How do we figure out our budget* for getting what we say we want?

*Budget (as per our previous blog) is the cost of something. However, the cost is not monetary, it is an expense made energetically, or spiritually.

Okay… so let’s do an activity together. You will need a notebook or diary, something on which to write. I recommend getting an actual notebook for this, whether it be simply a spiral, or something special, that is your book that you will begin to catalog your wants, dreams, hopes and desires. Sometimes, when we get something that is a little more special, we will also put extra effort into the ritual of writing and keeping track of our progress rather than 6000 post-it notes lying around the house.

Before you begin, take one extra minute to breathe. Let yourself be still and quiet, for one minute. Breathe in, purposefully, and exhale, purposefully. Allow yourself to ground. Allow yourself time to accomplish something without a million other things jumping in the way.

Now, first, write out what it is you say you want. It may fall into any category: personal, business, family, relationship. If you have quite a few (and that is wonderful) give yourself at least one page per want.
Second, write out as many steps or requirements as you can think of to get your goal. Let’s go back to the example of weight loss. Let’s say you “know” that in order to lose weight you need to stop eating ice cream at night, great! Write that down. You need to move your body more frequently during the day. Write that down, then, what does that mean? well let’s say you for whatever reason feel you cannot go to the gym. Okay fine, so instead you know that you can take a ten-minute walk every morning at 10:30, and then a 15-minute walk during your lunch break, and then another 20-minute walk after dinner every night. The more specific you can be, the better you will be able to determine whether this is in your “budget”. This step could be lengthy, so take your time and be willing to have the process be on-going, jot down more steps as they come to you.
Third, tune in to your personal budget. Where I see most people fall down is in the honest evaluation of what they are willing to do to get the goal. Back to the weight loss example: let’s say you look at the first requirement and say “you know what, I don’t want to give up the ice cream.” This is followed by a litany of why-nots, none of which matter, the only thing that matters is you are not willing to give it up. Okay, fine, and then know that your goal will not be achieved. Oh, I know this is the sticking point because everybody wants to argue all the things they can do to HAVE the ice cream and still lose the weight: exercise more, skip lunch, smaller portions at dinner. This is taking us off the track. Because when I say each of us knows what we must do to achieve our goal, I believe this to be true. If at first you said, “I must give up ice cream” then that is your truth, please do not start some re-negotiation. Instead, let’s start to move into one of two places: either truly coming to grips with the fact that your daily ice cream is more important to you than losing weight… AND BE OKAY WITH THAT; or coming to a place within yourself where you are willing to give up the ice cream, at least temporarily, so you can enjoy weight loss and a healthier, happier, more vibrant you (or whatever weight loss signifies for you).
Fourth, breathe. Even though this is broken down into three simple steps, this is not an easy process. So breathe. Let yourself be with all the thoughts and considerations that will arise as you consider what you really want to have happen in your life and what you are willing to do.

And please let me/us know how it’s going!