Why Alignment Is So Important To A Life Of Fulfilment It's so important that both our intentions and actions are in symphony with each other in order for alignment to be something that protect us and nurtures us at the same time.

We hear the word alignment more and more in our everyday conversations. And for those of us who wish to be conscious leaders, it's imperative that we are aligned in our values, which then help us make better decisions and choices, and fundamentally protect our energy and give us both fulfilment in both life and work

So, what is alignment? Alignment is a position of agreement or alliance to a cause, situation, or person. In essence, when we align with something, we are in agreement with it. This is often our settled position towards something we see. It encapsulates our thoughts, choices, and direction in life. Most importantly, it honors our core values protecting our joy and peace. It's so important that both our intentions and actions are in symphony with each other in order for alignment to be something that protect us and nurtures us at the same time. In addition, if we can master how to be better aligned with our projects and the people we go through life with, I guarantee that our lives will have more purpose and joy.

But to do this, we need to be continually clear in and with our own minds, be descriptive and clear with our words, say exactly what we want, and be precise with ourselves and others. If we end up in a situation where we become out of alignment, that's when we start to lose focus, we start to second guess and question our choices, thoughts, and decisions, and we can't afford that to happen. For instance, if we think of a wheel on a car or a bike, when the wheels are aligned, the journey is smoother and safer, and we have a greater sense of control. We will also have more agility and more flexibility to adjust and respond to situations.

But even if you don't feel like this now, be encouraged in knowing that when a rocket shuttle launches into space, though it is constantly recalculating, it's also constantly realigning itself with its main objective and course. Most of the time, it needs to be brought back to the right point of reference, and that only comes by knowing your purpose, knowing what your core values are, and knowing what life you are really wanting to live. I wanted to dig into the importance of alignment a little deeper, and that's why I caught up with Dr. Petra Frese, an intuitive scientist who's the founder of Peak Mind Academy. Here are excerpts from my conversation with Dr. Frese:

Dr. Petra Frese, founder, Peak Mind Academy. Source: Peak Mind Academy

What are the problems we can run into if we are not in alignment with ourselves?

When we are not in alignment with ourselves, we are not true or in agreement with ourselves, that means we are not living an authentic life. When we are trying to pretend to be someone else, or trying to satisfy somebody else's values, wishes, and expectations, we inevitably create friction within ourselves. That friction consumes a lot of energy, and it leaves us feeling exhausted and depleted. That in turn leads to stress, feeling overwhelmed and heightened anxiety levels, which might, over time, manifest in physical symptoms and even illness. Therefore, it is crucial to be true to ourselves, to live a life in alignment with our values, and to keep mind and soul in congruence.

Why is alignment so important to a life of fulfilment?

Living a fulfilled life means to live a meaningful and happy life. We only can give meaning and create an impact when we are in alignment, which means to be in agreement with our soul's plan and life purpose. Being in alignment is having body, mind, soul, and spirit in perfect balance. When we are in balance, we are healthy, and we can use our energy potential to build, create, invent, lead, and become a visionary. Only when we are in alignment can we master the voyage, and embrace the adventures that life has to offer and can overcome its challenges. When we are in alignment with ourselves, challenges do not necessarily become less challenging, yet we have the potential to grow and evolve, and we will get to the other side of the obstacle being much stronger and wiser. Think of a tree that lost a branch due to a severe storm. It will end up having a scar, but the tissue will be thicker and stronger and more resilient, and it will regrow new branches to rebalance itself to withstand the future storms, for sure. So, the tree will grow much stronger and wiser.

How can we overcome trauma through alignment?

Following the analogy of the wheel and tire, trauma creates an imbalance in the wheel, and the rim gets untrue, out of alignment, and the ride, the journey of life, becomes bumpy. Only if we re-align and stabilize the tire, we can then have a smooth and gentle ride. First and foremost, we need to emphasize that the trauma happened to us has happened in the past. We have survived. We are here. We are breathing. The ding in the wheel that happened in the past was the root cause of the misalignment. This identification is the first step in the process to overcome the resulting issues, that might be for example addictions of any sort, burnout, or post -traumatic stress disorder, just to name a few. When we heal from the root cause by realigning with ourselves, we can overcome all accompanying symptoms, and create the healthy and fulfilled future we are longing for. Coming back to the wheel analogy, it would translate to the fact that a rebalanced wheel does not allow you to identify where the original ding even was. The past is the past, the present is the present, and the future is going to be how we create it from the present moment.

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What do you say to someone who continually finds themselves misaligned, constantly making the wrong choices, and having the wrong thoughts?

Hmm, that is a tough one. Here, we get to the nuts and bolts of coaching or mentoring. Nobody else but ourselves can align us with our soul's core values and purpose. If someone is constantly making the wrong choices and having the wrong thoughts, which, by the way, nobody does on purpose (at least I have not met anyone doing that), they have not learned or accepted their main responsibility yet, which is being the leader of their own life. An excellent coach guides and accompanies you to get to know yourself better than you ever have before. They encourage and empower you to live your truth and values, as well as to stand up for yourselves, no matter what. What I mean by that is to connect you with your own power, and provide you with the tools to respectfully, firmly, yet gracefully live up to your highest personal standards. Always be an authentic, tolerant leader, and earn yours and others' respect every day. Being in alignment enables you to run like a perfectly greased cogwheel in a Swiss watch movement. In other words, a perfectly aligned wheel is an essential asset to a larger setup like the workplace. As a highly aligned leader, you will be able to inspire for more productivity, efficiency. and profitability, which inevitably results in joy and fulfilment.

What are the best and practical ways we can align ourselves with our own core values?

There is a plethora of methods and tools available to get to the core of our being, to our soul, and to our most fundamental values and beliefs. It is important to find out whether these beliefs are our own, or have been imposed on us. Getting clear on our very own core values will allow us to align and live an authentic life. Excellent suitable methods for this include meditation, mindfulness, hypnosis, or any method that guides us into a transcendent state of mind.

I would like to share with you a practical exercise that does not require an altered state of mind to find out your truth.

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. (If this is not possible for you, any other position is okay as well. It is just more profound to feel the difference when you can stand up.) Gently put your open hand on your throat, and cover your neck. Say out loud something you know for sure is your truth. For instance, say your name and feel the vibration: "My name is Mark." (As an example, I use Mark here. Please use your own name.)

Now slowly, in small steps, let your hand slide down with your palm pressed on the front of your body. Continuously repeat your sentence out loud, and notice your vibration. How far down can you feel it vibrating? Can you feel it in your hand at the whole chest area? Ideally you can feel it down to the breastbone.

Now choose a sentence, which is not your truth. As an example, "My name is Petra." (Only if your name is not Petra!) Repeat the sequence. How far down are you able to detect a vibration now? Do you recognize that the vibration stops very far up, closer to the throat? If your statement is true to your inner self, you will feel the vibration way down to the breastbone. If the statement is not in alignment with your inner truth, even if your conscious mind might be thinking it is, the vibration will stop much closer to the throat level. This is a powerful and easy way to connect to your inner wisdom.

Now, say something you are not sure about whether you want it or can do it. When you know this is your truth, practice saying it. Use your hand, and repeat your truth-statement until you can feel the vibration down to your breastbone. Notice how good it feels to be in sync with yourself. Commemorate how wonderful it feels to be in harmony.

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