By Sulana Stone/www.SedonaVisionQuest.com

Excited to experiment with my passion, animal communication, I'd found a job at a dog kennel, exchanging 25 hours a week of labor for an apartment. It was a good deal for me. But after two years of working with barking dogs, I longed for more peace, freedom and flexibility than the kennel allowed.

"There's no way," my mind insisted, "you'll ever find a better situation than you already have." Multitudes of emotions were stirring inside me. Doubt. Sadness. Resignation. My ego personality was gaining momentum in its "logical and emotional sales pitch." My thoughts were trying to convince me to stay right where I was so I wouldn't be disappointed when I failed to get a better job and home. Thank God my spirit wasn't buying the mental spiel!

In my life, I've learned that magic occurs when I choose to feel completely my emotions around an issue. New doors open. Situations improve. I've also noticed how life patterns repeat themselves-how I don't get what I really want, how I settle for less-when I don't feel totally the emotions my mind concocts. The emotional feelings are the glue that holds old patterns in place. The emotional feelings are what discourage us from going after what we really want.

When my mind not so gently reminds me of my fears and failures, I've learned to embrace the emotions that come up. Embracing emotions is just like embracing children who are scared, hurt, upset or angry. Once "the kids" feel totally acknowledged, appreciated, allowed (loved), they calm down and don't cause any more trouble. "The kids" get out of the way. And we are free to pursue our joy. Emotions act the same way kids act. Emotions just want our attention-our loving attention.

One way to give an emotion full recognition and expression (love) is to feel the emotion as energy, movement, sensation or vibration-instead of as a label of sadness, fear or anger. Rather than label an emotion with a name or category you don't enjoy feeling, you can choose to feel an e-motion (energy motion) as a more approachable state such as churning, stirring or heaviness. Feel an "energy motion" as aliveness, life force or power and it's even easier to choose to experience your feelings more fully.

Once an emotion-like a kid-is allowed to exist just as it is, it has the space to be itself. It feels accepted and lightens up. Then the "energy motion" naturally moves up and out of your body. You might experience this sensation of movement as waves of energy, pulsation, warmth or tingling in your spine, legs, arms or elsewhere in your body. Different people feel energy motions leaving or dissolving-integrating-in various ways.

When you give an energy motion the room to exist just as it is-without trying to change it-it has the space to fully express itself. Then it's done and out of your way. It goes full cycle and completes itself. Once you free yourself from the obstructing effect of unfelt emotions, you can move toward your intention. You can take action toward your dream. You'll feel more open, creative, courageous and inspired! In a twist on the old saying, "When the adult is away, the kids can play!" you can now enjoy, "When the kids are away, the adult can play!"

After "feeling my emotions as energy" during my quest for a better job and home, my intuition suggested I run a want ad in the local newspaper. The first responses were disheartening-no sweeter deal than I had already. My gut knotted. "See," my mind implored, "there isn't anything better. Stop looking. You'll only feel worse!" More "energy motions" to accept and feel. Disappointment. Hopelessness. Frustration. Each "kid" wants attention. I stay with the energy motions until I feel genuine acceptance and appreciation for them. Then they move out of my way. I'm free of their power to stop me from moving in the direction of my dream.

Once my creative space is cleared of blocking emotions, my intuition whispers to run the ad again: "Professional woman wants private place to live in exchange for caretaking property, animals, plants." My mind perseveres in its outdated idea of how to keep me safe from failure and disappointment: "This ad will never work. What a waste of money!" But I don't listen-instead I keep on embracing and appreciating "the kids."

After several days of feeling the churning energy sensations in my body, a pleasant woman called looking for someone to care for her dog when she and her husband travel. "The only problem," she candidly revealed, "is that the guesthouse is rather small, and we live a ways out of town." I liked her honesty immediately. Soon my truck and I were headin' out to the country.

It was love at first sight. The rather small guesthouse is larger than my old apartment-and much more modern and luxurious. I'm offered a custom furnished guesthouse including utilities with free phone, Internet service and satellite TV in exchange for caring for a few days every three months for Vector, a sweet black Labrador retriever! Spectacular mountain ranges span the horizon for several hundred miles.

A sprawling county park borders the property-thousands of acres of quiet, lush, pristine land. I find the peace I longed for, plus a gift of scenic beauty!

To top it off, the angel in the guise of a woman generously purposes, "If you ever want to go out of town at the same time we do, it's fine. We'll call our old pet sitter. Feel free to travel any time you want." I get the freedom and flexibility I longed for.

The more I prove to myself that my emotions-my "kids"-are what limit my dreams, the more I free myself to change my life. As I find compassionate and creative ways to acknowledge, love and embrace my kids, my kids get out of the way of me getting what I want.

1. Set a clear intention of what you want.
2. Feel and release all the obstructing emotions.
3. Take a step towards your intention. Repeat Step 2 until your intention manifests.
4. Receive, enjoy and celebrate your dream.

1. I intended to get a peaceful living space and a job with more freedom and flexibility.
2. I felt the invalidating feelings (doubt, sadness, fear of disappointment) to release their obstructing influence to discourage and dissuade me (I'll never find a better job and place to live).
3. I take the next step towards my dream and place the ad. I repeat Step 2 until the invalidating feelings (I don't deserve it, I'm going to fail) release and my intention shows up.
4. I receive a better job and place to live. I celebrate with a hike in my very expanded new space.