What Exactly is Inner Work?
We all have been through rough times in the past. Some may be fresh wounds while others left behind some scars. We try to move past these incidents of the past by immersing ourselves in work and we usually think of our lives in terms of the work that we do and quantify it according to the time that we spend doing all sorts of activities, like going to work, attending meetings, responding to emails. But do you know that what goes on within you has a huge effect on how you do things in reality?
Let us understand what inner work is and how it has a huge impact on our lives. Inner work is the effort that you put into yourself; to work towards being the best version of yourself, to express yourself and focus on your growth. Inner work focuses on establishing a deeper relationship with yourself. It is a process, a journey towards transition. As humans, we grow every single day which is precisely why inner work is a lifelong process. We need to consistently work towards being a better version of ourselves
Often it is simpler to put the blame on others or the situation and try to move past it. But it is important to look into our inner selves and work towards establishing a nurturing relationship with our inner selves. Looking inward may sometimes terrify us and lead to procrastination or ignorance. Truth is, once we start taking responsibility for our feelings, we put ourselves on the path of progress.
Here I will give you some tips on how you can work on your inner selves:
Try to recognize your thoughts
We are so caught up with running our lives as per routine that we tend to not pay attention to our thoughts. Our thoughts are a window to understanding what bothers us and what it is that we need to work on. So, pay attention to your thoughts. Once you become aware of your thoughts you can decide which ones you need to work on and which ones to let go of. This is the first step toward working on your inner self and once you start doing this, you will start noticing positive changes
Note it down!
Journaling is an underrated but very effective activity. It is an amazing way to practice self-reflection and occasionally check in with yourself. Start by writing how you are feeling and put down everything that is there on your mind. Notice how you feel lighter after this activity. Journaling need not be a time-consuming process. Writing down for 5 mins a day before going to bed will work wonders for you!
Start a morning ritual
Most of us start our mornings by checking emails or the activity on our social media handles. While it may seem impossible to get rid of this habit, you can start by replacing it with another activity. All you have to do is give yourself 5 mins in the morning! Create a morning ritual around it. You can use this time to set your intention for the day, drink a glass of warm water, focus on your breath, or put forth your affirmations. Do whatever works for you and makes you feel connected with yourself.
Connect with nature
Nature is beautiful and if you love spending time amidst nature then you should make sure that you do it often. You don't need to go on long nature trails, it can be a walk in your neighbourhood garden or the local beach. Personally, spending time amidst nature has helped me connect with myself and understand what truly matters to me. Listen to the chirping of the birds and look at the beautiful butterflies. They have a way of bringing calm and joy.
Meditate
Another underrated yet very effective activity. Choose a place where you won’t be bothered by anything or anyone. In this noisy world, it is important to find silence and get in touch with your inner self. Take this time to just be present, close your eyes and try to bring awareness to your breath. Pay attention every time when you take a deep breath. Feel the chest rise as you breathe in and go back as you breathe out. Doing this regularly will benefit you immensely.
If you find it difficult to focus on doing the inner work, seek help from a therapist. The therapist will make you understand your inhibitions and provide you with solutions.
Inner work will help you become more aware of yourself and enable you to live as your authentic self. As someone who has been through ups and downs in life, you owe it to yourself to work on the inner you and become a better version of yourself!