Trusting the Path

I get questioned, 'How do I know I am on the right path, or in the right job or relationship?"  I have  asked these very questions myself. 

These particular questions don't serve the person asking. Asking these questions creates a kind of hard edged experience of the world, one's contribution to the world and a hard edged view of oneself.

 There are better ways to ask what is being asked, ways that open up paths never seen before, not traveled, and unique to your success.  What if you assumed for a moment that you were on the right path, the path wasn't in question.  What was open for exploration was what what actions you could take today to further your development, your growth within your relationships, or your skills. 

Perhaps the path will always be foggy, slightly unclear, nebulous, ambiguous and uncertain  if it is a path worth taking. 

Greatest Gift

The greatest gifts I have ever gotten came from the lowest lows, problems and obstacles I've faced.  From the ashes of downsizing, or a failed relationship or a loss of a dearly beloved pet, I was able to gather strength, develop new capacities and uncover talents I never thought I possessed.

Some have called this the silver lining in every cloud, but I think that diminishes the 'knock the teeth out of you' of the challenges and the potential for authentic transformation.  The real transformation of who and what I am comes from leaning into the places I fear, regret, or want to avoid. 

Keep Today True

Keep today true to you.  Just today, keep your eyes on the prize of today.  Breathe in the fresh air of this minute.  Love the eyes of the person you gaze at for this second.  Feel the softness of your skin on the material it touches.

Keep true to today. Just today do something that builds your creativity, releases your regrets, or makes you laugh.  Take one step toward freedom from your past negative experiences, learn from them in a positive way and safe guard yourself from cynicism. 

Keep true to today.  Let today shine through your eyes, liberate the song in your voice,  and break the barriers in your heart.  Keep today true and tomorrow will be just fine.

The What and Why of Life

There are many demands placed on us everyday and stress can seem everywhere.   Sometimes it can feel like one has lost a connection from the what we are doing to the why we are doing it. That loss of connection can be a contributor to the stress, disease, malfunction and disconnection many people experience.  It can feel like resignation and futility.  Questions can arise of "what's the point?"

I have felt that many times in my life.  I have been lucky  that when I have been engulfed by resignation or despair,  I have been able to take time and ask myself simple, elegant questions that support renewal.

The first question I ask is, what am I focusing on?  My development or reaching some goal?

Goals are wonderful, but if you only chase goals the pressures of achievement can quickly collapse around you.  Goals give direction, help center energies,  give a profound sense of advancement.  But to live only for the goal is to lose sight of the beauty every minute of every day. 

It's rather like being in school and worrying about your grades.  If you are constantly worrying about your grade when are you going to study?  Or losing weight, if you are always watching the scale you don't get the beauty of the change of lifestyle your goal is providing.

I return to the process, take it one step at a time and watch as I build new talents and capacities within myself that will reflect in outer circumstances, environments and opportunities.  Like the shell made each day by the sea creature within, building their castle one moment at a time.