I’ve noticed in the last few months that certain substances are affecting me differently than they used to like alcohol, marijuana, and caffeine. I used to really enjoy a joint or a cocktail now and then but recently they make my heart pound really hard like I’m working out or something. I’ve also noticed I need less sleep and have more energy than I ever remember having before. I’ve released a lot of resistance this year and I’m wondering if these things are affecting me differently because I’m at a higher vibration. When we release a lot of resistance, is it normal for things to change like this? Thanks so much!
Caitlin
Inner Drives the Outer In All Ways
Everything we do externally is motivated by something internally, no exceptions. Our actions and impulses don’t just materialize out of thin air. There is always a reason for what we are doing–we are being motivated by some sort of thought, feeling, belief, fear, desire,etc… So as we change inside, what human us does on the outside will naturally change. Our inner world is the true level of ‘cause’ and it all starts here, ALL OF IT.
This can be very disconcerting as we break out of old patterns, lose interest in things we may have liked doing before and the like. Even when we want to release a particular behavior, our mind can still cling to it. It doesn’t like change, even when that change is positive; it likes what is familiar, even if it isn’t ideal.
This is just one of the million ways our mind is kind of fucked up, and why you really don’t want to let it dominate your personal growth journey, why we want to stop imposing it on the world of heart, emotion and spirit. It doesn’t understand it, it never will. It has very different goals, a very different agenda, and it will sabotage us at every turn.
Our ego is very attached to what it sees as ‘you.’ We may have a very fixed idea of what we are like, what we are not like, what we like, what we don’t like, what we value and what we don’t value. You may have even spent quite a bit of time deliberately cultivating a certain identity, a certain personality, wanting to be seen in a certain way. Some of this may hold up over time, but a lot of it will change. When our sense of ‘identity’ is challenged, it can really knock us off balance.
Ryan said something very profound to me recently regarding this journey…you never know who you are in the process of becoming. It’s kind of a big mystery. In one way, it’s exciting, but in another, it’s kind of scary. Not just because of the ‘unknown’ element, but again, because our ego is very attached to whoever you are now for a number of reasons.
The chief reason is it being familiar with this version of you and being extremely adept at ‘handling’ it. It doesn’t like this whole ‘wild card’ element that comes with this journey, especially a journey it knows is threatening its hold on you, that is making you see it in a different light, a very unflattering one at that.
If you are doing things that ultimately feel right, that make you feel better, just go with it. You’re definitely not on the ‘wrong’ track proceeding in this fashion. Just do your best to not let your mind pull you back into ways of being that are no longer resonant.
Moving On From Pain Minimization
Caitlin specifically referenced experiencing drugs and alcohol differently. Drinking and drugs can be super-fun, let’s be honest, and when used in a ‘healthy’ way, I personally don’t see a problem with these things.
But for even the most casual, social user, it can’t be denied that at the very core, we like using these substances because it alters our consciousness in some way, it brings us into a different reality, it helps us ‘escape’ this one. Again, really not a problem inherently, and can be fun.
Once you start feeling better, this need to ‘escape’ this current reality may wane a bit, even for someone who just does these things infrequently or with that more aforementioned ‘healthy’ energy. And like she experienced, it may not only be lack of interest, but you might even have negative experiences with these things now.
The exact reasons are very personal and there is no one across-the-board meaning, but I imagine a big part of it is a manifestation showing these things are just not in alignment with you anymore. It is also possible we didn’t enjoy doing things as much as we thought, and that dissonance is more obvious now.
Maybe this will change and she will indulge in these things in an enjoyable way or maybe she loses interest altogether…either way, it’s fine.
The inner motivation to do these things is no longer there, and they are not serving the same purpose they once did.
Many of our ‘habits’ are meant to minimize pain, and once you move from that to maximizing well-being, we usually don’t feel the same pull.
For example, if you really like shopping and it’s one of the ways you boost your energy and fill the ‘void,’ you may find that as you begin to experience a higher vibe, and stop looking to the outside so much to make the inside better, the urge to engage in ‘retail therapy’ dies down.
You finally start to understand on that emotional level, not just intellectual, that another pair of jeans or the latest iPhone , while perfectly fine to want, are not going to give you the emotional payoff you are hoping for. You know that the key to inner peace isn’t redecorating your living room yet again.
You may still want certain material possessions, but the value you place on them changes completely. Our mind tends to think in extremes and what not, and there is this idea that you either care about material possessions a lot or if you become ‘spiritual’ or whatever, you won’t care at all, with nothing in between.
Considering we have to live in this world everyday, caring about the contents of that experience makes sense. I’ll take a mansion over a mud hut any day. Extremes in any direction are never good. Unless someone is feeling really drawn to some super-ascetic lifestyle in a genuine way, going too far in that direction can be just as damaging as rampant materialism and consumerism.
You can still care about the material, physical world and want to enjoy it, but again, how you view these things and the role they play in your life will likely change significantly.
Primarily, you may feel drawn to things that you truly need or are particularly beneficial to your life in a more meaningful way, like the high-end juicer that will help take your nutrition game to the next level, or a gadget or service that will save you precious time, your most valuable commodity.
You may still enjoy nice things and care about your home looking nice or being dressed nicely or whatever, but again, the value changes and you see these things more for what they really are–things that we can enjoy, things that are nice to have,things that can make our human experience more convenient, comfortable or pleasurable, but not the end-all-be-all of your existence, not any indicator of your worth as a person.
You realize you don’t ‘need’ any of these things, and I always like that feeling. You will enjoy all the stuff you want to manifest a FUCK TON more if you are able to drop the ‘need.’
Anyway…bit off track there. So yeah..the energy we are looking to ‘suppress’ with the behaviors and actions is no longer there, so the behavior no longer seems necessary. It is no longer rewarding because it is no longer treating any sort of ‘pain.’ We aren’t getting the same ‘buzz.’ that warm, fuzzy feeling of the pain being temporarily ‘blanketed’ because the pain really isn’t there anymore.
This isn’t to say you will no longer take enjoyment in anything outside of you, but you may find that things you did enjoy before are not as enjoyable. A lot of things you want now may not be what you continue to want as you change, because again, the ‘wanting’ was stemming from a desire to quell some sort of negative feeling, to squash some sense of inadequacy or not feeling good enough.
For example, you may desire certain material possessions right now because at the root, you think getting them will lend itself to some particular image you are trying to project to others. But as you become more focused inward and realize that is where you really need to focus on to be truly happier, you no longer worry so much about what other people think of you, so acquiring these items no longer seems important.
Inner Energy is Always Available
Have you ever been having a bad day, you get good news and all of a sudden, you are feeling great, all crap forgotten? Feeling depressed and then the guy who you were waiting on to call finally does, and all of a sudden, you have a pep in your step, excitedly getting ready to meet him? Feeling exhausted, but then your husband calls, surprising you with a really cool outing, and you are wide-awake, ready to have some fun?
The change in how we feel is instant; where did the energy come from? It was always there. We just usually aren’t tuned into it because like in these examples, it kind of gets obscured by the crap, and we only feel better when something outside happens to warrant this change in our emotional tune.
So much of our physical lethargy is really emotional at its root. We feel overwhelmed by life; we don’t take care of our emotional health. Sometimes our emotional crap is so heavy it feels like it has an actual physical weight to it. And this is all draining as shit.
As you begin to lighten your load energetically, you will feel physically better in many ways. You may need to sleep less, especially if you used sleep as an escape from your feelings and just life in general.
In the past, I would nap much more frequently and for quite long periods too…looking back, much of that was fueled by a low-grade depression. When I truly started feeling better in a deeper way than I had ever before, the napping became much less frequent, even when I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. These days, I tend not to nap like that unless I am truly, physically tired.
General vibe management is great for harnessing this inner energy, for keeping the ‘emotional’ ick in check so it doesn’t bury you and drain your life force. So it is probably a good idea to start doing all the shit you say you want to to feel better overall, but for some self-sabotaging reason, still aren’t doing, whether it’s taking that yoga class, not saying yes to every damn thing being asked of you or making more time for your hobbies.
Your Turn
What did you think of the post? Have you changed in any surprising ways since you started working on your energy? Looking forward to your comments as always.
Have a question you think would make a good blog post? Submit it here.
I know someone who has changed a bunch since doing inner work…..myself 🙂 Funny too how our values change, and what delighted us prior, disappoints us, sometimes, now. Or the BIGGEST DEAL and most exciting ever in the past is now cool, but no big deal. Neat how the inner world molds everything.
This change in what we want and what ‘excites’ us can certainly throw us for a loop but if we remember it will be ‘replaced’ by something else perhaps more higher energy and meaningful, we can still have that ‘excitement’ and ‘looking forward’ to stuff that we like and is fun.
Hi Kelly, this is so true. When I was in my 20s and 30s I used to drink (a lot!) to feel better. Even up until a few years ago I needed a drink or two with dinner or after a stressful day or I didn’t feel normal.
Since the huge vibrational changes in my life in the last couple of years, where I got out of an abusive marriage, and took up meditation and yoga, alcohol has a negative effect on me. I never drink at home (and if I do I regret it instantly) and I will only have one high-quality drink if I am out socially. I feel so good all of the time now that the substance affecting my body makes me feel worse.
I can now see why bad things often happen when there is a lot of drinking and drug taking going on – fights in and around bars and clubs for example – it can be a place of relatively low vibration where people who gather there may not be feeling so good about themselves (and I used to be one of them). Interesting!
Hi AC
Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Alcohol never agreed with me and even small amounts would make me sick so at some point I just stopped altogether and haven’t had a sip since. When I think of certain darker periods in my life, I am kind of glad it was that way because while I can’t say for sure, if I drank, it is very likely I would have used that to self-medicate excessively. So I think I might have dodged a bullet. It is interesting to see how that inner change makes it very easy to stop doing things we would probably think would be hard to stop doing because our current headspace is still being influenced by our kinky energy, we still want the ‘thing’ in the present moment,etc… It sounds like you were really committed to your well-being and made some choices that were not likely easy so awesome for you! I feel a great energy here and you are right…the element of the drinking/drugs can certainly draw a lower energy crowd. Very interesting observation! One of those things that seems obvious but we may not really think of. Thanks again for sharing your experience, I am sure many people reading your comment will find it insightful and encouraging!
Hey thanks for your reply! BTW I have been reading your blog for what seems like years now and also listening to your podcasts. I notice you are up to one hundred and forty something now – I remember listening to your very first one! You’ve come a long way! Well done on the work you are doing. I think every person who blogs about LOA is truly leading edge and educating the world on this much needed knowledge. I know it’s been instrumental in the amazing changes in my life ever since I turned to it about 4-5 years ago. I’ve gone to flat broke to having a healthy bank balance and still going and from misery to happiness. Happy New Year and wishing you and Ryan all the best for 2019 🙂
This really resonated with me, and you’re absolutely right. I’ve found the same thing to be true as far as no longer having a desire for things I once felt I “needed” as I’ve grown this year.
I began 2018 having had a pretty major shopping addiction for a couple years but wanting to curb it completely and start to save rather than spend. I also had a few other lessons that I knew I needed to learn (I was in a horrible space energetically, had gone through recent intense heartbreak and thing after thing just kept going wrong, but I also just kept laughing about it because it was all so ridiculous to be happening all at once). I’d learned about the LOA yeeeaars ago from the Secret when that first came out, and I’d believed it back then because manifesting the smaller things had always come quite easily to me. I’m generally happy with a good outlook so it’s easy for me to feel great, but then I found out that when I feel bad, I manifest more bad things quickly, too. So, I went into 2018, looking for a change, looking to see what I was doing to bring these things into my life, and that’s when I found your blog and a few others that helped me realize that I needed a heavy mindset change. I had some beliefs that were really screwing with me, and you helped me see that by digging at the root when things would pop up, I could change those beliefs.
For example, to end the shopping addiction, I had to look inside and figure out WHY I felt like I needed to shop. What was I getting out of that and was it something that I could get in a healthier way? I later realized that it was just a need for approval and to impress people by owning all of this cool stuff, and I’m like whyyyy do I even care about that? Do I REALLY care about that? I decided I didn’t… that my own approval of myself was worth far more than anyone else’s and that not having the extra money actually made me feel worse than having the “stuff” did, and just like that…. the desire to shop was gone. I still buy things, but, like you said, rather than clothes or random cool items, it’s for useful things that make my life easier. That alone was a huge step for me because I had been spending THOUSANDS on clothes that I never even wore. So for anyone with an addiction like that, it’s definitely some underlying void that needs filled, and sometimes it’s a stupid one that, once you really actually about it, you realize you don’t even really care about that. haha. Or it’s something that can be filled in healthier ways.
I am forever grateful for the help you’ve given through this blog. You are SO real about how you teach the LOA and it’s in a way that truly helps people clear out their old baggage. Few people talk about having to really get in there and feel things in order to let that stuff go, and I love that you do because it’s clearly important. I have grown leaps and bounds in 2018 and have been through some pretty traumatic experiences this year that I would NOT have handled as well as I did if I had not done the growth work that I did before those things happened. I am looking forward to continuing to grow and get back on track in every aspect in 2019 and am looking forward to more insights from you! 🙂
Hi April
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your experience so in detail. I really enjoyed reading it and seeing how you processed things and came to such profound realizations that actually once realized, make it much easier to change habits that seem hard to change. But once we truly get into the space of healing our crap as the primary motivator, we can more easily override our mind’s self-sabotaging tendencies that make these behaviors seem so seductive or ‘necessary’ and that we just can’t help ourselves. It’s like…why the HELL would we do all this? Like you found, the pain of not having the money felt worse so it was easy to change a behavior that would directly address that. Great stuff here and I know anyone reading this will find it very insightful. And it is so nice to hear that you find my work such a helpful resource and it resonates so strongly. All I can relay is my own experience and dealing with my ‘crap’ did more for my energy and influencing my external experience than any positive focus on what I wanted, energy activation to get thing or that thing,etc…. So for people that resonate with that approach, I think they will find similar results. And it gets what you really want, which is to feel better. And the stuff comes ANYWAY…so seems like a good deal to me. Much love to you and I have no doubt your 2019 will be fab!
Hi Kelli,
Late reaction but still the best wishes to you for 2019!!
I don’t know where to put this comment and if I should but I really want to share this with you!
I remember that the first time I went on your website all the things I was reading gave me goosebumps.
I mean you are such a good writer and to me you really bring it down to what the LOA really is at its core.
Everything you say really resonates with me and I always knew there is more to life.
Now recently I found out about teachings that say.
-Everything in life is you pushed out
Life is just a literally reflection of whats inside of you, but literally everything.
The momemt someone has an argument with a friend like “Hes so stubborn”
It’s all in ourselves.
So the moment we practice changing our visual pictures and dialogue it will change.
-The only source there is is you. Stating “I am god”
When I found out about this it gave me so much goosebumps, I know that believing in an universe or just a god up there gave power and I know that if it makes us feel our best then this is our way.
But knowing that if we are literally the creator why would we give our faith to something other than ourselves?
We are the strongest we can be.
The biggest power there is, is all in us.
-Visualizing from the end result instead of visualizing us in it.
Now there is the possibility to visualize enjoying the ride and the possibility to already visualize at the end.
What this does is that it immediately gives the energy of that its a done deal.
When you can hear and feel that its already there, picturing a scene of the end result and cultivating all those strong feelings.
-Revising
Whenever something on a day didn’t go the way we wanted we sit down and re-create the scene but we now re-create it with the desired way.
I am really curious to your point of view about this.
I really love your work and I really wanted to share this with you because you are amazing!
Much love to you,
Marcel
Hi Marcel
Thanks for your lovely comment…as always, so profound and thoughtful. It seems you are asking about visualizing in particular? I think it can be a really powerful tool because our mind responds emotionally to what we think about as if it were real, and when we are thinking ‘good’ things this is a good thing. Visualizing can also be good for helping us uncover resistance because when we think about what we want, it tends to ‘kick up’ all our stuff around it, and if we are willing to then explore the stuff, and not just ignore it, great insights. But like any ‘tool’ it isn’t manifesting in and of itself so we never want to give too much power, we don’t want to hold it responsible for the transformation because it actually can’t do anything for us independent of our energetic transformation and willingness to release energy/beliefs that aren’t serving us,etc… Anything human us does in terms of all that is meant to faciliate inner change, which is the true root of creation.
As for the recreation of things that already happened, there can be value in doing that IF it makes us feel good but if the core energy is trying to ‘control’ things–which is the usual dominant energy with all these external resources so we have to be careful–then I wouldn’t recommend doing that. There is great power in seeing the energetic lessons in things if we intuitively feel we should look more deeply at something that happened–having a strong emotional reaction to it for example-but there is greater power usually in just shaking things off and moving on.
Bottom line…manage your energy in whatever way feels best to you and actually accomplishes the goal of facilitating inner shifts. There is no right or wrong way to do this, no way that works better than another,etc… Essentially we need nothing, and it is a very personal thing.
Hi Kelli,
I kinda wrong wrote my question.
Basically what main LOA teaches is that we trust in an universe or god, something higher than ourselves.
But this teaches(Neville Goddard if I am allowed to say that) that we are god “I am god” we are the only source there is.
When we get mad or think of someone we are giving away our power.
Everything, even the tiny things and conversations are just reflection of inside.
Most LOA(on the internet) when visualizing talk about visualizing of it.
But this teaches visualizing from it, that its already a done deal.
I was kind of curious what your thoughts are about those specific teachings ( and the difference between it)
Both visualizings have their strength but personally I feel like the in the end one has more potential, now I know this is a personal preference.
I am working on creating own visualization techniques and combining other techniques with it.
I really want to evolve the LOA even more because I feel theres even more into this.
For me the “I am god” thing feels so strong because it gives us the energy that we are the highest there is.
I read a lot of things of the LOA and really trying to combine and apply everything to its fulliest.
I am so grateful to have found your website like 2 years ago to evolve in this journey!
Thank you!
Hi Marcel
I am so happy to hear my site has been such a helpful resource for you…that always feels nice to hear! I see what you are saying. I think that any perspective that makes you feel good is to be embraced. For me at least lately, the only time I really focus specifically on anything is when I feel resistance and ‘stuff’ come up around it and then I deal with it. But as far as devoting my attention to anything specific that I want with the use of any specific tool, I don’t really feel drawn towards doing that. I think this is a great example of how we can’t make logical sense of what is being said, how things seem contradictory to our mind but actually aren’t. To me, this ‘force’ is beyond us and is ‘us’ at the same time…on a feeling level, it makes perfect sense but if I were to start analyzing with my mind, I would hit a wall pretty quickly. If you just keep the bigger picture in mind that it is your energy that creates, then you don’t have to worry too much about correctly analyzing and applying a specific idea.