Today we’d like to introduce you to TJ Woodward.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m honored to begin by sharing my personal story, which took me from a life of struggle and addiction into a joy-filled, meaningful existence. A movement from loss to recovery, from darkness into light, from a sense of brokenness to reconnecting with my wholeness—from an outer-directed life to an inner-focused way of being and seeing. I’m sharing my story not because it’s unique, or even unusual, but because it is not unique. It’s possibly a lot like many of your readers’ stories.
My journey of getting to this moment has been a long one. My life’s journey has led me through some precipitous mountains and valleys. It wasn’t until I was almost forty that I experienced the shift that allowed me to dive deeper into a process of consciously creating my life. This experience led me to a powerful awareness of the infinite possibilities of life and sharing what I’ve uncovered has become my deepest purpose. I’m profoundly grateful to have discovered a new way of being and seeing the world that is not dependent on outer circumstances, but on an inner experience of wholeness and joy.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
The greatest challenges I faced on my journey were inner obstacles and I needed to overcome what I call core false beliefs.
Core false beliefs are at the root of unconscious creation, because they lie deep in our unconscious or subconscious where they create the patterns that eventually limit us and keep us “small.” Core false beliefs are also powerful because they are usually formed at a time in childhood when we are small, vulnerable, and sensitive. We do not yet have the cognitive ability to question our experience. So, our experience becomes foundational to us, and we tend to attach it to the very core of our narrative—the way we describe ourselves and our world. Thus, most core false beliefs attach to our identity, taking the form of “I am” or “I am not”—as in “I am worthless,” “I am stupid,” or “I am not lovable.” These foundational beliefs can affect our worldviews, as in “The world is not safe” or “There’s never enough.” The key is that because this information and these beliefs are limited, they represent a “false core”—limited experiences and perspectives that claim to be the whole truth. Our core false beliefs are biased; they direct what we feel and think, our way of being in the world, in a limited and limiting direction. And they change the frequency at which we are vibrating, which is what really creates what we call reality.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I’m the author of three books and the creator of Conscious Recovery, which is a new way to look at addiction and recovery. Conscious Recovery is changing the conversation about addiction and recovery because it focuses on healing the deeper root causes of addiction while also recognizing that underneath all addictive behavior is an essential self that is whole and perfect. This is different than many of the recovery models which focus on only treating symptoms and behaviors and look for what’s broken or damaged about a person who struggles with addiction.
The primary focus of my work is helping people embrace the life of their dreams. Embracing the life of your dreams requires being authentic and knowing the truth about yourself. This means having the courage to face and embrace every aspect of your shadow self, no matter how arduous that might seem. As each element of your shadow self comes into the light, you begin to integrate it into your whole being by first allowing it to be, just as it is, and accepting it. Then you can come to understand it—in the same way you would have understanding and compassion for a small, innocent child who has made a mistake.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
For me, a fundamental step toward success is spending time in the silence and listening intently to inner wisdom. By sitting in the silence, you are preparing yourself to experience your oneness with divine, unconditional love, and this oneness prepares you to form questions and receive answers that will guide you in a much more powerful way than by only using the power of the intellect. The answers will not come from your conscious mind; they will be a revelation, an original idea. So, by meditating, by sitting in the silence, you are preparing your ears to hear. You are saying, “Yes, I am ready.” How do you do this? First, you cultivate a safe space for meditation. It can be done alone or with others—so long as it is in a space where you are physically, emotionally, and spiritually receptive. The longer a space is filled with the energy of meditation, the more powerful your sense of receptivity and oneness with source will be. From there, you may find yourself receiving powerful messages that will direct you to a more dynamic and purpose-filled life.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
Success, to me, is actually quite simple. It is discovering what makes you “come alive” (which is your inner purpose) and sharing it with the world. When you tap into a deeper vision for your life, it can literally bring you to life, because the visions that come from your oneness with source call you to be more fully authentic.
And, in most cases, those visions involve serving other people. It has been said that a truly fulfilling life includes serving others in some way. That has certainly been my experience. People who are living authentically in love and connection often do not envision just living in order to get more stuff or more power, it quite often also includes helping humanity in some way. There’s something about living in true freedom that leads us toward serving as a catalyst for contributing to the world.
Mahatma Gandhi said it this way: “Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures issued possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.”
What’s next for you?
What’s “next” for me is sitting here talking with you. In other words, my true purpose is to be living fully in the moment. The “next” is actually an illusion the mind creates to try to make sense of life. And, the truth is, life doesn’t need to be figured out, it is simply something to be experienced. In that way, by truly living on the here and now, we can attain true freedom.
Of course, in addition to that practice, I will continue to do my work assisting others in embracing the life of their dreams, and consciously creating their lives!
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
My website is www.tjwoodward.com, or people can find me on Instagram @tjwoodward_
It’s been an honor talking with you.
