Facebook tells me that “fans want to hear from me”. Social Media blogs tell me I should post more. I feel like I should post more. Which leads me to ask, where did the content (old blog posts) that I wrote originally come from and why did I post it? It struck me that I wrote and posted those when I was inspired to do so. Which naturally leads me to think, oh shit, I haven’t been inspired to post in months.
What does that mean about me and apparently my lack of inspiration? What I know is this: I don’t post because it’s “Motivational Monday” that kind of organization makes me shrivel up into a sad, tiny, deflated blob of meh. When I attempt to operate in this world of how I “should” do things. I freak out and do nothing. I dig in my heels, get anxiety and absolutely nothing happens.
What does that mean about me and apparently my lack of inspiration? What I know is this: I don’t post because it’s “Motivational Monday” that kind of organization makes me shrivel up into a sad, tiny, deflated blob of meh. When I attempt to operate in this world of how I “should” do things. I freak out and do nothing. I dig in my heels, get anxiety and absolutely nothing happens.
The world of what I “should” be doing is vast and debilitating. There are so many sources of “Should”s in our lives: information overflowing out of every crack and crevice telling us how we should act, how we should think, how we should operate our businesses, how we should treat our partner...how we should resolve conflict, how we should sleep at night, how we should eat, drink, exercise. Even how we should breathe. You get the point.
In a world of everyone telling us how we should be and do, there is no room left to think for yourself. In fact, you rarely get a chance to think for yourself. If you want to know how to do something, you just google it, post the question on Facebook or call your Dad and you have more than all the answers you need. While the convenience factor of technology is rad and has saved me from a lot of emotional upsets (I haven’t cried from being lost since GPSs became a thing) it also teaches us that we don’t have to think.
I’m a coach, which means I ask a lot of questions. I am amazed at how frequently I ask a question like, “what does happiness mean to you?” and people aren’t able to answer (at least in the beginning of our relationship). I literally ask people for what a word means to them in the context of their own minds, independent of outside influence and it seems like I’m asking a trick question, in Spanish. I really, truly want to know what you think. If you don’t know what you think, stop and think about what you think. The answer you come up with, is what you think.
It’s almost impossible to have an original thought anymore due to the enormity of information that is available in a world that is so small you can have access to any corner of it in the amount of time it takes you to think of a question and type it in a search bar.
In a world of everyone telling us how we should be and do, there is no room left to think for yourself. In fact, you rarely get a chance to think for yourself. If you want to know how to do something, you just google it, post the question on Facebook or call your Dad and you have more than all the answers you need. While the convenience factor of technology is rad and has saved me from a lot of emotional upsets (I haven’t cried from being lost since GPSs became a thing) it also teaches us that we don’t have to think.
I’m a coach, which means I ask a lot of questions. I am amazed at how frequently I ask a question like, “what does happiness mean to you?” and people aren’t able to answer (at least in the beginning of our relationship). I literally ask people for what a word means to them in the context of their own minds, independent of outside influence and it seems like I’m asking a trick question, in Spanish. I really, truly want to know what you think. If you don’t know what you think, stop and think about what you think. The answer you come up with, is what you think.
It’s almost impossible to have an original thought anymore due to the enormity of information that is available in a world that is so small you can have access to any corner of it in the amount of time it takes you to think of a question and type it in a search bar.
The problem with this is we have allowed ourselves to be conditioned to the way everyone else is doing things. We don’t question if it’s actually what we want or if it actually serves us and brings out our highest self. There are formulas upon formulas out there about how to build a business, find the perfect mate, and live healthily. I’m certainly not saying we should ignore all the information that has been gained by people forging a path for the rest of us. I’m just saying I think it would be smart if we ask OURSELVES first how we think or feel about something before giving away all our power. Rumi put it this way: "I have been a seeker and I still am. But I stopped asking the books and the stars. I started listening to the teachings of my soul."
Rumi’s version is even more romantic than what we’re currently up to. At least when he was searching he was looking toward the heavens and into literature. Now we’ve been conditioned to do what the people in the media are doing and what our immediate circles condone (don't buy this? remember when Planking was a thing?).
Acting based on what outside influences tell us we should do takes away the value of Spirit; the only guiding force that really matters. Spirit is the gift we were given when we were born. It is what guides us when we follow our hearts and listen to our gut. Intuition is another word for Spirit. You know when something isn’t right; it's that little feeling that won’t go away.
How do you already know something isn’t right sometimes? What else could it be than something that is guiding you? Something that has your back? What if you allowed Spirit to be your guiding factor? What would you have done differently in your lifetime? Who would you have loved more, who might you have let go sooner? What job might you have left earlier and where would you be now? What if you listened to your gut and followed your heart? What If the things that are important to society aren’t actually important to you? Would you do it all again the same way?
Rumi’s version is even more romantic than what we’re currently up to. At least when he was searching he was looking toward the heavens and into literature. Now we’ve been conditioned to do what the people in the media are doing and what our immediate circles condone (don't buy this? remember when Planking was a thing?).
Acting based on what outside influences tell us we should do takes away the value of Spirit; the only guiding force that really matters. Spirit is the gift we were given when we were born. It is what guides us when we follow our hearts and listen to our gut. Intuition is another word for Spirit. You know when something isn’t right; it's that little feeling that won’t go away.
How do you already know something isn’t right sometimes? What else could it be than something that is guiding you? Something that has your back? What if you allowed Spirit to be your guiding factor? What would you have done differently in your lifetime? Who would you have loved more, who might you have let go sooner? What job might you have left earlier and where would you be now? What if you listened to your gut and followed your heart? What If the things that are important to society aren’t actually important to you? Would you do it all again the same way?
What if we trusted ourselves? What if we believed we are capable of forging our perfect path through the jungle of this life?
I hope our paths cross in the process and I’ll meet you on the other side.
I hope our paths cross in the process and I’ll meet you on the other side.