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I read a lot of seemingly confused people in June 2010. People uncertain of their path or whether or not they were following it. I’d look into their space and definitely feel the frustration or fluster, however, to me everything looked great! Everyone’s all shiny and bright! All in alignment with themselves and their values! So wait, why all the confusion and uncertainty?

Values. And awareness. Do you know what your values are? When we are aware of our own personal values it is much easier to distinguish between whether or not we are in alignment with them. Makes sense, no?

Example: Chocolate! I know I love/value chocolate. This awareness alone creates a more mindful experience for me every time I eat chocolate. I eat chocolate and I’m both subconsciously and consciously like, “Yesssss!!!! This is goooood!” If I ate chocolate without that awareness, there would be a disconnect in the “Yessss!!!!” part of this experience. I’d still be eating chocolate, thereby clearly displaying that I subconsciously love it and energetically declaring “I love and value chocolate.”

Yet, if I never bring my conscious mind into it, I’m not as engaged in the experience and thus it may feel unfulfilling, bland, conflicting or confusing. I’d be like, “Mmmmm, chocolate is tasty. If only it made me skinny. I need a new couch. Should I stay here or move? Urgh, this chocolate is so yum I just want more. Gotta brush my teeth. . . .”

Do you get it? I’d be eating the chocolate and not realizing the depth of why I am eating it. Just going through the motions, maybe tapping into the experience here and there. My mind wanders or creates conflict and I may be left feeling unsatisfied or conflicted with the chocolate experience.

When there is lack of awareness or consciousness, then we may be acting in alignment with our values and not even realize it. We may be doing all of everything that is important to us (eating chocolate!) and perhaps forget that these things are even important to us.

C’mon, your actions originated somewhere! You! You made them up! Maybe at a time you felt it necessary to? Was there a turning point in your life? Or is it just that back in the day, you actually had time to sit and reflect? Then, fast forward five years and you’re still living your values but if feels more out of habit now (like you’re going through the motions), or you’ve forgotten why. Lack of awareness of our values = lack of acknowledgment of our alignment with self.

While in the reading space, I did not see the confusion as being a reflection of my clients’ paths or their personal integrity. For the most part, the confusion was about awareness, recognition, and acknowledgement. Most of you are exactly where you need to be, doing exactly what you desire doing. So much so, that it’s become more of a habit than a conviction.

Bringing us to the concept of ease. So, challenging moments in life can be cool because they inspire awareness. You know, like being in a relationship that just feels gross. Yuck, right? But then afterwards, we realize, “Hmm, if I hated that, then I must love and value this.” Learning through opposition. And now here you are, in the relationship of your dreams and it’s easy! And you’re asking me, “Hey, am I lost?” And I’m like, “Wait, isn’t this what you’ve always wanted? You did ask for exactly this a while back, yes?”

To me, when our values become habit and lifestyle, it is a beautiful thing! Yet, in this culture, we are not always taught to trust such beauty, ease, or comfort. When was the last time you heard, “Life is easy,” or “Trust the good?” Ok, what about these: “Gotta work hard to play hard. Hope for the best and expect the worst.” My impression is that we are taught to believe life is hard. Like experiencing difficulty validates our existence. Like, challenge = real and ease = fake. Or challenge = permanent, ease = fleeting. In actuality, ease is a reflection of us being in alignment with ourselves- not the opposite. Can you think of any of your life examples that reflect this?

Let’s start trusting the ease! Let’s rewire ourselves so that ease = permanent and REAL. Cuz it is! Trust the ease and the ease will grow.

So, what are your values? Are you living in alignment with them? Try making a list of all your values. They can be anything you want them to be! They are yours, all yours! Anywhere from health or wealth to chocolate and glitter.

Make your list, then prioritize your values. What do you value most, exactly? So, you got your list of prioritized values, yeah? Carry them with you. Put them in your phone if you need to. Next time you’re feeling a little off, check in with yourself. Look at your list and see if you are acting in alignment with your values. Most of you appeared to be acting in alignment with at least your two top values. If you look at your list and you are acting in alignment with your values, enjoy! What are you so worried about? Yes, life can be this easy!

If your actions are not reflecting your values, congratulate yourself on becoming aware of this! It is from this awareness, you can make a conscious decision and start intentfully living and creating your life. Again, easy!

After prioritizing my list, I’ve realized my top two values are love and connection. The rest of my list seems to reflect love or connection in some way to me. For example, to me health is a reflection of self-love and creates space for connection. Or, I love and value travel because it creates connection in my life. So, to check in with myself, all I have to do is ask, “Hey, Degs, you loving and connecting right now?” Easy! How I love awareness and living a conscious life! So empowering!

Intuitive Acupuncture Point

Ren 4, The Gate of Origin.

Located about 3 inches directly below your belly button is, yes, the Gate of Origin. If you have one finger on your belly button and one finger directly below your belly button on your pubic bone and you divide this distance into 5 equal parts, Ren 4 is exactly 3/5 that distance directly below your belly button.

What’s it do? So much!! Too much to write about here. The basics: It’s the front mu point of the small intestine and a meeting point of the chong, spleen, liver, and kidney channels. Huh? The small intestine is responsible for separating pure from impure- values from not-values. Being a meeting point of so many important energy – storing channels, it’s super nourishing and supportive in nature. The energy here is described as the basis of human life. This point helps increase energy and gain certainty with respect to who you are so that you may act with conviction.

Massage this point in a clockwise direction to gain clarity on what it is you value. Massage it to supplement yourself with the goods that are already within you to act on your values. Try it!