A Gently Rebellious Practice for Finding Peace and Joy Regardless

What if everything is for you?

This week, I’d like to invite you to try out a tiny-huge life-changing practice.

How you look at things determines what you see and how you experience your life. Perspective shifts are powerful. 

But perspective shifting can feel destabilising, threatening even, especially when you’re doing your best to just hold everything together. 

So, instead, I invite you to try on some Gently Rebellious Lenses. You can think of these as glasses (like the ridiculously huge orange ones I accidentally ordered from the internet) or contact lenses if you prefer.

Make this potential powerful shift lighter, playful. Make it so that you can try the lenses on and see how they feel before committing. 

There are several Gently Rebellious Lenses, this week I’m focusing on ‘What if everything was for you?’

I’ve recorded a podcast episode on this which you can listen to here if you prefer my ramblings (or speaking my way to clarity as I prefer to think about it!)

Or read on…

What if everything was for you?

What’s your initial reaction to this phrase?

Notice it, completely neutrally. It’s all just useful information to help you navigate life more skilfully - in a way that works better for you.

Here’s what I don't mean:

I don't mean that life is preordained and that the fates have you in their favour. Why? Because if everything is already decided, where's the fun in that? Where's the freedom? Where's the agency? Really, what's the point?! It feels like being part of some giant rubbish chess game. And that's not for me.

I also don’t mean for you to force yourself to see the silver lining when things are obviously just plain awful. Nope, that sounds like Self Development Hell to me.

Here's what I do mean:

Gently, but firmly, notice how it feels to look at the world through the lens of ‘What if everything is for me?’

Get curious. Ask yourself, if things are always working out for me, how would this situation contribute to that? What can I learn about myself, about others that might help me drop some judgement or old habits or reactions or beliefs that are costing me some freedom, that letting go of might lighten my load a little?

Obviously this is harder in tough times so I invite you to gently rebel against using it to add to your pressure. Easily done but certainly not in line with gentle rebelliousness.

It's also highly useful when things are good. Gathering evidence that life is good, that things are working out for you, that most people are on your side, cheering you on, wishing you well. Noticing the good when it's here increases  both the depth of experience of it and the noticing of more of it - which, well, just makes those good times, and your life better. 

Notice what you want to see more of and you will get more of it. That's just how your mind works. So asking yourself ‘ what if everything is for me?’ increases this practice, supports it.

Eventually you might find yourself just looking for gifts everywhere, I know I do now. ‘What's the gift in this for me?’ Is a great question for treating everything as a treasure hunt. Curiosity is your superpower here. Partly because it stops the inner toddler in us screaming at the unfairness we feel during tough times.

So, have I convinced you to give this practice  a go?

I hope so. Because you have so much more freedom, ease, joy, love , happiness, laughter, connection to gain…so much to gain.

As always, please feel free to let me know your thoughts. I love hearing from you. You can reply to this email or message me through the usual social media channels.

Thank you for reading.

Wishing you an unexpectedly lovely week looking for evidence that things are for you.

Heidi

P.S. for those who missed it - The Overwhelm is Optional podcast is back after a few months rest. Back with renewed excitement and commitment to sharing tales from the front of The Gentle Rebellion. With tools and tips and inspiration for you to ditch the secret struggle with overwhelm, pressure and exhaustion and start living your life your way - in a way that makes you feel at home, that suits you down to the ground. All without anyone ever realising just how overwhelmed and frustrated you felt.