Spring has definitely sprung here in Northern California, and I’m feeling more energetic, outward facing, and ready to move, grow and create!
But this year there’s something distinctly different happening for me.
My urge to blossom and grow has a very grounded and calm energy to it.
I’m listening deeply as my intuition whispers, “slowly, slowly.”
Patience.
Patience is an edge for me. When I feel the urge to shake things up and create, my go-to mode has always been FULL FORCE and FAST.
This mental toughness mode has served me well through the years, and I’m proud that I can achieve and grow rapidly when I need to.
However, I’m also aware that this mentality requires pushing and muscling through challenges. This strength has a hint of brute force, which arises from my masculine energy and comes from a place of fear rather than trust.
Recently, there’s a softer way urging me forward.
One that’s saying, yes, grow, change, move forward. Get outside of your comfort zone. But don’t force things. Relax a little. Go easy on yourself, and others. Trust.
Along with this gentle pull forward, I’m receiving a deep message of self-acceptance, a reminder to…
- Get clear on my intentions, but hold them lightly.
- Believe there’s more than one “right” way.
- Allow life to show me what’s wanting to unfold.
- Deeply trust that it’s all going to work out in the end.
I think about what it would mean for my patients and clients to slow down too.
I see women who so badly wish to conceive. These are successful, smart, hard-driving women who are used to achieving goals and making it happen in all areas of their lives. They know every in and out of their cycle and can predict ovulation within hours. But despite wanting it with all their might, they can’t force this one important thing.
Or that executive leader who overworks because it’s hard to trust others to get it done exactly the way she would do it. She takes on more work than she needs to only to feel overwhelmed while her team is disempowered.
And then there’s the one between jobs, or wanting to make a career change, but that perfect next opportunity is just beyond the horizon where she can see…. And she can’t make it appear just this minute.
How much more fun would the journey be if they all could let go and trust?
So pause now and ask yourself: Where in life are you muscling through a challenge?
Can you imagine that trust and letting go might actually be the thing that gets you what you deeply desire? And how much more joy might you experience along the way?
Starting with this intention is the first step to letting go of the forcing. Become aware of where the energy of pushing and forcing shows up in your life.
How can you tell when you’re in forcing mode?
Do you lose sleep? Grind your teeth? Get headaches? Lose things? Become irritable with colleagues and family members? Or just feel the world is out to get you?
When you are aware of this inner pressure, slow down.
Put your hand on your heart and soften lovingly into it. Take a few deep breaths and tell yourself kindly, “Sweetheart, it’s all going to be OK.”
If it’s too hard to do this for yourself, imagine you are calming a dear friend or a child. Picture a wise friend’s voice or a time when it actually did all work out in the end. Stay there and repeat the calming words, “It’s all going to be OK.”
Remember, like any practice, you’ll likely need to do this repeatedly during times of highest stress.
As always, go easy on yourself.