7 Empowering and Practical Steps to Take on the Journey to Wholeness

Wholeness is a state of being many of us aspire to. To be whole means to encompass mind, body, and spirit that is healthy, integrated, and complete. This can be daunting, especially when you're exploring the concept of wholeness because you're seeking to be whole and complete.

The journey to wholeness isn’t an overnight experience, and for many, it’s a lifelong voyage. However, there are practical and empowering steps you can take to reach a state of inner harmony and authenticity synonymous with being whole.

What is Wholeness?

Before tackling these steps, it’s important to unpack what this state of being means for you. I love the common but simple statement that says, “Wholeness means coming home to all of you.” There’s no separation, no disconnect within, but rather, an integration of all aspects that make your Self.

Wholeness embraces both the good and “bad” components of yourself. This includes your light and your shadow self. It incorporates the healed parts of yourself as well as the wounded, unhealed self. Being whole is an acceptance of all entities that are fully integrated into your mind, body, and spirit.

The journey to wholeness focuses on integration, not perfection. Rupi Kaur (Canadian poet, performer, and author) defines wholeness as, "It was when I stopped searching for home within others and lifted the foundations of home within myself, I found there were no roots more intimate than those between a mind and body that have decided to be whole".

7 Empowering and Practical Steps to Take on the Journey to Wholeness

1. Be Willing to Do the Inner Work

Inner work involves exploring all aspects of your mind, body, and spirit. This isn’t a simple ride in the park, and instinctively, many of us avoid facing and being honest with ourselves. I often get knee-jerk reactions from prospects considering life coaching when I mention inner work.

If you’re not willing to do the inner work, reaching wholeness isn’t going to happen. However, with the help of a skilled life coach or therapist, self-reflection and exploration of your mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of your current self becomes easier. You’re now equipped to build a foundation that eventually supports healing and integration.

2. Be Consistent and Intentional

The journey to wholeness requires dedication and consistency. You need to set intentions that support your desire for wholeness. Embarking on such a journey means a conscious commitment to doing the inner work and actively working with all aspects of yourself.

Practical activities such as daily reflective journaling and meditation allow for introspection and self-discovery. Self-reflection through mindfulness practices helps you uncover the blockages and limitations holding you back from living a full and wholehearted life. With consistency and solid intentions, you’re equipped to find solutions.

3. Slow Down and Lean Into Stillness

There’s nothing hasty about inner work! You can’t rush the process, and if you let impatience get in the way, you’ll keep bumping up against a solid brick wall. Slowing down allows you to embrace the journey in the present moment. You can focus on the beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and patterns blocking you from reaching wholeness.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt while working on being whole is that leaning into stillness is the best for self-exploration and growth. Leaning into stillness means intentionally choosing to stop, pause, and reflect on your inner and external world before responding. This approach allows you to observe rather than react, operating from personal power and not fear.

4. Honour Radical Honesty and Acceptance

I’m firm with my clients when I tell them that radical honesty is vital for personal growth and transformation. This requires them to be true to themselves, 100% transparent with their thoughts, emotions, and behaviour, and communicate honestly. Honouring radical honesty means being honest with others but, more importantly, with yourself.

Radical acceptance is owning your experience while accepting your reality as it is with no resistance, denial, or judgment. It’s about reducing emotional pain through letting go of the “should haves” and moving forward with resilience and growth. Radical acceptance involves surrender, self-regulation, and non-judgmental self-observation.

5. Allow for Change

Self-reflection, cultivating self-awareness, identifying limitations, and working with your shadow self will bring about radical change. This can be a painful but liberating process that requires ongoing clearing and healing to complete the cycle of change. Change is inevitable, and resisting it will only result in stuck energy and more pain!

Allowing change is essential for evolving your consciousness, personal growth, and transformation. Surrendering to the process allows you to apply practical steps that support the necessary change needed to move into your authentic, whole self. Practical steps could include:

• Self-compassion.

• Self-Forgiveness.

• Identifying and aligning core values with external factors.

• Installing healthy boundaries.

• Speaking up and expressing your truth.

• Dropping the comparison game.

6. Cultivate Brain-Heart Coherence

Synchronizing your brain and your heart means your state of being is coherent. You’re moving from stress to homeostasis, allowing your nervous system to become relaxed and calm. This is the ideal state for wholeness and total health.

I use Dr. Joe Dispenza’s teachings and meditations to cultivate brain and heart coherence myself. He says opening the heart is essential because “… the heart is the center of creation. It’s where wholeness begins; where we connect with our divinity. The heart is where we practice feeling elevated emotions – such as love, joy, gratitude, forgiveness, trust, care, kindness, and inspiration.” I encourage you to explore more by exploring his work.

7. Build a Community of Like-Minded People

The journey to wholeness needn’t be a lonely one. At times, inner work requires solitude, but engaging with like-minded people pursuing wholeness empowers you to feel connected and to share tips and advice.

Community support can involve group therapy, joining a church community, or studying with a group of individuals seeking authenticity. Attending wellness retreats focusing on self-discovery is another way to connect with a like-minded community.

Final Thoughts

My journey to wholeness has been a continuous process that to date has involved over twelve years of self-reflection, mindfulness, and meditation. It also included working with wise spiritual teachers. Some days I feel more whole than others! But, overall, my quest for wholeness has brought me closer to a state of balance and inner peace.

It’s an intentional process of declaring every day that I’m choosing wholeness over chaos and unawareness. I’ve resisted surrender only to realise that it was to my detriment. Slowing down and leaning into stillness is a must, as is radical honesty and acceptance of all parts of me.

The journey continues, and I’ve accepted that there will be no final destination beyond simply getting closer to being my authentic self. I’m grateful for the experience, as painful and joyful it has been. Would I have it any other way? Absolutely not. Every moment has been and will be worth it. I know that, and I hope you find the courage to take the journey to wholeness so you can say the same.