As we grow up and through out our adult lives we take in stories and reasoning from our experiences.
Think about a baby who is born with the essence of pure love. Babies rely upon us to take care of them, nurture them and guide them along the way.
Naturally, babies are pure joy.
As we grow, we are shaped by those around us and what we hear, see and feel. Our experiences become engrained in us. Much of it unconsciously and this develops our patterns and intrinsic behaviors.
Fast forward to our adult lives. It’s only when we begin to get curious about ourselves and our thinking, do we really begin to peel back the layers we’ve developed.
Think about an area in your life that you feel challenges you. For me recently it was about how I feel challenged with the time to work on my vision of writing and creating content. I always feel that the time to do such a creative task is fading between my career, raising two very young children, caring for our home, activities and you know, just being tired!
I’m always striving, scheduling in time for self-care and trying to maintain a balance between family, work and play. What is interesting in this reflection is that I often hear from others, how on earth do you get so much done?
Yet, I think to myself, but my book is not published, and I haven’t put the finishing touches on my art to get it out in the world.
The reality is I feel like I live in the gap of actually not achieving enough because the two pieces of the puzzle that makes me feel the most accomplished, writing and painting are lacking.
I hold myself and my dreams to such a high standard. We have to be careful of this! Not of holding ourselves to a high standard but of living in the gap and focusing on the ideal we have not yet reached versus the incredible number of things we do.
This time and focus topic came up for me recently when I asked someone who I am learning from (Mandy Morris – thank you!) how she tackles focus and the feeling of a lack of time. I loved her answer. With laughter she said, think about the stories you are telling yourself. It is a lie!
It just resonated with me and also made me laugh because it’s like cha-ching! That totally makes sense.
I love when something just clicks!
Laughter made me realize, it really is that simple. Yes, I’m totally lying to myself! It is important to me and the growth of my family so by all means I need to schedule writing and painting just like every other priority.
Scheduling. Another tidbit I got from another mentor. I schedule so many things but have never agreed (with myself) to schedule anything creative.
I’ve always been hesitant to schedule creative endeavors because that magic of creativity likes to come when it comes! That is the magic of source and intuitive creation after all, I always say.
Nope, another lie. While there is validity to the creative process being very intuitive, we can gain so much from simply doing the work and seeing what comes out on the other side even when we aren’t totally feeling it.
So here I am, on a scheduled half day off with the pure intention of writing. In a beautiful historic building in a quaint old town in Connecticut. The sunshine is beaming on me, the snow is melting before my eyes. Valentines are enjoying one another in this space, girlfriends are savoring coffee and chit chat. And I am totally in love with myself in this space, creating, enjoying and making my passion a priority.
Most importantly, I’ve dissolved the lies and found a way to be doing exactly what my heart pulls me to. Connecting with you on these pages.
I encourage you to think outside the box with what feels like a roadblock, artists block, whatever kind of road block you keep saying in relation to something you are pulled to do.
Just do it.
We are never fully ready, fully rested, able to avoid the chaos of our lives. But we can shift and flip the script on the stories we are telling ourselves.
Maybe it’s losing weight, connecting with friends, healing relationships, spending time with family or finishing that book you hold tight in your heart.
Start thinking about the story you have around it. You have been telling yourself this story for so long or perhaps have the mentality that you will get to it, soon.
Unless we flip the script, I don’t know that we will every really gain enough traction.
I can also promise you that if you want to leave an imprint on this world then just get to it! Time is never promised. So you owe it to your dreams to leave a little bit of your soul work behind for people to stumble across.
Understand that others have their own stories on their own subjects. Honor that.
I think we become comfortable with our stories and maybe that’s why we stay stuck for so long.
Remember that you are the author. You have full control.
Just say “plot twist” and drive your journey in another direction.
Please stay curious about yourself. Stay curious about life and just enjoy the journey.