What does your path to happiness looks like?
At one point in our lives, we stop, and say to ourselves: “Wait a minute! Is that all there is to life!”
We might have had a lot of success or very little, yet the intention is persistent and says: “I want to be happy, really!” Perhaps you got to this point, like me, with many failed relationships, unfulfilled in my work, a bankruptcy and then abundance! Perhaps not! Nonetheless, we get to a top of our first mountain, as David Brooks writes beautifully in his book: The Second Mountain. And there is nothing there apart maybe from recognition, money and/or sadness. We know begin our voyage onto a second climb! One filled with meaning but also challenging! There is a Stoic saying that says:
“It’s in the valleys of life that we grow”
I’d like to share my path here today, in the hopes of inspiring you to go onto yours! This is very idiosyncratic (very personal) to each, but every journey of a thousands miles starts with one step! Our spiritual path and transformation starts with our decision to be happy… inside! It’s possible. Not easy, but possible.
The Beginning / The Separation
I remember when I first got into this journey for myself! I had collected so many failures professionally and was constantly asking myself question like
What’s my purpose in life?
What am I here to do?
What is it that I like?
It’s one video from Brian Jonhson at Optimize (now Heroic) that changed everything! The title was: How to figure out your mission in life! That was it! That was enough for me to propel me on a very and deep interesting journey!
At first it was all about finding my mission in life, or in other words, what should I do with my work. I loved Brian’s work so much that I watch everything he had made at this point. Became a member of his community and platform, then a member for life! I was never a big reader throughout my entire life, but that shifted and I started to read many, many books! Like hundreds! When Brian offered coaching, it was only natural to reach out and pay him lots of money to get some 1:1 time with him! I was deep into the tranches of becoming heroic! When Brian and the team finally launched their Mastery program! I was among the first to sign in! I poured so many hours in this program it still baffles me! I was travelling a lot, as an executive for work at that point, and would take every second in planes and hotels to study and do my homework! I got myself a PhD in the art of living 🤣!
What does it mean to you?
Something will click for you at one point, maybe already did, whether it’s work related or relationship difficulties and you’ll say: “I do not want to live like that anymore”. Your intention to be happy and joyful about life will be so strong that you’ll send an energy out into the universe that will have to come back to you in some way, if you pay attention to the signs! For me it was Brian! For you it might be a book, one conversation, an event or the heaviness of the suffering. Listen to that call! It’s your first step onto your journey, wherever it may lead you!
There is one bit of warning that I must share with you at this point! You might be going “all in” into this journey and your ego might play tricks with you if you rush through it! Especially if you become obsessed with it like me, you may be putting yourself at risk of feeling some imbalance! Your views will start to change, you might not get along with the same circle of friends anymore and loose relations. Perhaps you’ll even turn a little bit judgmental to those that are not doing the personal development work, and that shall get you into interesting situations! I’d say, slow down, whatever age you have. You’ve got time and it’s never too late!
The Initiation
When I realized that, I started to shift from the inner work I was doing to listen to a deeper longing, an awakening of the soul! My years with Brian and Optimize were a catalyst to what was about to come:
The Dark Knight of the soul
I was confronted with big opportunities to heal parts of myself that I left unattended too for a very long time! Going back to childhood trauma, patterns and concepts that I embodied, a bankruptcy, failures in business, multiple failed relationships and a divorce! It was one hell of a ride, where I wished sometimes it would all end!
Thankfully, I was slowly shifting from the mindset of doing to the mindset of being! My spiritual life was awakening and blooming. Magically, I was blessed to experience and work one-on-one with great beings on my path! From world renowned authors, psychotherapist, spiritual masters and coaches, people that were on Oprah 😂, to healing work from the East, to spiritual experiences like family constellation and Shamans, etc.!
What does it mean to you?
You will have your own dragons to slay and it’s not going to be easy! One thing that I’ve learned is that what you stored inside of you with pain, will want to be released with pain. That’s OK if you do not fight with it, resist it! Surprisingly, it gets easier the moment you honour that and work with it, not against it! There is a reason why those difficulties keep showing up. It’s an opportunity for you to heal and grow!
Most importantly, you are not alone! Help and support is OK! There is no shame in reaching out and being honest about your process! We all go through the same thing! If some people are pushing you away, good! You shouldn’t be around them anyways during this process of transformation!
Lastly, try things out! During this journey there is no weird thing to do as long as you believe in it! What you believe in, will work out well for you :)
The Return
I can promise you that this will not happen overnight! But a transformation, an ascent like this one will get you to a very peaceful place! Some say we never get exonerated! Great masters might not have been, but they were flying high, very high to a blissful state! I can’t tell you what it looks like from that point of view because I’m still working out a few things myself! But I’ve experienced enough to have faith and know that when that love, peace and freedom are there… it’s darn good to live from that space! There is so much love and relatedness! Your life in general changes! What was once important becomes irrelevant! The material is not as attractive than the non-material, the busy empty connections to succeed in business turn into slow and deep encounters, the relationships with self and others heal and change for the better and you just feel good inside!
What is left to do then?
Give back! Serve. Enjoy. Have fun. Laugh & cry. Embrace it all and say thank you!
This was my journey until now, what is yours going to look like? I can’t wait for you to find out!
Until then, make that first step when you’ll get the call ;) and remember that you are great! You are divine!
In Peace and Love,
🙏💜
PS: For inspiration, I would recommend watching the documentary Finding Joe. Two of my coaches are in there and it’s amazing. I watch it once a year at least lol! Find it on YouTube for free!
PPS: You’ll find that the tittles of the different section of this blog are aligned with the heroic journey in the documentary! Happy watching!
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