In many of
my Intuitive Guidance sessions I work with people who are trying to “Figure
out” what they need, or “Figure out” what they want or “Figure out” what their
purpose in life is. Others may be clear
on what it is they want, but are trying to “Figure out” HOW to get it!
The advice
that they usually receive is to STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT! When we are
‘figuring out’ something, we are using our mind, our rational thought processes
to find an answer or a solution. This is
the slowest, hardest way to get what you want!
When we are
looking for solutions with our mind (i.e. our intellect) the only resources we
have are based upon what we already know – our past experiences and what we
have been exposed to. So, to have
something new, we need to have creative ideas and solutions. They do not come from trying to figure it
out!
For
example, back in the late 1980s, I worked as a manager for a number of
companies. I was happy to a point, but
life often felt like a struggle and I had to force myself to get up and go to
work some days. (With some of the jobs I had – most days!) I changed companies
every couple of years and never quite found my niche. When I was trying to ‘figure out’ what I
could do to be happier and more successful with my work, I would list my
skills, strengths, experience, education and training. Then, I would look at all the possible jobs I
could qualify for and what the income potential was. And finally, I would sort through these
possibilities, eliminate those that didn’t have enough income, highlight the
ones that had interesting qualities and then take action! My action would be re-writing my resume,
contacting recruiters and reading the help-wanted ads every Sunday. It was a frustrating, depressing
experience. Eventually, I would find
something hopeful, apply, get hired, and do the same thing all over again a few
years later. What was I doing wrong? I
had used the “Figure it out” approach.
Now, I have
been self-employed and teaching Reiki for over 15 years, and I live an
amazingly wonderful life! I get up when
I want to, take vacations when I want to, travel a lot, and I look forward to
my work every day! In fact, I sometimes
think I look forward to my Reiki classes and Intuitive sessions more than my
students and clients do. I would still
be doing what I do, even if I won the lottery and didn’t need to work another day.
How did I
get here? It was not by “Figuring it
out”, that is for sure. For
example, I didn’t even know Reiki
existed, and, if after I attended my first Reiki class, someone had told me
that I would be ‘quitting my day job’ and traveling and teaching Reiki, I
wouldn’t have believed them. I wouldn’t
have thought it was possible, that it would be too hard to make a steady
income, that Reiki was too ‘fringe’ and weird, etc. etc.
So, what
did happen? It was a combination of
things. I got clearer about what I did like in my work, I took some
seminars on personal development and became more positive about myself and
began to believe that anything was
possible. I became a bit of a
‘Pollyanna’ and started trusting that there was a solution to everything, even
when I couldn’t see it or imagine it.
That was
when the ‘magic’ began. I started
looking for synchronicity in my life, I expected positive things to happen to
me, and, discovered that I could find a positive aspect in anything that I
experienced. From this open perspective,
I was actually tapping into the power of the Law of Attraction without even
knowing it.
When we
open ourselves up to more than our intellect, we expand to an infinite realm of
possibilities – intuition, inspiration & creativity all flow from a broader
source than our minds! Now, in this
open, positive space, aligned with all the possibilities of the universe,
solutions and opportunities kept showing up!
Even as I
took the steps necessary to be where I am today, I had no idea where it would
lead me. I took the Reiki class out of
curiosity. I organized a class for my
Reiki master here in Honolulu,
because it seemed like a fun thing to do.
I asked about training more in Reiki, because I loved how it made me
feel, not that it was a career opportunity.
It would
not have been as easy to be self employed and successful if I hadn’t had my
previous business experience. I took the
risk to be self employed, because it was exciting, and I figured I could always
get a ‘real job’ if it didn’t work out.
I wasn’t afraid to fail, because I knew I could bounce back and start
over if I needed to. I also did things
to ‘nourish’ me spiritually, like doing Reiki for myself daily.
You can now
see that I just kept taking steps that were fun, exciting and a little
risky. I never had it all figured out –
I still don’t! Now, I am doing also
Intuitive work, it is really rewarding and satisfying. I am not sure where it will lead, but I know
things just keep getting better, more successful and fun!
So, how can
someone stop trying to “Figure it out” and find the ‘magic’ for
themselves? There are infinite
ways! Notice and appreciate what already
works for you. Find and commit to a
regular practice that adds peace to your life and nourishes you – meditation,
Reiki, yoga, tai chi… Take workshops and courses that you find interesting and
inspiring. Like and appreciate yourself
more. After a while, you will find
yourself dreaming of greater things without the pangs of not knowing how to get
there. Your life, your passion, your joy
will simply unfold, and you will look back in amazement at the perfect, unique
path you followed to get there. Your
guidance comes from your heart, not your head.
So follow your heart and discover what you are seeking!
