10 Ways to Take Your Awareness Practice to Black Belt Level
Even though there’s no real end destination on the healing journey of awareness, there are ways to take it all to another level and reap the rewards of a deeper practice. When it comes to living the life you crave, awareness is everything. Here are ten ways to deepen, enhance and evolve your awareness practice:
- Practice more
- Notice every word you speak
- Get clarity about what you want
- Aim your thoughts more specifically
- Practice saying no to toxicity
- Be willing to be vulnerable more often
- Detach from your judgements and outcomes
- Let others be right more often
- Live more unapologetically
- Take more action even (especially) when you’re afraid
1. What I’ve noticed about the practice and teachings of awareness is our teachers all tell us to notice our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors, and they remind us it’s important, but they don’t tell us the frequency with which we must practice to really make a dent in the constant negative or doubtful tapes we’ve been conditioned to let run in our heads.
This frequency matters. It’s the difference between a mind that’s constantly hopeful, and one that’s consistently pessimistic. And you can train yourself out of the later. Black belt level awareness means you’re creating a discipline or lifestyle out of this practice. It means you’re beginning to notice the stuff that doesn’t serve you anymore and are questioning it all. It means you’re living awake and aware most of your moments and showing up for your life as it arrives.
2. Words matter. They have energy. If you’re used to, or have the habit of trash talking (yourself or others) you gotta stop. Next level awareness of the words you speak means you’re paying attention and choosing to speak words that have a higher vibration. Think love. Think gratitude. Think joy. Think praise and compliment.
Negativity, fear and doubt, in the form of the words you speak, will keep your life in negativity, fear and doubt. Thinking about and choosing words that do the opposite will take some practice but it will be a sign you’re taking your awareness to the next level.
A note about when you have to speak up for yourself. Having been a person who’s had to practice being out loud and speaking up when something matters to me, I realize that what I have to say isn’t always going to sound perfectly nice. But I realize now that a black belt level awareness in these moments means I’m able to move my words from my heart to my tongue, even when I’m speaking up for something emotionally charged. When I choose my words like this, even when they need to be stronger words, I never feel I have to apologize for them.
3. Clarity is key. If you don’t know what you want then the awareness practice is going to feel like a waste of time. You’re here for a reason, a purpose. What is it? What do you love to do so much you lose track of time? That’s a clue by the way. Clarity should come from what turns you on and brings you mega joy.
If you haven’t given yourself the gift of some quiet time to reflect about what you really desire for this life of yours, it’s time. Clarity about what you truly desire is what’s going to give this awareness practice of yours a purpose. Without a purpose, it’s going to feel like you’re chasing your tail. And don’t worry, if you choose something today and tomorrow you change your mind, that’s clarity too!
4. Aiming your thoughts means taking care to notice what you’re thinking on a regular (daily or even hourly) basis and choosing thoughts that align with your vision. Taking awareness to the next level means you’re beginning to master your inner critic and self-sabotage. You’re beginning to notice those negative, useless thoughts and replace them with thoughts that serve you, your desires and your big vision for your life.
When you choose thoughts that serve you, you keep yourself aimed at what you truly desire, rather than letting the conditioned negativity get you down, derail you or paralyze you. Next level awareness here means you recognize the inner critic faster, shut her down, and focus on thoughts that come from your intuition or inner wisdom; which are always pointing you toward love and joy.
5. You have to get good at saying no. This goes with aiming your thoughts. You also have to start saying no to the thoughts, beliefs and tasks that feel bad, or draining. You have to get used to the feeling of saying no and being confident that you’re choosing your own health and wellbeing by doing so. Toxicity has to become a deal breaker. Next level awareness has to include the awareness of things that not only don’t serve you but are actually destructive or toxic. Your practice, if you’re going to take it up a notch, has to include saying no to things like this.
6. Feeling is healing; meaning being aware and able to feel everything is a necessary requirement of next level awareness. You have to create a new belief that your vulnerability is your strength and start to practice this, even though it might feel impossible some days.
Vulnerability will feel different for everyone, so what makes you feel that way is what to notice on your journey to another level of awareness. Start to notice your triggers; the patterns and habits you have that keep you quiet, safe and in your comfort zone. Next level awareness here means you’re consistently willing to push out of your comfort zone, feel what makes you vulnerable, and go there. Part of this practice is developing healthy boundaries and knowing when to use them.
7. If you’re attached to certain outcomes or being right about certain things, then you’re going to be stuck at a certain level of awareness. Next level awareness requires us to detach from expectations, go with the flow of what our present reality is, and not judge it as good or bad. This means we see every moment as an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve. We notice that we are the ones adding meaning to the events of our lives.
Next level awareness is a practice of detachment and non-judgement in all circumstances. When we’re aware like this we have a choice to pick thoughts and actions that align with our vision, rather than being sucked into reacting to everything happening around us.
8. Our need to be right gets in the way of our feeling happy. When we have to be right we’re in a state of defending our position, instead of waking up to what’s around us. Being right puts us to sleep and knocks us down a notch in the awareness game.
What if nobody was right or wrong, and we could all come at each other with more awareness? What if there was more ability to agree to disagree and respect each other in the process? Dr. Phil loves to ask, “Do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?” When you realize everyone comes at life from their own set of filters, conditioning, upbringing, teaching, etc… then you realize there are a lot of “right” ways to think. Black belt awareness is a level with which we treat our relationships with curiosity and an open willingness to communicate about those differing opinions.
9. In a really nice article called, “7 Things You Forgot About Life,” Steven Aitchison reminds us…
“This is your life. It’s up to you to do the things that bring you joy. The things that make your heart sing. The things that YOU want to do. It’s okay to do those things. If you’re not happy, what’s the point of all of this?”
Living unapologetically isn’t selfish, it’s required for a great life. It’s always your choice, as long as you’re aware.
10. Without action nothing good’s going to happen. Wishing and hoping are great. Positive thinking is even better. But taking action is magic. Learning to take action even when you’re terrified is black belt level mastery. If you can start to see fear as a compass pointing you in the direction of your big vision, and actually have a little more fun with it; you’re taking this all to the next level and you’ll be able to sit back and watch while things fall into place like you’ve never experienced before.
You ready to take things to the next level? You can get a FREE copy of my new eBook, 7 Badass Habits for Next Level Living HERE!
Laura Di Franco, MPT is a holistic physical therapist, published author, poet, blogger and black belt with over two decades of experience in healing. Her transformational programs combine the empowering tools of body awareness and therapeutic writing to help you learn the language of your intuition and gain the clarity you crave for your life and business. Laura’s enthusiasm is contagious and the spark that’ll inspire you to make the change you’ve been afraid to make. She’s the sherpa you’ve been looking for! Want a workshop that’ll give you practical powerful tools you can use today? Find them at www.BraveHealer.com And more free inspiration on my Facebook page HERE.
