In Positively Newsworthy: The Little Things, our editors offer some reflections and positive thoughts on subjects that have recently moved them. Enjoy the Spring 2023 edition below!
1 Letting Go Of People-pleasing
Reclaiming inner sovereignty
by Persephone Kianka
Like many people in the spiritual community, I naturally tune in to how others are feeling and assume this strange responsibility for their emotions. I anticipate how what I say or do could negatively affect someone and adjust my expression accordingly. Of course, we should consider how our words and actions impact other people but only to a point.
When our Soul is yearning to express its Truth, boundaries, dreams or desires, and we hold back, that is people-pleasing, what I’m trying to leave behind. Just the other day, I was texting my best friend, Amy, about her upcoming party, and I told her that I wasn’t planning to drink. It was such a subtle way of people-pleasing that I didn’t even catch it until she replied:
“Of course Persephone! Don’t ever feel like you need to disclaim that :0 You can drink or not drink till your heart’s content, it’s all about what makes you comfortable and what makes you happy :-) Why did I get so sappy there? xD”
Her “sappy” message touched me and reminded me that the people who matter just want me to be happy. If someone feels uncomfortable or “hurt” when I act in alignment with my Truth, they probably don’t belong in my life anyway.
Though I know this deep down, I still catch myself reverting to my people-pleasing tendencies. If I felt the need to notify my best friend that I wouldn’t be drinking simply because it’s not the norm, it shows how deep this subconscious pattern goes.
Luckily, I am inspired every day by powerful individuals, particularly the women in my life, who remind me, directly and indirectly, to stand in my Truth. As we slowly but surely rise to reclaim our full power, we can only help others to do the same.
2 The Spiritual Beauty of Transport
Finding peace in moments of transition
by Persephone Kianka
Part of the beauty of spirituality is that it is accessible at any time. We don’t have to be on our yoga mat or deep in meditation to have profound insights and experiences. We are, after all, spiritual beings in every moment of this life and beyond.
For me, some of the most potent spiritual insights occur when I’m travelling — literally. I love being “in transit,” whether in a car, train or plane and recently, I realised why.
As someone with the “busy gene,” it’s hard for me to fully relax even when I’m at home. I always find something to do or some problem to solve. Being on transportation is one of the only times I can sit and surrender my internal agenda as I watch the outside world whiz by.
Ever since I was a kid, I loved going on drives with my dad. Today, we still find time to go on joyrides like when we drove through the Wicklow Mountains during the pandemic.
The experience of listening to music (another one of my favourite things) while driving and chatting with my dad instantly roots me to the present moment. It is something so simple, but I know I will cherish it forever.
Travelling from Cork to Dublin during my undergrad years granted me a similar experience. On the train, with nothing to do but listen to music and stare out the window, I could retreat deep into my imagination and memory. I simultaneously experienced heightened emotion and a deep sense of peace.
Though airplanes are said to be safer than cars, the feeling of flying still slightly unsettles me—another great chance to practice surrender and energetic protection. My recent dream, where I felt spiritually safe and infinite even after realising that the plane I was on was about to crash, confirms this for me. Transportation is my meditation in motion!
