After arriving to Krakow on Thursday, my two friends and I took a walk through the old town. Although the end of October, the weather was warm and we just felt enwrapped in a lovely sunny afternoon atmosphere. The energy of the town felt amazing – with every step through the streets reserved for pedestrians and horse carriages only, we felt more and more at ease. Beautiful old buildings, parks, lanterns, street musicians playing violins, pots with flowers, cute cafes and restaurants… just taking in all the views, sounds and scents made us feel relaxed, as if the town had completely opened its heart to us.

The whole conference was also filled with the similar energy – so much support between us members.

There is a story…

But… but… As we visited the big fortification – Castle and Cathedral on the Wawel Hill, we learned the story about the dragon. A legend says (and is backed up by the strange fossil bones found at the site, that belong to no known animal) that once upon a time there was a big dragon living in the den under the castle. The dragon was dangerous, so the villagers decided to bring him young girls as a sacrifice, so that he wouldn’t attack the village. The dragon kept the whole area in terror until one day, a shoemaker tricked him to eat a sheep filled with hot coals. Dragon, burning from the inside, ran out of his cave to the river to drink a lot of water. And drowned. The village was finally free.

“Oh yes” – I thought hearing the story – “that’s why Krakow had such a warm and open energy! It’s because it freed itself from the pressure of its dragon.” And suddenly I had a very clear picture about the same thing happening to us all. The dragon story was a wonderful metaphor of our inner critic!

In all of us, there is a part, that we could name the inner dragon. It is a kind of energy entity created a long time ago, formed by all the authorities from our childhood (and life) that communicated to us that we were not good enough. And it took on a life of its own. That dragon is trying to keep you small, it whispers in your ear that you are not worthy enough, you are not significant – others are more, better, things are easier for them. But you – don’t ever dare to think you are great, that your light is precious, because…the dragon points it’s claw – look how special, capable, clever, beautiful etc. some other person is!

Sometimes your inner dragon will even orchestrate someone else’s rejection of you to prove that he is right. He’ll engage in finding proof to his points at every corner.

At the meetings like ATL where there are so many successful and spiritual people, you would maybe expect that they have no dragons inside. But if that is what you think – it’s your dragon speaking.

Because we all have them. But the difference is how we treat them. Do we give them our power and allow them to keep us trapped in their dan and believe in their claims that we are small and undeserving, or we tamed our dragon and (although we know it is there) it doesn’t have a real power over us any more.
So, how is your dragon doing? Lurking to get his chance to belittle you or sleeping in its corner knowing that he doesn’t stand the chance?

When does your dragon show itself the most? When you significantly step out of its cave! When you dare to be big and reach for all that you feel you deserve. When you summon courage and step out of the old and known, of your safe small self, when you allow yourself to believe that you are more than good enough, that you matter.

What to do?

So how should we treat our dragons, when they start their talk? Deny them, fight them, escape them, drown them? My suggestion is: none of the above. Just recognize them and decide to not to take them seriously. Play with them. Enjoy the fact that you have your own dragon. Laugh at it. When you catch yourself comparing yourself to another, remember it’s your dragon speaking and imagine smiling at him and patting him on the head. And remind yourself that all other people too have their own dragons inside.

A wonderful thing that happened at ATL meeting was that everyone kind of admitted their dragons. All of us let others see that we are not perfect, that each of us also needs help and support, no matter how much we are used to provide it for others. And there, feeling and seeing each other’s dragons, we were able to connect more than ever before. To open, to reach, to hug.

Hiding your inner dragon separates you from others, but if you let it spontaneously show, it is liberating for everyone.

It is so good to see clearly: my fear of being not good enough is not unique, not something to be ashamed of or hide – it is a common thread that connect us all.

So let’s bring out our dragons and play!

My friend, though a top expert, has been dismissed from a large company several months ago as a technological surplus. And she suddenly found herself in a kind of interspace, at first totally shocked.

Since this topic is very current to many today, and I often encounter it in my workshops, I would like to share some thoughts about it.

What often happens when someone gets a dismissal at work is shock, disbelief and hurt, and than a big existential fear and panic in seeking a new job. Sometimes this period of search is prolonged and this often causes despair and hopelessness. If the person is completely alone and without any other income and savings, the panic is utterly understandable. But luckily, this is often not the case. Usually, with the cancellation, there comes also a severance pay, or the spouse is still employed or there is some property or savings, so there is in fact no real reason for such a large, existential, panic.

The way I see things, every such termination of employment is actually a gift! I am sure that many of you have had thoughts of quitting the current job and doing something completely different. I know so many people who would love to change jobs, but they’re afraid to get out of their security zone. And then the Universe helps them a little. Cancellation is a chance to change, an opportunity for something completely new and different, the ability to make a turn, to step into a different world through that door that finally opened up to you!

And what actually happens in the time between two jobs? The first great thing is that you all of a sudden have time, time you’ve been longing for. It would really be a pitty not to take advantage of this time to renew and nourish and become more alive.

I invite you to try to enjoy all the benefits of your gift, to do all the things you did not have time for (and will not not have time again when you start working). Forget about the feeling of guilt and calculate whether you can financially allow yourself one, two, six or ten months of enjoying this intermezzo.
Maybe you’ve been longing for more physical activity? Now is the time for that. Maybe you’ve been wishing to enroll into a creative course? Now is the perfect moment. You may be wanting to change your diet – a great time to explore!

In addition, this is an opportunity to fathom what is it that you would most love to do, what would truly fulfill you. And the best ideas for new jobs are coming to us in moments of relaxation, enjoyment, walking, presence. You will do more for your future life if you allow this to be a period of regeneration, food for the soul and body, and search for everything that makes you happy. Set your imagination free, enjoy new ideas, explore and have fun with creating your new ventures. Believe me, when you allow yourself to do this and to feel so happy and fulfilled, it will be a lot easier for you to will find a new job. And that job will not be any job, found out of the necessity, but you will create it or attract it from the clear image and desire of what you want to do and how you want to contribute to this world. And the prospective employer will be delighted to welcome the person who is radiating with so much  delight. Also, once you start working again, you will be endlessly grateful to yourself that you have spent your your intermezzo-time nurturing every part of your life and being.

That friend of mine from the beginning of this article, after the initial months of shock, now feels really great and has decided to start her own business. I’m sure she will be brilliant in it!

Here is the reminder for enjoying the intermezzo: 

• Arrange and tidy up your apartment the way you have always wanted.
• Consider introducing new healthy habits (for which you did not have time before).
• Meet with friends you haven’t seen for a while and brainstorm together new business ideas for you.
• Watch the motivational videos and read inspirational books.
• Enroll in a creative workshop.
• Walk in nature and daydream.
• Create a dedicated time with your loved ones.
• Tell everyone you meet, with a smile, what kind of business you would most enjoy to be a part of.

But… two days later, on Sunday evening, I was standing in the middle of our living room, looking at the absolute disarray, feeling desperate: the space not only didn’t look desirable and cleansed but it looked scary. Piles of all kinds of stuff everywhere: papers, clothes, books, boxes full of old souvenirs and kitchenware, toys that kids once considered important, old loudspeakers, wires … all the things that were hiding in the depths of the closets were drawn out to find their right place or to be taken somewhere where they would be more needed. But all of that was now occupying the living room floor and instead of the perfect order, I was looking at total chaos.

And I was thinking: if someone entered the house now and would see this mess, he would never perceive it as a way to a nicer home. Only my family knows how we planned to do it and that this is just an inevitable step towards success.

Have you ever thought how it is just the same in our lives? When you define your own wishes and goals and make every effort to achieve them, there is often a phase in which you feel as if everything has gone wrong, that things got complicated and that you suddenly feel lost. It is extremely important to remember at such moments that this period is just a phase on a path to a fulfilled dream. The Universe knows what it is doing, but often it needs to get old things out of our “life closets”, to sort them into the right place or let them go. Often it looks like chaos, as if it’s worse than before, making us feel desperate, because we do not see that this illusory chaos is just a necessary part of a bigger plan.

Sometimes I feel confused too. Sometimes I do not see my path clearly, especially when my life is overwhelmed by too much content. But at each such stage I remind myself that it’s only a step and that the clarity is waiting just around the corner. And that’s how it always unfolds.

And if you want to encourage this chaos-phase to pass faster, the best thing you can do is exactly cleaning and clearing of your home. I’m already doing it and I’m inviting you to do the same!

So, next time, when you do your best, but suddenly find yourself in the unseen chaos, do not quit. Remember that it’s just a stage!

3 things to keep in mind when it seems your life has become chaotic and confusing:

• Remember that it’s just a “cleaning” phase, so something old can go and something new can come.
• Help this process by throwing out of your life what is not serving you any more.
• Physically clean and put in order your apartment or home.

For nine years now I’ve been conducting “Make Your Dreams Come True” workshops. It all started with discovering Sonia Choquette’s books 17 years ago, continued with a series of unusual events, which included leaving my architectural profession and devoting myself to helping others achieve their desires and dreams.
It seems to me that on this path, step by step, instead of a job, I created a small magical world, a world where everything is still possible, regardless of any changes or circumstances that happen to all of us and around us.

For indeed everything is possible, and I am endlessly grateful when I see that my attendants have allowed themselves to let that magic in. And I am infinitely sad when in my “ordinary” (out of work) life I meet people who are living behind a solid wall with inscription “It is impossible”. How much happiness and joy are they denying themselves!

And everything is so simple. Small wonders are everywhere. And when we open up to little wonders, the big ones come too.

When we were kids, we were all open to the miracles of life. Every little bug attracted our attention, we created imaginative adventures with our friends, we believed in magic wands, Santa Claus and a Tooth Fairy. Remember all these feelings, feelings that the world has a mysterious and magical side.
Even though this enchantment got lost as the years went by, each of us can find it again. And we should find it, because it makes life so much more beautiful and rich. And when we start noticing miracles, even more of them will appear.

After all, think back and I am sure you will remember that in your life there have been situations where the circumstances unfolded in the most unusual way. Recall the unusual coincidences that defied the law of probability!

I observe them in every day and I am sure you do, too! For example, I think of calling a friend I did not hear for a long time and in an hour she calls me. I intend to attend a seminar and the organizer soon calls me to ask if it can be held in my Center. I am walking towards a cafe to meet a friend and on the way I think how I should have bought some croissants. And as I enter the cafe, my friend is already sitting at the table, saying: “I bought some croissants, I hope you like them”. My husband and I are driving in the car and talking about the healing qualities of Aloe Vera. We turn on the radio and we hear: “We grow Aloe Vera in our gardens, which is very useful for … ” I’m sure you too can list many of such “coincidences”!

All these unusual synchronicities reveal that life is still miraculous and puzzling, that it is far more than what we can grasp with our minds. And that in the same unusual way, all our desires are possible and achievable.
Regardless of the circumstances, no matter what surrounds you and what the situation seems to look like, the magical note of this world is just waiting for you to discover it again and to let it into your life.
Believe that all of your dreams can come true, act in that way every day, radiate the trust in the goodness of the Universe… And miracles will find you!

Some helpful hints to re-discover the magic of life:

• Observe and record all the unusual occurrences that happen to you.
• Every morning, as soon as you wake up say out loud: “Today, something miraculous will happen to me!”
• When you talk to your friends, talk about how there is surely a way for both your’s and their’s dreams to come true.
• Buy and carry with you a small figure of a fairy, an angel or some other being that represents a symbol of magic for you.
• Before bed, remember one nice detail that happened that day.