’s initial stay-at-home orders were first announced. The risk of possible exposure would be much too high for both my clients and myself, especially since many of us have underlying health concerns which compromise our immune systems.

The scientific research so far is pretty conclusive in one aspect: being in close quarters (like my cozy windowless office where physical distancing is an impossibility no matter how creative I get about furniture arrangements) for an extended period of time (such as hour-long sessions) is a sure way to increase the chances of exposure. When you couple this with the fact that my office is in a shared space with about 30 other health professionals, each with their own clients sitting in the waiting room, the risks of possible contagion only increase.

Simply put, I cannot in good conscience needlessly put my community at risk when my psychotherapy and life coaching services can be just as effective via telehealth until this serious health crisis improves.

So, I will be adopting a measured, phased-in approach. By this, I mean that I will continue to offer only telephone and video sessions for the time being, until further notice. I will continue to monitor Toronto’s infections rates as the city slowly begins reopening, and will also look to guidance from my regulatory college (whose mandate is to protect YOU, the public) and professional association (whose focus is to protect health professionals). As things begin to improve, I will first begin re-offering walk-and-talk sessions. In-office sessions will be offered only in the final phase, once I am more confident that I can resume such sessions without risking anyone’s health and safety.

I will email all my active clients as I move from one phase to another, so you will always be the first to know when things change. I will also be updating my website blog as I move from one phase to the next.

To all my clients who have continued working with me via telehealth through the greatest health crisis we have ever lived through, thank you for trusting me with your wellbeing! I am confident that we will all come out of this stronger and with powerful insights into the values we hold near and dear to our hearts. As a dear friend reminded me over our Facetime chat just this past weekend, sometimes it takes a negative life event to launch us into something far greater. While some may look to this painful time to sink into defeat, grief, loss and depression, I trust that every member of my beloved community will instead look to it as an opportunity for lasting, positive metamorphosis.

Each of us will come back stronger, braver, and more focused than ever before. Of this, I have no doubt.

 

 

 

Join The COVID-19 Anxiety Relief Group

Coronavirus got you (understandably) down?

If you are in need of FREE tips, tricks, strategies and coping skills to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, please join our Facebook Group today.

Social distancing and worry about the impact of this pandemic are affecting us all.

If you’re looking for FREE resources, tips, strategies, and teachings on how to cope amidst COVID-19 from a cross-section of healers, I invite you to join the Facebook Group called “COVID-19 Anxiety Relief” that I created with my colleague Alison Crosthwait.

It offers resources to support your physical, mental, and spiritual health, plenty of meditations, as well as lots of ideas and tips for couples and kids of all ages. And because we firmly believe in infusing each day with joyful moments, you’ll also find fun and funny stuff, as well as a compilation of some amazing free resources available to enrich us during this time.

The page will be updated with even more tools in the days and weeks to come. I plan on adding regular vlogs over the coming weeks.

Come join us!

COVID-19: Moving Forward

Mindful Solutions Clinic takes the Coronavirus pandemic seriously.

As you all know, I always aim for each of us to be guided by both our values and the best available evidence-based data. The same is true for this situation that has now become a worldwide concern.

Being in Toronto, and in North America, has given us the luxury to pour over the early data emerging from other countries such China, Italy and Iran, as well to observe how the early, rapid and effective strategies in countries such as Singapore have helped thwart the dire situations that entire nations are now grappling with.

All evidence is now pointing toward the early intervention strategies of social distancing and good hygiene practices as our main methods of “flattening the curve” – a term used to explain efforts to minimize the reach and spread of this virus, which would keep our healthcare system better able to manage this serious public health matter and will also help minimize the impact to our economy in the long run.

Simply put, this global pandemic is affecting us all, and we each need to do our part to help each other out, for the greater good of our brothers and sisters. Friday’s messaging from all three levels of our governments left us with a clear message: the time is now for each of us to take this matter seriously. This means our behaviour as individuals living within a community needs to change ASAP.

It is important for me to continue serving you all through this trying time, while also heeding the serious call of public health officials. It’s a delicate balance, and one that calls for implementing a mindful strategy that meets your mental health needs while also serving the greater community.

With all of this in mind, and upon much reflection over the past few days (including an awareness of the small size of my office which makes social distancing a challenge), I’ve made the difficult decision to suspend all in-office sessions until further notice. Any already booked in-office sessions will be automatically converted to telephone sessions (I will call you at our appointed time, at the phone number I have on file for you).

I have also modified my online calendar to temporarily suspend the in-office session options at this time, and will open up more availability for both telephone and video sessions. I will also be expanding my walk-and-talk session times and locations; information will be on my website and social media channels shortly.

Finally, in these anxious times, it is critical for each of us to practice good self-care strategies. This includes things like:

• Setting strict time limits to social media and news outlets, as they tend to fan flames of panic for many people
• Getting regular sleep
• Eating balanced, nutrient-rich meals to keep your immunity up
• Exercising daily
• Making sure to do something you enjoy every day (now’s a great time to practice that hobby you’ve been meaning to get to!)
• Unless you are quarantined, trying to get some of the sun’s Vitamin D and fresh air every day – go for a walk in a park or nature trail
• Consuming media (e.g. books, tv shows, movies, etc.) that lifts you up, rather than feeds your anxieties
• Calming your nerves and heart through the regular practice of mindfulness
• Using the therapy strategies you have already learned to keep calm through this all
• Checking in on loved ones and neighbours, especially those who have health/mobility issues, are elderly and/or are isolated. Ask if they need anything, including groceries. A little empathy goes a long way

I feel confident that, together, we will be able to support each other to get through this ordeal that is affecting us all deeply. Now’s the time for each of us to work together, and practice responsible, empathic leadership.

COVID-19 Update…

COVID-19, a.k.a. Coronavirus, seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. As of March 10, 2019, there have been a reported total of 77 Canadian cases of novel coronavirus, 31 of which are within the province of Ontario.

This is a good time for each of us to review what we can do to reduce transmission of this and other contagious diseases. It’s also a potent reminder of how interconnected we humans all are.

Symptoms of this virus range from mild – like the flu and other common respiratory infections – to severe, and can include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Please call your GP or Telehealth Ontario if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.

There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses, reduce exposure to the virus, and protect your health. These include:

• washing your hands often with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds (or the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice)
• Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer regularly
• sneezing and coughing into your sleeve or a tissue rather than directly into your hands
• avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth
• avoiding contact with people who are sick
• staying home if you are sick

Mindful Solutions Clinic is committed to keeping the office as safe as possible for all of us. The Carrot Common building has recently installed hand sanitizing stations in its hallways. You are encouraged to use them upon entering the building and when leaving. In addition, I’ve made a bottle of hand sanitizer freely available inside my office, on the side table. Again, you’re welcome to use it at any time during our session together.

Most importantly, I ask that you please stay home if you have a fever, chills, a sudden cough, difficulty breathing, or vomiting/diarrhoea, or if you are caring for someone who is ill. I encourage you to email or text me if this is the case, as I would be happy to convert your in-office session into a remote session such as telephone or video conference. Alternatively, we could reschedule your appointment for a later date, when you or the loved ones you are caring for are symptom-free.

As usual, please remember to self-care during this time. This means prioritizing sleep, staying active, eating well, avoiding contact with people who are sick, and staying home if you are sick. Finally, let’s help each other through this unsettling time by being mindful of our most vulnerable members of society, especially those with compromised immune systems and the elderly, for whom a virus like COVID-19 can be life-threatening.

For the most up-to-date, credible sources of information about COVID-19 in Canada, please visit:

• Government of Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.html
• Government of Ontario: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus
• City of Toronto: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/diseases-medications-vaccines/coronavirus/

What is Depression?

If you ask a group of people who’ve suffered from clinical depression to define the illness, you’ll hear a variety of answers. Depression is a very personal experience that millions of people all over the world experience.

Different people manifest different symptoms, but one thing is certain: depression is a difficult illness that can seriously stall your life if left unresolved. Many people with depression describe it as a sense of despair that engulfs everything they do and everything they feel.

If you think being depressed is akin to feeling sad because your favourite team just lost the championship game, you really have no idea what suffering from a true depression is like. Depression is much deeper and more invasive than sadness or frustration.

Depression takes everything away from you; it saps your energy, focus, concentration, and especially your joy. You just don’t care about anything; nothing matters and even the people you love become unimportant. And worst of all, you begin to believe the critical voice inside that convinces you that the dark cloud will always be hovering over you.

Physical Concerns of Depression

Depression doesn’t only take its toll on your emotions and mental state; it can cause serious physical problems as well. Depression may cause you to either lose your appetite or eat incessantly. It also zaps your energy and motivation.

When you’re depressed, you tend to become inactive. This alone can cause a number of problems, but when added to some of the other physical side effects of depression, it’s easy to see why depression is such a serious illness.

In addition, depression can lead to:

1. Lack of sleep. Depression can cause insomnia, which strips the body of the necessary sleep to function properly.

2. Poor nutrition. When depressed, many people fail to take in proper nutrients. It takes too much effort to plan and prepare a meal. This can cause several health problems.

3. Aches and pains. If anyone tells you that your mental state has no effect on your physical state, they’re wrong. When you’re depressed, the chemicals in the brain that signal pain are as affected as the chemicals in your brain that help you feel happy. Physical aches and pains are increased, which in turn, kicks in the sad feelings and the cycle begins again.

4. Hygiene issues. Someone suffering from depression doesn’t have the energy or the motivation to be concerned with self-care. Simply put, even routine self-care activities like brushing your teeth or showering daily can seem overwhelming.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

These are some specific things those with depression experience:

• Persistent sadness
• Hopelessness
• Lack of motivation
• Feelings of guilt
• Difficulty making decisions
• Insomnia or trouble sleeping
• Irritability / repressed anger
• Difficulty concentrating / brain fog
• Loss of interest in things that once interested them
• Feelings of worthlessness / low self-esteem
• Changes in appetite
• Physical pain
• Lack of energy and fatigue
• Changes in sexual appetite
• Suicidal thoughts / suicidal ideation

One thing about depression is certain: it’s a serious condition and should be taken seriously.

As untreated depression progresses, it feeds on itself like a snowball rolling downhill. The longer someone is depressed, the worse the depression gets until they see no way out of it at all. They become resigned to being miserable all the time.

Depression can be caused by trauma, the change of seasons, losing a loved one, change of life transition, or even a chemical imbalance in the body. Emerging research has even connected poor gut health with poor brain health.

The treatment for depression usually involves psychotherapy and/or medication that helps alter brain chemistry. In addition to these two treatments, naturopathic medicine can also be a helpful adjunct to help bring your gut health back to optimal levels.

If you know someone who is depressed, the best thing you can do is be his or her friend. Talk to them and help them through this period. Encourage them to seek medical and psychotherapeutic care to treat their illness.

If you think you may be depressed, talk to your family doctor for a proper diagnosis, and seek out the help of a registered psychotherapist.

Above all, know that depression is a treatable illness – despite what your inner critic might be whispering in your head. Depression doesn’t have to ruin your life! With proper help and support, you can conquer your depression, move past it, and go on to live a joyful life.

Discovering Your Self-Worth Despite Challenging Circumstances

Does life seem to be a struggle for you? Do you feel overwhelmed and frustrated much of the time? Do you wish you could experience something better? Fortunately, you can enjoy the exciting life you deserve. Success is available to you despite challenging circumstances. It’s important to remember, also, that your self-worth is not defined by your circumstances.

What holds you back?

Take some time today to question the beliefs you hold that limit your potential. If you look at a challenging circumstance as a wall that’s impossible to climb, you need a fresh perspective. Within you is everything you need to thrive and excel. The more you question the validity of your limiting beliefs, the more success you’ll experience in your life.

Think of a circumstance in your life that you believe is preventing you from something you want. Write it down, then get ready to challenge that limiting belief. If you do, you’ll begin to move toward the success you deserve.

Use these strategies to maintain positive self-worth, regardless of your circumstances:

1. Find the cause. What is the cause of the circumstance in your life? Sometimes, limiting beliefs can serve as warning signs that help you avoid danger. What can you learn from this so you avoid triggering a similar situation in the future? If the cause of your situation is unclear, ask friends and family for their input. Others see your life from a different perspective, and their input can be valuable in determining the root of your difficulty.

2. Get past the blame game. You can often be your own worst critic. But remember, negative self-talk often has very little basis in reality. Choose to replace the doubts of your inner critic with more productive thinking. Once a negative thought has taught you its intended lesson, it has served its purpose. If you choose to hold onto those negative thoughts, they will begin to form a negative self-image in your mind. This unbalanced view of your talents and strengths holds you back.  Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts about your circumstances, learn the lesson and resolve to move on. Find out what you can do differently to avoid a repeat of your present situation. Then, when negative thoughts enter your mind, choose to replace your self-talk with productive thoughts instead.

3. Cut yourself some slack. The practice of self-compassion means recognizing that you’re human. Everyone makes mistakes, but your attitude determines your altitude in life. You are valuable regardless of your present predicament. You are worthwhile even when you slip up or falter. Your circumstances simply provide feedback and an opportunity to learn and grow.

4. Make the most of it. When you recognize that you’re valuable despite your circumstances, you’ll begin to make the most of every opportunity. Stumbling blocks you face can become stepping stones to the success you deserve, simply by changing what you focus on. Instead of feeling helpless, ask yourself: “What’s great about this?” Every situation provides something of value if you look for it.

5. Ask for help. Loved ones and friends often see strengths in you that go without notice. Ask them what they believe your strengths are. This is where your self-worth is found. Everyone has something of value to contribute. Once you recognize your unique talents, gifts, and abilities, you’ll see life in a whole new way. You’ll seek opportunities to use your talents to bless others. You’ll gain confidence that comes from conquering challenges that once made you cringe. Instead of allowing your circumstances to dictate who you are, you’ll make the rules!

6. Live one day at a time. Despite your best efforts, some days simply provide one frustration after another. When this happens, you have a choice. You can let your circumstances defeat you, or you can choose a more positive perspective. There’s a wealth of benefit to the mindfulness practice of living each day moment by moment.

Resolve today to find your strengths, learn from your difficult circumstances, and experience the joy you were created to experience. Instead of tying your self-worth to your circumstances, choose to see things as they really are. You were created with unique talents and gifts. When you find those gifts within yourself and put them to use, you’ll know how valuable you truly are.

Nature As Medicine

‘Beach sunrise’ ©️ Sandy Kiaizadeh 2019

It’s no secret, given my Insta feed (not to mention the hundreds of thousands of photos in my iCloud), that I am a sunrise chaser. As a photographer with a lifelong fascination with observing and capturing light in just the right way, nothing beats the spectacular lighting, hues and shading of an especially gorgeous beach sunrise hand-painted by the goddess of all goddesses, Mother Nature.

Sunrises, in particular, have always held a special place in my heart over sunsets. There’s something about the serenity that’s so rare, especially when living in the midst of such a bustling city that is Toronto… so the break of dawn offers a rare glimpse into how tranquil even the most populated city in Canada can get when its 3 million human inhabitants are still sleeping. It’s in these moments that I get to watch nature’s other creatures in their most natural state. Spotting coyotes, moles, beavers and otters going about their business. Observing the city’s various water birds (ducks, geese, cormorants, herons, swans, etc.) happily co-existing by the same lakeshore. There’s a beautiful synergy between them that makes me think we humans still have yet so much to learn about building community.

Being beachside at sunrise helps ground me to the NOW by tethering me to the sights, smells and sensations that nature has a special way of offering. It reconnects me with the four elements – earth, air, fire and water – which so many of us big city dwellers often lose connection with. Stargazing connects me with ether too; it’s taught me more about astronomy than any book ever could. Over the years, I’ve noticed firsthand how the water’s tides are so intimately impacted by the phases of the moon.

Most importantly, I credit my avid sunrise-chasing for helping to heal me from the deep grief I’ve experienced over the past few years. My soul puppy’s passing 4 years ago triggered an extended period of insomnia in me, which is how I first discovered the power of Mother Nature’s healing medicine. In the year after he passed, meditating beachside at sunrise became my daily ritual. And then when my father passed soon afterwards, I intuitively sought the embrace of the sun’s daily awakening to breathe life back into my heart. These days, the ritual has become such an important part of my mind-body-spirit practice that I get antsy if my schedule precludes me from my beachy meditations at dawn. This practice is what pointed me to my shamanic path. It’s on the sands by natural bodies of water where I’m able to connect with my ancestors the easiest. It’s through this practice that I can so naturally escape the endless chatter of my Ego Mind in favour of the wisdom of my Higher Self. Observing nature, and becoming one with it.

So ya. Sunrises. The OG medicine. 🙌🏽

Find Your Purpose in a Few Minutes With a Few Questions

Toronto Mindful Solutions Clinic

It’s not easy to figure out how to spend the rest of your life. But, it doesn’t have to be extremely challenging either. By asking yourself a few, simple questions, you can learn enough about yourself to figure it all out. There may not be a 100% perfect answer, but you can figure out a great answer in a short amount of time.

 

What are you meant to do?

Consider these questions to help you determine your purpose:

1. What am I interested in? These can be things you like to do, learn about, and think about. What activities cause you to lose track of time? Make a list of your 10 favourite activities. Now, think of ways you can make a living in a related way. For example:

• If you love teaching, there are many ways to instruct others. You could be an actual teacher, a personal trainer, teach meditation classes, or be a sports coach.
• Do you love sports? Think coach, athletic trainer, gym teacher, and so on.

2. What do I want to learn more about? Is there a topic that fascinates you so much that you spend your free time learning more about it? You might be fascinated with astronomy or inventing a better mousetrap. What really piques your interest?

3. What am I naturally good at? Ideally, you can find something that you love that you also have a natural talent for. What are some things you do better than the average person? Make another list.

4. What did I want to do when I was a child? What did you dream about being when you were growing up? Sometimes your first ideas are the best ideas. Think about your childhood dreams and ask yourself why you chose that field. You might get a few clues.

5. What are my values? What is most important to you? Adventure? Helping others? Personal development? Overcoming challenges? Your purpose has to be aligned with your values.

6. What is my gut telling me? There’s a time for logic and reason. This might not be one of those times. Sometimes, the best choice doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense. What is your soul trying to tell you? Listen.

7. Why? Why does a particular field appeal to me? If you understand that, you can find other options that might be more suitable to you. Supposed you have an interest in being a physician. Make a list of why that appeals to you:

• Help people
• Intellectually challenging
• Avoid an office environment
• Get respect from family and the general public
• Financially rewarding: Have nice things and retire early

Now… Ask yourself what else you could do that would meet those needs of yours. For example, you could volunteer on the weekend, you could learn to speak Mandarin, and you could become a successful real estate investor.

8. Choose. Making a choice can be scary. But if you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s hard to make a poor choice. Making no choice at all ensures that your life stays stuck.

It can be unsettling if you don’t know what to do with your life. So, spend a little time with yourself and figure it out. It’s important to make a decision, because the cost of never deciding is significant. Look to your values and preferences and you’ll find a life path that appeals to you. All it takes is asking yourself a few pertinent questions.

Top 6 Actions That Help You Achieve Your Goals

Toronto Mindful Solutions Clinic

If you’re tired of making resolutions and goals that you never accomplish, a new approach may help. Conventional mindset goals can fall apart for several reasons. Once you’re aware of why this happens, you can prevent it or fix it so you can be on your way to achievement.

Try these techniques to achieve your goals:

1. Pick realistic goals. One of the most frequent issues is that you may pick goals that aren’t realistic. Perhaps you want to travel around the globe, read hundreds of books, and start your own business. Logistically speaking, some of your goals might simply not be possible any time soon. You may not have the money for travel, you don’t have the time to read, and pursuing your new business venture may require a lot of capital. It’s important to make your goals tangible. For example, instead of taking one long vacation spanning all the Earth’s continents, plan your one next big adventure to visit a country.

2. Break goals into a journey. It’s easy to set a goal, miss it, and get upset. Instead of doing this to yourself with each resolution, try a different way. View your goal as a long-term journey, where each leg of the journey leads up to where you’ll finally arrive. Create a plan that will get you to that goal. Set milestones and rewards along the way.

3. Measure your progress. In some cases, you may be close to achieving your goal, but you give up too soon. By measuring your progress, you’ll be able to see what you’re doing more clearly. You’ll be more motivated to stay on the journey and keep pushing toward your resolution. Set up a system to track your progress. Try different tools, such as calendars, journals, or logs to keep track of your goals and see which system works best for you.

4. Ask for help. Sometimes you might fail simply because you don’t ask for help and try to do everything by yourself. Perhaps a little help will bring you success! It’s normal to need help along your journey. You may need an entire support network behind you to achieve your goal. Turn to friends, family, coworkers, and others for support. Asking for help can help you achieve your goals faster and make the entire process easier as you work toward your target.

5. Feel free to adjust goals. You don’t have to stick with an old goal. Sometimes goals need to be changed and modified. You may evolve as a person and realize that your earlier ambitions are no longer relevant. Your present is constantly affecting your mindset and the way you perceive things. You accumulate knowledge, wisdom, and experience over time that affects your goals.

6. Stay aware of growth. You will continue to grow even if you don’t reach your goals. In some cases, failure may be a blessing because it teaches you valuable life lessons you wouldn’t have realized before. Without failure, you may not change enough to grow. Failure isn’t the end, and you can always set new goals. It’s more important to grow and become stronger than to reach every goal on your list.

Remember, your list will also change, so it won’t look the same as when you started. Be proactive about your goals! Take effective actions that support you and your goals, and you’ll find that achievement comes much easier.