It’s funny, because it’s true.
– Marcus Romer
Steps 2-5 are filled with so much self-doubt and resistance that sometimes we never even make it to 6. Get out of your own way and push onward through the middle bits of negative quicksand. It’s all part of the process and you are making headway with every forward motion. Keep on keepin’ on my creative friends.
Two years ago, I decided to talk to a life coach.
My life felt as organized as my junk drawer and I needed a third-party to help discern my thoughts and visions of the future [or lack thereof]. Relationships, career, and stress/anxiety support were at the top of my ‘get your shit together’ list.
We spent months working together.
I’m not sure what I pictured at the beginning but I thought she would just sort of tell me what to do, right? Wrong.
She in fact, did not tell me what to do.
I told myself what to do through meditation and listening to the words of my intuition. She asked a lot of questions and provided a comfortable atmosphere for me to slow the nonsense chatter and listen to my guiding voices within. Self awareness and inner peace is a lifelong journey, as I have come to learn. I continually use the tools from our sessions [drawing, meditating, writing, crafting, alone time, prayer journal, etc.] to navigate the highs and lows in a way that works best for ME.
I reflect on the ethereal moments from our sessions and feel so much gratitude for the experience to learn about myself [and my future self] in a tangible way.
Below are a few of my personal, stream-of-consciousness reflections [most of which you probably won’t understand because it is written in my third-grader chicken scratch]. I will often go back to these scribbles when I feel lost in order to remember what is important to my hungry soul.
I would absolutely, positutely recommend that you have a life coach or mentor [whoever that person is], to share in meaningful conversations and scribbles about the juicy, heart pumping, important stuff in life.
It helps get your mind organized in a controlled chaos kind of way.
Here is an excerpt from The Art of Coming Home by Craig Storti
“But the question persists. Why is it so hard to come home? The answer to this question has many parts, but the biggest by far concerns the notion of home and the expectations it sets up in us. To truly understand reentry, we need to understand what we mean by home, what we want – and especially what we need – home to be. Once we have understood the real meaning of home, we can examine reentry from that perspective. And then we will begin to see why this transition can be so difficult.”
“I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything.” – Bill Bryson
In June of this year, I quit my job. So trendy, right?
I quit my job to pursue my passion in writing [sinking in my chair of guilt]. I get mixed responses in sharing this fact. Some people say, wow good for you! Other people are polite but give me a look that screams, what does that even mean? Isn’t work, simply that? What are you seeking? That is so your generation.
But it is so much more than that.
I have a burning inside of me. Something calling me. I have taken off on this new trajectory and still am not totally sure where I’m headed. But I do know for sure that I’m on the right path. I am trying to find patience amidst the unknown, lack of schedule and foggy road ahead.
And in the process, I am traveling.
Just because. Just for adventure’s sake. And taking advantage of this unique time in my life where I don’t have a full-time job, or kids, or other elements that make ‘up and going’ more of a challenge. I am trying to relinquish my guilt and live life, in this moment.
Whatever your current situation is right now, own it with confidence. It’s yours.
Minneapolis, MN
Visiting my brother-in-law and his amazingly unique and perfect family
Three words: goofy, chickens, nonstop
New York City, NY
Visiting my wild and crazy friend Lucy
Three words: inappropriate, bold, new
Portland, OR
Sisters crash my husbands work trip
3 words: beer, green, slap-happy
San Francisco, CA
A last hurrah with one of my best friends who is having her first baby in January
Three words: happy, crisp, free
Goal setting for the next year, five years or even ten years can be ominous and challenging. I tend to set too many goals, get really overwhelmed and end up doing about 25% of each. I can’t even tell you the number of books I have read…99 pages of. I’m sure none of you can relate to that? So, today I broke it down into seven words. Seven words to reflect my present and future life.
Family
Faith
Community
Active
Travel
Write
Volunteer
My new goal is to take baby steps every day toward nourishing these fulfilling ideals. What are your words?
A few years ago, I worked with a life coach who completely rocked my world [more on that later]. There was one exercise in particular that stuck to my heart like a Post-it note :: Daily Mantras. Written by me, for me.
Post them on your bathroom mirror, in your car, in the refrigerator, at your desk and read them over and over again until they become a part of you.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Altered Latitude 