Every parent knows that parenting sometimes sucks.
Not in the sense that it’s a joyless pursuit, but in the sense that it demands energy.
Conscious parenting demands our, time, money, patience, sleep, and countless other resources. And this is why it’s essential to consistently replenish ourselves from within.
You’d never embark on a long road trip with an empty gas tank. And yet, how many times do we engage our kids empty of tranquility, patience, and emotional resilience? I call this “running on empty,” and it just doesn’t work, either in the short or the long run. We cannot pour from an empty cup. We can’t provide an environment of love, guidance, compassion, and optimism for our kids if we’ve been depriving ourselves of those things.
In this 2-part blog, I’ll share six powerful energy mastery practices for replenishing your inner resources so you can show up at your best. Because when your energy is aligned and you’re nourished from within, parenting no longer sucks; it’s life-giving.
Practice #1: Prioritize your own alignment.
Most of us were raised with a “Do as I say not as I do,” philosophy, which is based on a deeply flawed premise. Our words and actions have power only when our energy is aligned with them. In the energetic universe in which we live, there is no such thing as faking it. The universe and everything in it – including our kids – does not respond to our words. It responds to our energy.
As parents, we set the energetic tone for our kids and for our households. We are the nucleus from which everything else flows, and therefore our personal alignment must be priority #1.
Prioritizing your alignment means carving out time in your schedule for things that fill you up, inspire you, and balance your energy. This could be meditation, vigorous exercise, or being in nature, or dancing or knitting… The activity itself is not important; how you feel during and after the activity is what matters. The more you fill yourself from the inside out, the less parenting will suck from you, because you’ll be giving from a full cup.
Practice #2: Clarify within yourself the type of parent you desire to be.
Every amazing accomplishment begins with a vision. In the presence of a parenting vision, our words and actions become intentional and guided. Without one, parenting sucks, and we feel like we’re just trying to make it through another day.
To begin clarifying your parenting vision, reflect on your strongest desires at this stage of your parenting journey. What values do you most want to nourish within your family and within your kids? And what daily, weekly or monthly choices could you make in order to bring this vision to fruition?
Your parenting vision is a direct reflection of what you value, and of the type of lifestyle you desire to create. And when your daily choices are aligned with this vision, the natural result is happiness and ease.
Practice #3: Use your emotions as guides.
Contrary to what most of us were told growing up, there are no “good” emotions and “bad” emotions. Emotions are simply energy in motion. In other words, emotions are nothing but vibrational frequencies traveling at different rates of speed. Some frequencies are fast-moving, resistance-free, and therefore pleasurable to experience. Others are slow-moving, laden with resistance, and therefore uncomfortable.
But every emotion – whether painful or pleasurable – carries a message about our inner state of alignment. The better we feel, the more aligned we are. And anytime we feel bad, it’s because we’re giving our attention to some thought, perspective, memory or projection about the future that opposes something we desire to create.
To release any unwanted emotion, begin by allowing yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling.
When your children are having an uncomfortable emotion, give them permission to feel and express it. Do your best to suspend judgment. Remind yourself that emotions are simply energy-seeking expressions.
Next, allow yourself to tap into the underlying message that your emotion is trying to convey. What you’ll discover is that “negative” emotions always come bearing a message about what you don’t want, and about what you would prefer instead. Allow yourself to receive this message fully.
Lastly, once you’ve identified what you don’t want, use this information to clarify what you DO want instead. Give all of your attention to that expanded reality, and imagine yourself magnetizing into your experience all harmonic frequencies. Commit yourself to this new vibration, and thank yourself for decoding the evolutionary message encoded within your emotions.
Remember that your children are growing within your vibrational atmosphere. In the same way, you water and fertilize your garden, you must tend to your own personal energy alignment. When you’re aligned within yourself, you attract harmony in all aspects of your life, including with your children.
Christy Whitman is an energy healer, Master Certified Law of Attraction Coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Having It All: A Woman’s Guide to Unlimited Abundance. Her latest book, The Desire Factor: How to Embrace Your Materialistic Nature to Reclaim Your Full Spiritual Power is on sale now at www.thedesirefactor.com. Christy communicates with, and for, The Quantum Council, a collection of non-physical ascended masters who desire to help humanity understand that we are divinely designed for well-being, abundance, success, and loving relationships. You can take the first step in aligning with and creating your desires by participating in a free 30-day program called Watch Your Words: Click here to learn more; www.watchyourwords.com.
