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What Your Dosha Knows That You Don’t: Ayurvedic Soul-utions For Smashing Your Goals This Y

Happiness | Lifestyle

Hey there yogis, you ready for a fabulous year? Goal-setting season has arrived! I love this time of year, all full of introspection, big dreams, and even bigger plans. So in the spirit of inspiration and success, I'm just going to ask flat out…

What's the most important thing to consider when it comes down to achieving your goals? According to Ayurveda, the simplest and maybe not so obvious answer, is you. So, who are you?

The Nature of Your True Nature

The ayurvedic answer is that you're a unique combination of the three biological energies or doshas of vata, pitta, and kapha. Each one brings a unique set of qualities to your party, but who you are physically, mentally, and emotionally is likely to be dominated by just one of them (or possibly two).

That dominant energy is known as your dosha or true nature. Knowing your dosha will tune you in to the subtleties of how you walk your talk in the world, because your dosha gives you clues about where and how you're likely to stand out, fall down, and excel in living your dream.

In other words, knowing who you are can give you the inside scoop on if and how you're going to smash your goals…or how you’re going to get smashed by them. Here's what I mean by that.

Vata

Vata is the energy of movement, lightness, creativity, and change.

Vatas are the “big picture” people, the dreamers, and visionaries. If your primary dosha is vata, you're probably a master at beginnings. Your non-stop flow of ideas, plans, and impulses keeps you on your toes and ensures that your list (or pile) of things to start is always bursting at the seams!

And while you excel at painting a gorgeously vivid picture of how things could be, your challenge is staying interested and focused long enough to see your ideas fully realized.

Goal-Smashing Pitfalls: Distraction

Soul-utions: The key to making your vata energy work for you is to dream big and work small. Paint a picture that inspires you, and break its implementation into simple, varied, and engaging steps.

Manage your tendency for distraction by creating focused, uncomplicated routines around the basics (diet, exercise, self-care) and allow yourself the space to explore the creative aspects of following through while staying tethered to your intended result.

Pitta

Pitta is the energy of transformation, digestion, and assimilation.

Pittas are born organizers and implementers; they're the CEOs of getting shit done. If your primary dosha is pitta, setting and smashing goals is part of your DNA. You dive head first into challenges and tend to “go for the burn.”

If the goal is intense and highly rewarding, you'll want to play. And if it includes a little healthy (or unhealthy) competition, that's all the better. You're often the shiniest star in the bunch, and your ability to go the distance is undermined only by your tendency to burn bright…and then out.

Goal-Smashing Pitfalls: Burnout, injury, pushing too hard (yourself and others)

Soul-utions: The key to making the most of your pitta energy is to temper the intensity with a suitable amount of ease. Slow down and soften the edges of your thinking and actions whenever possible.

Embrace a sense of moderation knowing that it will serve your intentions (and your sanity) in the long run and ultimately allow you to achieve more, and better results.

Kapha

Kapha is the energy of cohesion, structure, and stability.

The kaphas of the world are the rocks we depend on and go to when we need to feel grounded and safe. If your primary dosha is kapha, staying focused is not likely to be an issue. Your challenge is getting started and busting through the inertia that tends to keep you stuck.

Once you get rolling, you're great at staying the course, but can often find yourself so comfortable there that it starts to resemble… a rut.

Goal-Smashing Pitfalls: Inertia, stubbornness, unwillingness to change

Soul-utions: Your best friend when it comes to achieving lasting transformation and results is going to be…well, a best friend. Someone to keep you accountable, motivated, and energized for action.

Someone that will prompt you to mix things up a little and remind you to introduce fresh ideas and actions on a regular basis.

The Only Goal Worth Smashing

No matter who you are, it's important to remember that the ultimate goal in life is to shine. Doing that comes from owning and rocking our authentic gifts by embracing the qualities inherent in each of the doshas that make up who we are, without criticism, judgment, or comparison.

The gorgeous thing is, we are all endowed with at least some of the characteristics above. And it's only when we allow our vata to flow, our pitta to burn, and our kapha to keep us grounded, that we truly have what we need to smash through what holds us back and live our dharma… powerfully!

What are some of YOUR toughest goals this year? How are you planning to smash them?

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