• LAUNCH YOUR DREAM
  • BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
  • STARTING OVER MIDLIFE
  • HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM
  • TRAVEL THE WORLD
  • GET HEALTHY & FIT
  • BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  • BRAVE LIVING
  • WRITE WITH US

8WomenDream

Dream Big Stories

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • CONNECT
You Are Here Home » HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM » Using Your Internal Guidance System to Create a Fulfilled Life

in HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM

Using Your Internal Guidance System to Create a Fulfilled Life

Last updated on May 15th, 2013 at 08:50 am

One of the great joys of my life is that I am so blessed to be connected to so many extraordinary souls on this planet, many of whom are incredible artists, teachers, healers and creators all dedicated to making this a more peaceful, joyful world. One of those goddesses reappeared in my life recently, when my friend Zen DeBrucke, who teaches the art of using your internal guidance system to create a fulfilled life, returned from a sabbatical spent traveling with her beloved husband.

There was kite-surfing in Vietnam.

A three-day trek in the largest caverns in the world, the size of the Grand Canyon. create a fulfilled life

Exploring caves via kayaking in Sapa, Vietnam and Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Hiking in Nepal for 17 days to reach Everest base camp and visit a monastery with a very unique Buddhist festival.  

Next, a 10-day scuba dive in pristine dive sites in Burma… Then off to Southern Thailand for more martial arts, yoga and kite surfing…

And that was just for starters….

Leaving the World Behind to Reenergize 

Zen needed a break. She is a spiritual teacher and she had been working insanely hard on her business, The Smart Soul, for more than a decade.

Although she had done everything right, creating email lists, teleseminars, live workshops, and publishing a terrific book on the concept of following your internal guidance system to create your bliss, the business had hit a plateau, and Zen didn’t know what to do for her next steps. She got the inspiration to revitalize throughout travel and new adventures.

Her husband, Eric, worked in special military security assignments, often in incredibly dangerous locations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He had not had a true vacation and break in virtually his whole career.

These two in their travel blog called themselves the Hummingbird and the Boar , since you really could not find two people who are more different, or better suited for each other.

Following Your “Openings”

Zen’s spiritual teachings are focused on the idea of tuning into our own natural internal guidance system, which guides us every step of the way, to live our best lives moment by moment.

She teaches about present moment awareness, and tuning into the sensations in our bodies, vs. staying trapped in endless loops of thought, which can make it hard to discern the next best steps on our path.

She teaches people to drop back into their bodies through simple grounding meditations, starting with exercises as simple as feeling your feet and hands, and just listening to the sounds in the background, without identifying them, as you sit quietly.

The idea is to find a place of calm and stillness within your body. And to drop out of the mind.

From this place, try this simple exercise:

1. Hold the thought: “I do not have an internal guidance system.” Repeat that phrase silently a few times in your mind – “I do not have an internal guidance system” – and see how your body reacts, especially in the region between your throat and your solar plexus, all the way up to right above your belly button.

2. Then, clear your mind of this thought. Next, hold the thought, “I do have an internal guidance system. I do have an internal guidance system.” And notice what you feel in the body.

You can learn more about her teachings here: Zen in a Moment. 

For many people, there is a sensation she calls an “opening” that happens when you hold a thought that is in tune with your highest purpose on your path. You might feel your chest open up, or feel lighter, or feel joy.

A “closing” sensation can feel like your belly, chest or throat constricting, and it can feel like anxiety.

The idea is that the sensation in your body corresponds to a specific thought or image in your mind.

And when something opens you it’s a good sign to follow it on your journey. While you never know where your “openings” will lead you, it’s bound to be something wonderful!

When something closes you, the idea is to question the thought behind it, and to find a thought that opens you. Sometimes we just need to find a way to shift our energy too when we are feeling “stuck” and don’t know the answer to a pressing question in our lives.

Then, Zen recommends listening to high-energy music, exercising, calling a friend, watching a funny movie, or doing anything to “change channels” to get us out of anxiety, and raise our vibration.

Sometimes we just need to joyfully drop back into our bodies in order to be able to discern our next steps.

Following Her Openings to Meet the Love of Her Life 

Zen met her husband, Eric, through following her “openings.” She lived in the San Francisco Bay Area at the time, and swore she’d never return to Southern California, where she grew up.

But a friend had a giant Southwestern-style mansion that needed to be rented for house-sitting purposes for a year while the family was away in Spain. It was 3,000+ square feet of pure beauty, tucked into the mountainside valleys in the picturesque Santa Monica region.

Zen felt a pull to go there, a sense of expansion and purpose. It wasn’t what her brain told her to do, but her body’s wisdom.

She followed it and ended up going to her 20th high school reunion, which she said she never would have attended otherwise. There, she reconnected with Eric, who she had known only casually in high school.

He said he knew within five minutes of listening to her tell her story that that she was the one for him. The spiritual Goddess turned out to be a match to the warrior.

I was lucky enough to be the one who got to organize their wedding, when their wedding organizer cancelled at the last minute. It was a joy to step in and help make their day memorable and relaxing for them.

Zen trusts completely in the process of tuning into your own inner wisdom for step-by-step guidance in creating an amazing life. She teaches this again now to clients around the world.

The miraculous beauty of learning Zen’s teachings and following them is that you don’t need to have all the answers for forever, and really we can’t. You simply need to be able to open to what leads you to your highest purpose, in this grand adventure of life, in each moment.

With practice it becomes more effortless to follow your internal guidance system. It can mean having the courage to make some leaps in your life, and it’s a way to live your dreams without needing a total map to find your way.

We are our own best source of wisdom and guidance, as Zen teaches, and can tap into a higher source of wisdom, if that is something you believe in as well.

I’m so inspired by my friend, this Goddess who recharged her life by traveling throughout Southeast Asia, and is now back to teach the world how to live with even more joy and passion.

May her wise teachings inspire you as well on the path to living your dreams!

Lisa

 

 

Related Stories:

  • Julia Child Quote: The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude
    Culinary Dreams Fulfilled: From Culinary Student to…
  • First, you visualize, then you materialize quote
    How to Create Your Dream Life with Visualization
  • Using Fear to Your Advantage quote 8WD
    New Help For Using Fear to Your Advantage to Make…
  • jail
    Using Your Dream Skills in a Jail Cell
Lisa Powell-Graham
Lisa Graham

Lisa P. Graham is an inspirational writer, life coach, TED motivational speaker, and globe-trotter whose passion is to help others to find happiness and meaning in their daily lives. A political activist at heart, Lisa would like to empower more women to run for political office as a way to create positive change in the world. You can find her on her website or watch her TEDx speech on YouTube.

Note: Articles by Lisa may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.

Filed Under: HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM

Some of the posts on 8WD contain affiliate links or links to purchase products or programs from 8WD contributors. This means 8WD or the contributor may make a small commission if you make a purchase. The 8WD affiliate links help offset the cost of hosting this website and the contributor links help support the dreams of the contributor. Please check out the 8WD Legal Page for more details.

Thank you for your continued support!

« Thinking of Trying a Detox Cleanse? Product Review of Kaeng Raeng
Find Your Body Role Model »

Check it out

  • LAUNCH YOUR DREAM
  • BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
  • STARTING OVER MIDLIFE
  • HAPPINESS THROUGH ACTIVISM
  • TRAVEL THE WORLD
  • GET HEALTHY & FIT
  • BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE
  • BRAVE LIVING
  • WRITE WITH US


The 8WomenDream Dream Tote Bag

About the 8WomenDream Tote Bag
US – 10oz Cotton
Dimensions (External Dimensions)
• Height – 18″ (45.72cm or 457.2mm)
• Width – 15″ (38.1cm or 381mm)
Handle Dimensions (Internal Dimensions)
• Length – 29″ (73.7cm or 736.6mm)

Recent Dream Stories

  • 8 Solstice Traditions for Focusing on Your Big Dream this Year
  • Winter Solstice: What Will You Do With 1 Minute More?
  • Why Halloween Costumes Can Help Discover Your Big Dream
  • How the Equinox Can be a Catalyst for Change
  • 5 Strategies to Live Your Wildest Dreams
  • Starting Over as a Single Mom Wasn’t My Big Dream
  • Warning: Big Dream to Be a Motivational Speaker Won’t Always Obey Your Plans
  • Dance to Relieve Stress to Focus on Your Big Dream

Inspiration

More About 8WD

WE BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS THE POWER TO ACHIEVE BIG DREAMS.
 
IT IS OUR SINCEREST WISH THROUGH THE SHARING OF PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO TRY TO ACHIEVE A BIG DREAM THAT WE WILL INSPIRE YOU GO AFTER A BIG DREAM TOO.
 
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 8WOMENDREAM, HERE.

8 WOMEN DREAM | COPYRIGHT All RIGHTS RESERVED © 2025 · LEGAL

Welcome to 8WomenDream Where Big Dreams Are Shared
The 8WomenDream website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're OK with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. ACCEPT REJECT READ MORE
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT