I think appropriately so, we talk a lot about finding your Fire over here at…LIGHT A FIRE 

*cough* could I have picked a better name?! *cough*.

But what on earth does that even mean?? Well, let’s start with your Fire first, shall we?

 

FIRE:

noun 1    a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame.

verb (used with object)  19   to set on fire.

verb (used without object) 35   to take fire; be kindled 36   to glow as if on fire

 

When looking at these various definitions, can you see yourself in any of them?…

 

• a state, process, or instance of combustion in which ignited and combined with oxygen, YOU/I give off light, heat, and flame.
• YOU/I glow as if on fire.

See what I’m gettin’ at here? YOU are the FIRE. What lies inside of you IS THE FIRE…or can be once you light that spark and allow it to burn bright.

 

This concept leads us to the idea of finding said Fire.

Yeah, that DOES in fact mean that we may have, at one point, lost our Fire. But have no fear, just because you can’t feel it now, doesn’t mean it’s not there. In fact, I can guarantee you that it IS there. I know I know, thems be some serious words, but that’s just how much I believe. And together, we’re bringing those flames back, baby!

That inner Fire, your passion for life, your love for self, your drive, your thoughts, your actions . . . it’s all there, just waiting for some kindling. Just waiting for YOU to FIND YOUR FIRE.

Ok, Jessica, great speech but how do we actually DO that? What, you thought I’d come here without some tools and helpful hints on just how to go Fire finding? I’m your health, wellness & happiness advocate and coach, I’ve got you my friend! And we’re doin’ it together.

 

Before we get started however, let’s pause for a moment to indentify a few things that may occur when we’ve lost our Fire.

 

 

There are many feelings and thoughts we will experience when our inner Fire has dimmed, or have lost it all together. Every person has a different experience, but perhaps some of these examples can help you recognize where YOUR Fire is.

 

Always remember to look at yourself as a whole being, not just made up of one or two parts. You have so many layers and aspects to who you are and where you’re at in your journey. Comparing yourself to others only suffocates your flames.

 

 

 

So here we go… whether digital or written, grab a notebook/journal of some sort (yes, there is writing involved for this one), we’ve got some actionable steps to take, and reclaim our FIRE!

 

5 Ways To Find Your FIRE:

 

1. Examine: Without judgment or excuses, take an honest look at YOU… Are you where you want to be in life? Do you love yourself? Practice positive self-talk? Do you feel good about yourself? Are you satisfied with your life? Ever experience feelings of happiness regularly?

• Ask ALL of the questions. Look at every part. Don’t be afraid to genuinely look at YOU.

 

 

2. Write down your findings: Sure, you can genuinely look at all the inner most parts of you, and be honest about what you see, but when we write things down, we are forced to come face to face with them. EEK! I know, but it’s a necessary part to growth.

• Though you might not WANT to see unfavorable things about yourself daily, it is a necessary          tool to help us down the path of acceptance and help us to better understand the work that we need to put in. And what about all of the good stuff?! Seeing THOSE things daily helps to build confidence and a greater self-love.
• Writing all we examine in ourselves is an exceptional way to document our growth, re-learn what we thought we knew about ourselves, accept the complicated beings that we are, and aid in navigating all of the above.

 

 

3. Love Thyself:  If you happen to follow  Light A Fire on Instagram, you’ll remember that we’ve celebrated the concept of ‘Loving Thyself’ for a whole month and beyond! This is KEY to finding your Fire. There are no ways around it. So if you shudder at the thought of spending time telling yourself how amazing you are, you’re in for a treat with this one! Buckle up Buttercup!

• Loving Thyself can come in many forms; words, actions, thoughts, etc. And in this step I want you to do it all! Whichever aspect of ‘Love Thyself’ feels best- do THAT! If you need all of them, do them all! Take a few days…maybe even a week? *gasp!* I know, what a crazy concept to spend so much time on ourselves! We’re livin life in the radical zone for this journey y’all!

 

• If telling yourself every 10 minutes that you are the brightest light there is, and reminding yourself of how powerful you are, do that. If you need to experience a bubble bath, and at-home facial every day, do that. When there is a thing that feeds your ‘Love Thyself’ soul every day, and it is simply to sit quietly and take care of your thoughts, do THAT.

 

• No matter who you are surrounded with, every single day, the one constant…is YOU. You spend every waking moment with your thoughts, your feelings, your emotions, your anger, your love, your YOU! So if you can’t find any love for yourself and all that makes you whole, how can you expect to ever have a flame that shines bright enough for you to find, let alone anyone else?

 

 

4. An Attitude of Gratitude: Get out those pens, pencils, and typing fingers again for this one! Simply… write down what you are grateful for. Every. Single. Day.

It’s been shown that when we focus on the things we are grateful for we tend to feel happier, satisfied with life, and prone to feel better about ourselves.

• Your gratitude doesn’t need to come via all the money you have, or the cars you drive. Yes, it is a blessing to have transportation and the ability to pay for the things you need, but lets look deeper for this one…

 

• Perhaps you are grateful for your love of music because it has brought you so much joy throughout your life. Maybe you are grateful that your grandma taught you how to make her famous blueberry muffins because every time you make them you think of her love, plus they gave you major brownie points with that person you were trying to won over who is now your significant other *ding!*

 

• It’s the little things, it’s the big things, it’s all the stuff in between.

 

   What are you grateful for?

5. DO THE WORK:

– Do you need to see a therapist? GO. Stop putting it off.

– Do you need to start going for walks or getting outdoors because it makes your life exponentially better? GO. Stop putting it off.

– Do you want to start looking for a job that makes you feel better about yourself? Go. Stop putting it off.

– Do you want to go back to school but are afraid because you are “too old” now? GO. Stop putting it off.

– Do you want to learn a new hobby but are afraid you won’t be any good at it? GO. Stop putting it off.

– Do you want to find or rekindle your inner Fire but are afraid to take the steps because you might not like what is asked of you? GO. Stop putting it off.

 

 

Whatever the work is. It needs to be done. No one is going to do it for you.

 

 

There is only one way out, and that’s through. You’ve got to go through it to get to the other side. And you’ve got to believe that you CAN.

 

DO. THE. WORK.

 

Now, was that so scary?

I know it gets a lil real deal Hollyfield when we’re in the thick of it, but trust me when I say, your best YOU is waiting on the other side. Your FIRE is there, with embers burning, just waiting for you to re-light them.

 

Take these 5 steps, then take them again whenever needed. These tools will never stop working for and with you, so long as you are willing to work with them.

 

I love you. GO FORTH!

~Jess