Finding YourSELF, Finding Your Zen
- Jenny Jackson
- Mar 10, 2024
- 6 min read
When something hits you just right, there's simply no denying it.
The right chord or melody that gives you goosebumps.
The right lyric that makes your eyes instantly well up with tears.
The right quote, or outfit, or meal, or piece of art that makes your heart swell and
feels like it was meant just for you. It feels like it IS you.
When that "thing" hits you, it's a bullseye right in the feels. Right in your cells.
I recently read that listening to your favorite song triggers parts of your brain related to identity, and that's why it hits so deeply.
If you think about it, it's DIVINE.
That is God.
That is Source.
That is the Universe...
That is a Higher Power in action showing you little pieces of you,
like a puzzle or a trail of breadcrumbs to be followed
so you can discover who you were created to be.
You know what's fun to think about?
That lyric, chord, or melody was created by songwriters, musicians, producers, etc., following their passion and path to deliver it to your very ears.
The quote you screenshot, framed, or literally tattooed on your body was written by someone in a moment of divine inspiration, and it made its way to you.
That outfit that makes you feel unstoppable?
That delicious meal that tastes like heaven?
That piece of art you get absolutely lost in?
All creations from designers, chefs, and artists who followed their own trail of breadcrumbs so that YOU can be inspired and perhaps find a path of your very own.
It's ALL by design.
YOU are by design.
What Resonates is Meant for You.
What resonates is meant for you for a reason! In religion, you could say it's part of God's Plan. On a spiritual level, it's part of your spiritual path or soul contract, and we're meant to follow the signs to see it culminate. Everything we're drawn towards and attracted to is a little arrow pointing the way, and our bodies often know it well before our minds comprehend it.
So, WHY do we stop pursuing what our body knows makes us feel alive and whole?
Why do we stop paying attention to our body and our path?
Because we spend more time in our heads than we do in our bodies.
Because the world around us can so easily make us forget who we were designed to be.
Because, as children, we are told who we're supposed to be through the conditioning we receive from our parents, teachers, authority figures, media, and society.
Because somewhere down the line, we stopped making time to do the things that flow so effortlessly.
Because we got overloaded with all the things we had to do.
Conditioning, programming, limiting beliefs, and emotional wounds keep us stuck right where we are, regardless of how bad it feels or how much we want something else.
Your nervous system will always choose a familiar hell over an unfamiliar heaven. - Kathy Overman
"It's Not Bear, It's a Bakery, Linda!"
What is fascinating to me is that when we want to make a change, pursue a new path, level up, and follow those crumbs, the very things we are drawn towards and want (ie. a bakery, a book deal, a business, a beauty shop) will eventually threaten our nervous system. Instead of continuing down the lighted path toward our goal, we use all of our precious, sacred energy for survival against that threat. This is self-sabotage in action, and it keeps us stuck in unfulfillment and healthy patterns that are SO VERY FAR from where we want to be.
So far from who we were divinely designed to be.
Our Nervous System's # 1 job is to keep us safe, and when those breadcrumbs start leading us into unfamiliar territory, our logical, rational, conscious mind will talk us out of it, literally telling us on repeat, "This is not what we do." The mind-body connection starts to work against us instead of for us, and we stay stuck running on the hamster wheel, using up a whole lot of energy but not getting very far!
Unknowingly, all that energy will go into survival mode, and your nervous system's fight-or-flight response will kick on. The amygdala (our fear center) doesn't know the difference between a bear, a boss, or a bakery, so you'll procrastinate, second-guess every choice, or get mad and blame the world instead of using all that energy for inspiration, action, and creativity.
Or you may freeze up with analysis paralysis....or fawn down and truly believe that you are not capable...
And there, you'll stay—angry, bitter, stuck, and unfulfilled, never pursuing the path.
Never finding that sense of peace, purpose, or success.
So, What's the Good News?
Here's the cool thing: Our body (and subconscious mind) knows and remembers exactly who we're meant to be! And there are ways to regulate, remember, and keep on trucking!
That's why we dream about it.
The conscious part of our brain is like a guard dog, keeping the threats away, but when we're sleeping (and the guard dog is snoozing away), our subconscious often shows us the way.
That's why yoga, meditation, getting lost in a song, or immersed in nature can feel so soothing and inspiring!
The guard dog calms down when we regulate our nervous system and access more relaxed brainwave states!
That's also why it feels so blissful when we're OUT of our rational, thinking minds and doing things that feel nourishing, soul-filling, or just flow, making time disappear. (Sidenote: as I am writing this, I remembered to look at the clock and just realized I was supposed to be at an appointment 30 minutes ago....I rest my case!)
It's also why when we're doing things we don't like (the things that are NOT meant for us)
time drags on, and it feels like dogshit. Why, over time, we feel it in our gut, our muscles, our throat, our joints, our soul. Our body starts to dysregulate when we're off the path for too long.
"If you can learn to hear, trust, and embrace the wisdom that lives within you, you will be able to confidently navigate your life." - Madisyn Taylor, DailyOm.com
"A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes"
Is it any coincidence that the happiest, healthiest, most impactful people on the planet are often heard saying:
"I followed my dream."
"Just doing what I love."
"I was made for this."
"This was what I was born to do."
"It was the path I knew I must take."
"Follow your heart."
They may have still felt fear, thought limiting thoughts, or faced adversity...
but they found ways to overcome,
and continued on their path despite it.
A tale as old as time is when the main character DOES NOT STOP when challenged on their quest.
They neutralize the threat (real or perceived), create a sense of safety,
find their flow, and level up, helping themselves and others along the way.
Pick a Disney movie...or really any movie or book, and that is the underlying theme:
Unlikely "hero" goes on a quest, meets an obstacle, feels fear or lacks belief, digs deep, and overcomes. Happy-ever-after. The end.
"The hero's journey is a quest for self-discovery and self-actualization, a journey to become the best version of oneself." - Joseph Campbell, The Hero With A Thousand Faces
So many dreams die when things get too hard, too scary, or too uncomfortable.
We unconsciously self-sabotage. Maybe your dream isn't to be on a Jamaican bobsled team, or to coach a rag-tag bunch of Minnesota kids to the hockey championship and defeat the intimidating opposing team that only wears black.
Maybe your dream isn't to own a business or write a book. Maybe your dream is to feel calm and peaceful in your body and mind, and in control of your life instead of feeling stuck, sick, or sad.
So, How the Heck Can We DO All That?!
Well, I can help you with that...
For two years I have been on a quest of my own.
On that journey, I gained clarity, listened to my body, became a student, followed breadcrumbs, learned how to neutralize fear and limiting beliefs when they undoubtably come, and as I slayed (and befriended) my inner dragons...I found some zen.
I'm so proud to introduce to you The Zen Flamingo Wellness Academy,
a self-guided online program that will help you:
1. Illuminate to gain clarity on who you are and what you want,
2. Regulate to create a sense of safety in the body, and
3. Investigate to discover, neutralize, and rewire at the subconscious level.
Components of this self-paced online course include:
Mindfulness- gentle, moment-to-moment awareness.
Human Design- a self-knowledge system and approach to understanding human nature and discovering how you are uniquely designed to interact with the world.
Nervous System Regulation- how to calm your body and build more resiliency and flexibility within your nervous system.
Subconscious Healing- a safe way to tap into your unconscious "operating system" and access the neurological pathways keeping you stuck.
The doors aren't open quite yet, but if this sounds like something you would be interested in, comment the word "Zen" in the comments below to join the waitlist and receive more details as they come.
Are you following any breadcrumbs in your life? No matter how big or small, share them below!
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