What is one of the hardest things you have ever had to do? For me, it was learning how to take personal responsibility for my life’s experience.

I am sharing this because we enter the element of earth this month, which is all about our ability to feel firmly grounded in our selves and the world around us. It is the element associated with our sense of responsibility, ethics, security, family relationships and feelings of home. Among the things it symbolizes are prosperity, creativity, abundance, nourishment and wisdom. When it’s out of balance you can feel unsupported and suffer from feelings of worry and anxiety, disturbing your peace and sense of wellbeing.

Many of you may or may not know that I have a Masters Degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. One of the key components of the teachings in my course work was learning how to take personal responsibility in every area of my life – the physical, mental and emotional. And…it was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

I grew up in an environment where blame was the norm. Learning and embracing the principals and practices of Spiritual Psychology has given me the tools I need to live a more aligned and authentic life. There is an awareness in me now that is conscious of how I operate in the world. I can own and take responsibility for the things I say and do and how I behave. This awareness enhances my relationships and deepens my experience. I recognize when I am off and if another person is involved, I make amends.

One of the best tools I learned in life to help take personal responsibility for your emotions, behaviors and feelings came from a coaching program. It’s called Above the Line/Below the Line thinking, developed by Clarity International, and it will help you quickly shift from a negative mindset to a positive one, producing powerful results. When you find yourself in a below-the-line state, begin by focusing on the word listed as its counterpart in the above-the-line column:

 Above the Line                    Below the Line

Effortlessness                        Overdoing

High Noticing                         Habituation

Authenticity                           Self-Importance

Dedication                              Defiance

Enthusiasm                            Anxiety

Excitement                             Exhaustion

Trust                                       Fear

Each feeling has a higher corresponding vibrational frequency. DISCOMFORT is the emotion that lets you know you have reached a choice point to either fall below the line or rise above the line in your emotional reaction. If you find yourself beginning to operate from a lower perspective, pause and identify the emotion your experiencing. Refer to the chart and consciously decide to move toward the higher feeling choice listed above the line. For example, if you’re feeling fear, move to trust. You will notice a big difference in how you feel very quickly and it will change the outcome of whatever situation you find yourself in. If you would like a PDF that gives a visual and some thought provoking questions, you can find it on the Clarity International/Get Clarity website.

I hope this exercise helps you embrace the wisdom of earth so you can feel confident living your life firmly grounded above the line. Have a wonderful month of August!

In Wellbeing,

Betsy