Sometimes It Takes a Leap of Faith

I'm guessing you've heard someone say, "I'm sabotaging myself." You may recall saying it yourself. I've always found that statement unsettling because it leaves me feeling powerless. Saying "I am sabotaging myself" doesn't point to anything I can change. It makes me feel like there is this amorphous, unidentifiable thing running my life that I have no control over.

Remember the Star Trek TV series? There were many early episodes where an entity in the form of a ball of light would flit around the room and then disappear into someone's body. The moment the ball of light entered the person's body, it took control of that person's life. When something is sabotaging my prosperity but I don't know what it is, it feels like something is controlling my life and I feel helpless to do anything about it.

In her book, Claiming Your Self-Esteem, Carolyn Ball reveals the identity of this faceless entity that impacts our prosperity, for better or for worse. It’s our self-esteem. There are many books that speak to the impact of self-esteem. What I found helpful about her work is that she pinpoints what builds and erodes self-esteem on a behavioral level in a way that puts us back in control. What I’ve found in my own life is that the single most important thing that begins building my self-esteem is when I listen for, trust, and follow my intuition … that still, small voice within. When I speak up, stand up for myself, follow those inner promptings it’s like this little girl inside of me jumps up and down with joy!

It was a revelation for me when I realized how self-esteem impacts my faith and, as a result, my prosperity. The gatekeeper to my prosperity, to a large degree, is me and the key to opening that gate is building my self-esteem. Some of the ways low self-esteem has shown up on a behavioral level include saying "yes" when I want to say "no," being afraid to raise my rates or bill for all of my time, putting up with bad behavior in relationships, keeping my needs small … to name a few. Even if I know what I want, it takes self-esteem and faith to decide to go for what I want, to take action in the direction of my desires, and feel deserving of having what I want. It takes a leap of faith.

What I’ve learned is that when I don’t trust my deepest knowing it causes me to make choices that are out of alignment with who I am and what's important to me. When I’m not true to myself, it ultimately erodes my self woth. Being out of touch with my inherent worth, the tendency is to start looking for my worth outside myself which can set up a chain of decisions that result in betraying myself in big and small ways … especially lack.

Eric Butterworth said in his book, Spiritual Economics, "Any person who is experiencing lack is, in some way, living in opposition to the universal flow."

In what ways do you see yourself living in opposition to the "universal flow?" Do you see a connection between your self-esteem and the choices you're making that keep you stuck living in opposition to the universal flow?

Saying yes to your deepest knowing and opening to an expanded vision may call you out onto the skinny branches and require courage. Stepping out in faith requires being bold, claiming your wants and needs, standing up and speaking up for yourself … letting your voice be heard.

My husband, James, loves acronyms. He came up with this acronym … When you say Y.E.S. to being true to that still, small voice inside … You Engage Spirit.

If you want support for saying Y.E.S. to where you’re being called, I invite you to schedule a complimentary Discovery Session with me.