Access the Power Tucked Inside of You

Are you familiar with nesting dolls? They are a set of dolls tucked inside of one another. I’ve seen the number of nesting dolls go as high as 50. When you look at the main doll it is easy to think you are looking at just one beautiful doll. However, if you explore that one beautiful doll you will discover the “nesting” treasure trove inside.

This is equally true about the Eight Core Inner Fitness Actions below that you can use to build personal inner strength and resilience. Inside any one of the following eight actions are the other seven actions, all working together to build and maintain a strong resilient inner you. Becoming familiar with these core actions and endeavoring to put them into action in your life is sure to help you live life well and thrive. I encourage you to stretch to see how all eight actions “nest” inside of one another.

Eight Foundational Skills for Living Life Well

Envision - Have an Intention

The vision you hold for your life helps create the life you envision. Whether you are aware of it or not, you are always living your life based on a vision you hold of yourself. The questions you must investigate are, what are you envisioning? Does your vision resonate with your heart or is it a vision that has been handed to you by others? Does your vision instigate a sense of possibility or does it limit you? Having a powerful vision and intention for your life facilitates having a more conscious, creative approach to life.

See - What Needs to Be Seen

It is the obstacles we can’t see that can trip us up in life. This includes unconscious unsupportive beliefs, patterns and habits you engage that limit you. On the other hand, what you can see you can change. Therefore, become more aware of what you think, do, and believe, so that you can see what you need to see and address what needs to be addressed.

Acknowledge - Where You Are

Knowing where you are establishes your starting point for getting to where you want to be and, in large measure, dictates the course forward. Acknowledge what’s happened; how you feel; what’s possible moving forward.

Accept - Yourself Regardless of Circumstance

Being at war with your Self is never productive. It will likely create further alienation from

Self. Understanding and building a compassionate supportive relationship with yourself

builds Self-trust.

Remember - I Am More than This

“I am more” is the perfect starting point for Self-acceptance and fosters resilience. Being able to “snap back” from overwhelming challenges is a superpower; it helps you access the part of your brain that is not easily overwhelmed or bullied by circumstances.

Interrupt - Old Patterns and Thinking

The only way to redesign your life is to interrupt your old behavior and thinking. This interruption decreases engagement with your old patterns, and they atrophy from lack of use. When you interrupt and then intentionally redirect your thinking and behavior you consciously redesign your life by building new patterns and behavior.

Act - In Alignment with Your C.R.E.W.W.™

Being in alignment with your Self means walking your talk. C.R.E.W.W. is an acronym for defining your Self as innately creative, resilient, empowered to choose, whole and worthy. C.R.E.W.W. helps you remember to meet challenges with creativity, resilience, the power to choose your perspective, seeing yourself whole and unbreakable, and worthy.

Gratitude - Regardless of Circumstances

Gratitude is the feeling of heartfelt appreciation for this extraordinary opportunity called life. This appreciation overrides momentary setbacks and circumstances. Gratitude keeps the heart open to hope, a sense of possibility, enthusiasm, purpose and love. These feelings support thriving.

So how do all these actions work together? Every vision requires that you make room for it to manifest by seeing any blocks or limitations and acknowledging them, rather than resisting them; while keeping in mind that no matter the size or nature of the challenge it does not define you – you are more. This notion interrupts old patterns and strengthens your sense of your Self by reminding you to behave in alignment with your innately creative, resilient, empowered, whole and worthy Self. Your heart fills with gratitude. As you deepen into this dance with life your sense of what’s possible for your life expands.

Each of these actions has been turned into an inner fitness workout; where you learn practices and ways of seeing that keep you on track and moving forward. Checkout all our workouts at www.theinnerfitnessproject.com.

Tina Lifford plays Aunt Vi on the critically acclaimed television show Queen Sugar. The Little Book of Big Lies: A Journey Into Inner Fitness is her first book; released by Harper Collins, November 2019.