“It doesn’t have to be hard, just aligned,” Ashmi Path.  The effort we put into something isn’t always an indicator of the result.  The effort we put into something isn’t a gauge of our worthiness.  Sometimes we have to be strong enough to let go and allow the flow of life do what it will and that takes a different kind of strength.  When we align with the flow, things happen that we couldn’t possibly do on our own.  I’m stubborn and fearful and that has made it difficult to trust at times.  I also grew up in an intensely guilt-filled household where we didn’t trust our inherent worth and effort was absolutely used to judge what we do.  I’m not saying that we don’t need hard work or that we won’t have to work hard at some point in our lives.  I’m saying that we don’t need to put obstacles in the way that make it increasingly difficult to reach a goal.  Believing it has to be hard is one of them.

The truth is our beliefs shape the course of our thoughts which creates the reality we see.  Believing something requires hard effort and struggle to get it is a lack mentality. Working on our beliefs and changing them toward something more conducive to allowing the reality we desire instead of preventing it, is possible.  While beliefs are harder to change than ideas, shifting a belief from fear and lack to trust and abundance can start with the idea that it’s possible (whatever “it” is for us).  Once we see an alternate reality is possible, we can break down and shift ideas around how we get what we want.  Again, this isn’t to suggest that we won’t have to work, but moving something at the same frequency is far easier than fighting to bring it to a level it doesn’t belong.  Understanding the energy of the universe is key.  That means the work we do must shift—there are other ways to achieve the goal.

Sometimes we don’t consider the thoughts we have a limiting belief.  For example, we believe that hard work shows character, strong will, dedication, and says something about the type of person we are.  While hard work may demonstrate those characteristics to a degree, putting those traits down to a certain nobility skews what’s actually happening: we are telling the universe that struggle is required in all we do.  That is based in fear and lack and proving to earn worth.  How much easier is it to shift our perspective and trust that there is enough for everyone and that our path is unique to us? How much easier is it to understand what we really want and need instead of thinking we need to show our worth to the world?  And how much better does it feel spending time dedicated in the work we love over what we think we are obligated to do?  Asking those questions is a good step toward aligning with who we are and getting what we actually want.  Aligning isn’t fully about ease because it’s a struggle at times to release what we think we know.  Aligning is about shifting and each small shift we can make gets us closer to what we want.  How can you make a small turn today?