I recently learned an important lesson from my sister.
After I’d starting using the “Perfect” mantra (see last week’s blog – Join the “Perfect” experiment) I had a phone call from my sister who was VERY excited about some things that had been happening for her. Without going into a long story, things had turned around for her suddenly and dramatically – especially with regard to work and people she was meeting who could have a big impact on her life. The thing that really struck me was her attitude of gratitude. She was so grateful for what “the Universe” was bringing to her that she started doing things to acknowledge the help. One statement she kept making was “I don’t want to ask for anything”. Even without asking specifically, the things she desired were happening for her. One example was that her husband was having a struggle as he’d not been able to find any work. With this new attitude of his wife’s he started getting regular work.
The message for me was to stop wanting and asking. Intellectually, I’ve understood this for some time. However, it was not a way of being. When I started thinking about how my sister was behaving I realised I live in a cloud of requests, wants, desires, needs, goals etc:let the weather be cooler, we need rain, please let that person find their lost dog, we’ve got to stop the clearing of the Amazon forests……. As you can see not all the requests were personal. I realised that even though my requests may be altruistic and worthwhile I was still living in a space of asking the Universe (in whatever form you want to define it) to provide STUFF. Going to a meeting or event had to have a purpose or objective – there was always an intention around achieving something. That could be to come away with a certain number of business cards or to let someone know about what I do or …..
What struck me (AT LAST – hey I never claimed to quick on the uptake) was that I can shift to a space of acceptance and being grateful for where I am right now and that whatever is happening is perfect. I’m shifting my mindset to a place of being rather than doing.
Ultimately, our soul knows what it’s here to achieve. Our challenge is to get out of our own way so we can be who we’ve come to this time and place to be. The doing will come and we’ll achieve our soul purpose. But first we have to get out of our own way. We have to stop chasing goals (no matter how worthy) that we’ve DECIDED are what I want/need…. Ultimately, the purpose of a goal is not so much in achieving the goal but in who we become in order to have whatever it is we’ve set our minds to. Often, this sends us off on a path which doesn’t support our ultimate life or soul purpose. When you focus on your goals how do you FEEL about them rather than THINK about them? Are they things you think would be good to do because your friends, peers, TV show or book characters have led you to believe would be worthwhile objectives? Yet somehow deep within your “heart of hearts” something doesn’t feel right.
I’ve now changed my BEHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to simply being fully present all the time. I reckon that is probably the greatest challenge of my life and potentially the most fulfilling.
What do you think?