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Four Ways to Break Out of Your Tired Routine

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Our society tends to mold and shape children into tamed, domesticated adults. We’re taught from a young age that there’s a certain plan for us, and if we do our best to follow the rules, it will lead us to happiness and success. But for most of us, this arrangement does not lead to fulfillment. Instead many people end up feeling out of alignment with their true inner purpose, which leads to overwhelm, anxiety, exhaustion, feelings of resentment, and even depression. Within all of us is a spontaneous and vital soul longing to be recognized and freed. Let’s take a look at what it means to connect with your inner wildness, how to do it, and why it’s important.

Your inner wildness is your authentic voice, your true heart’s calling, your soul, and the part of you that is connected to all of Nature. Modern culture places the highest value on tangible achievements. We are trained and conditioned to behave in certain ways that go against who we are on the inside. As a result, our invisible soulful nature is most often neglected or tamed. But the reality is, we are all animals, with a raw powerful essence that longs to be expressed. Rules are important, but too much structure and routine constricts and dulls that wild soul. When that happens, it’s time to shake things up and bust out of the mold you were never meant to fit into. Here are four ways to connect with authentic inner wildness:

1. Tickle your soul by doing something different.

Start by looking at your habits. Choose one of them, and then change it. Maybe you want to stop taming your wild hair, or yo-yo dieting away the curves for which you were built. Literally reroute yourself by taking new roads you’ve never journeyed before. Challenge yourself to try new things, letting your imagination guide your way. This type of shift will create an opening for your inner wildness to emerge.

2. Get in touch with your child-like self.

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t yet? Do it! What did you love to do as a child that you don’t do anymore? Revive it. Play with finger paints, draw with chalk on the sidewalk, put on a tutu or wear two different shoes. Play is spontaneous and enlivening. It fosters imagination and will coax out your authentic wildness.

3. Spend time in nature, in silence.

Wander and wonder slowly with no agenda, destination, or timeframe. Deeply connect to your surroundings by opening all of your sensory channels. Draw in the wildness. Notice what you see, smell, touch, taste, and feel. Observe unusual animal encounters and marvel over curiosities from nature. When you get home, write about your experience in a journal. Connecting deeply and regularly with nature will attune you to healing vibrations and rhythms.

4. Dance and move freely in a safe space with no judgment.

You can do this in your own home or take a class. The key is to get out of our head and into your body. Instead of learning a routine, feel the music. Let your body and soul lead the way to spontaneous, authentic movement. Feel free to take up a lot of space. Own it. And make circular motions to connect with your inner feminine power. When you are present with our body in a natural flow, you will able to receive powerful emotional wisdom and guidance.

Why are these practices so important? They break up the drudgery that dulls the senses and deadens the soul. They will help you relax the rigid thoughts and behaviors that confine your inner wildness. Once you give your naturally wild and lively soul an opening to expand, the resonance will animate and uplift you.

Realizing authentic wildness is a journey. It takes time to get to know your true self underneath the social conditioning. But as you become consistently spontaneous and playful in rapport with the vitality of your inner wildness and the natural environment, you will connect with the emotional wisdom in your body, hear your hearts deepest longing, and be guided by the intuition of your soul.

Honor yourself as an individual. Give yourself permission to be your own authority and express your authentic wildness from the inside out. When you do, you will attract new people and experiences that resonate. Most of all you, will be on the track to fulfillment, which will bring greater meaning and purpose to your life.

_ This article was written by Lucinda Bakken White, the author of the memoir Confessions of a Bone Woman: Realizing Authentic Wildness in a Civilized World. White is also an Inner Wildness Guide, helping women through the process of self-discovery and personal transformation. For more information visit Lucindabakkenwhite.com._

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