External v. Internal Inputs

So let's start by touching on the difference between external and internal inputs. External inputs are information and resources outside your being. It could be

• Your friend or family member's opinion
• An article you read or podcast you listened to
• A Google search
• Social media

Whereas internal inputs are resources from within your being. I like to think of these resources coming from 1 of 2 sources.

1. The inner sanctum holds your highest good as its sole intent. It's the richest, purest wisdom available to you.
2. Internal stories are the external beliefs you've adopted to be your inner truth. And sometimes these stories are so engrained that you know them to be true.

To help make this more relatable and tangible, here are a few stories that illustrate what it looks like to access and rely on external and internal inputs.

New Apartment

A dear friend outgrew our living/working space. She'd been living there for quite some time. And the apartment wasn't serving her like it once did. So she decided it was time to find a more spacious apartment.

While she looked at many places, she found one apartment she thought could work. Yet, her intuition said it didn't feel right. But after describing the place to her friends - they applauded her for manifesting her new place to live. Their positive, supportive thoughts affirmed what she wanted and awakened her ego. But it pulled her away from her intuition. So ultimately, her ego overrode her intuition. 

Thankfully the Universe supported her as the apartment fell through before the papers were signed. And before she found *the* place, she spiraled into the inner stories that were still so much a part of her - despite the work she'd already done over her life. And while she knew these were stories and not her truth - they were still heavy and overwhelming. They got in the way of her accessing her inner sanctum that held her highest good. But, like a Disney story, her story has a happy ending. She found her place. 

Mount Shasta Property

Another friend dreams of owning a home near Mount Shasta in Northern California. She lived there for several years before returning to the San Franciso Bay Area. She has clear expectations of what she's seeking and has been looking at properties near Mount Shasta for months - if not a year. Unfortunately, none of them seemed quite right. 

In parallel, she's also at crossroads in her life - both in her career and in relationships. She's relied on close friends, family members, and trusted advisors for guidance and direction. And the feedback she received made her feel more confused and sometimes annoyed or hurt.

So recently, she visited a property at Mount Shasta with a good friend and trusted realtor. This time, she asked her friend and realtor to share only the facts about the property and hold their thoughts so she could get still and see how *she* felt about the property. How her inner resources reacted to the land, the home, and the space.

She received a clear signal that this was not the property for her - even though it checked every one of her requirements. And this felt good. But she wanted to double-check herself. So she asked to see the property again later that day. And once again, she received an undeniable "no ."And when she was still in the space, she learned her dream home and property does indeed exist - it's just that it appeared to her too soon. And this felt good! 

My Story

Over the last month, I've been head down and focused on my healing practice - getting crisp in who I can help, what they're experiencing, what they need, and how I can serve. But, as I moved through this work, I noticed my pattern of looking to external resources for input. And while these dear friends have shared incredible insights and offered brilliant ideas and suggestions - I found myself swimming in ideas and information. And sometimes the swimming was questionably drowning - ha! 

And what I recently realized while in the thralls of this - is that I lost my connection to my Higher Self and the team of Guides that I regularly work with. So here's how I arrived here.

Last week, I was doing yoga with a dear friend. In this particular session, I noticed the cycle of vinyasa repeating. At first, it felt good to ease into a pattern that I'm familiar with. I got into a flow that became a rhythm. Then after a while, my body temp is elevating. I'm getting warmer and slightly annoyed that we're stuck in a rut. And just when I started to sit with that stuck feeling, we moved into another pose. 

Here's why I share that. During that experience, I realized I fell into a rut as I worked to build my healing practice. I slipped into a familiar pattern of seeking external input to guide me. And while I certainly need that for my work, I also need to access my inner wisdom. The guiding light that steers me right. The lifesaver tossed to me while I swim, ahem drown, in the river of external input. 

So in this story, I need both external and internal puts to move through this situation.

Full Circle

So. Let's come full circle. Through these stories, you can see how essential it is to discern the type of input you need at a crossroads in life. For example, you may need external information to learn a new skill or craft. Even to support your yoga practice. But, you also need internal inputs from your inner sanctum that hold your highest good - your authority and agency. And even when your inner stories surface as "inner truth," you can view them as opportunities to continue to unravel and unwind those gripping beliefs to free yourself even more.

I see and honor the divine in you.

Bye, friends.