What are you saying ‘no’ to when a ‘YES!’ is in your heart?
A couple months ago a friend of mine called to say she had decided to go to Provence for a writing retreat. I should come she said. One of her many lovable personality traits is the outrageous but endearing way she throws caution to the wind. It’s contagious. Even though my heart leapt at the idea, what happened next surprised me. I said, probably not. My head rattled off the many pragmatic and sensible reasons why this wasn’t the best time to go: new school year for my teenaged son, launching projects at work, financial constraints, those who need me, etc.
My analytical mind can be quite compelling and a strong taskmaster. My reasons why not to go made sense to me. A month passed.
What are usually fun and rewarding activities began to feel relentless, demanding, lifeless. Nothing fell easily into place. Something was out of balance, but what?
In the past, whenever anxiety or confusion appeared and doubt snuck in I immediately assumed that the emotional turmoil was an indication of a shortcoming of mine. My response? I took my effort level up a few notches. If I try harder, I’ll fix it. Still, it wasn’t working. But wait. I don’t even know what I am fixing! This confusion led to stress. I felt exhausted.
From my work this past decade I have learned that I have strayed far afield from my own inner wisdom when I start making myself the problem. I have access to an inner resource where I can find all the answers I need. I have tools that open the door to this rich library of information. It’s mine and it’s available whenever I need it. And I needed it now! I stopped the tyranny of my to-do list. I let the quiet settle in and sought the counsel of my innate intuitive intelligence. What is going on? I asked it.
The response that followed-a calm, nonjudgmental, reassuring voice-was surprising simple. Take a break! Slow down. Dabble. Write. Recharge your creative life. Sit inside that great expansive landscape of your imagination and do nothing but dream and envision what is possible.
For too long, my scales were tipped too far in favor of accomplishing my goals through hard work. I am an entrepreneur. This is an easy trap to fall into and, once there, difficult to pull myself out of.
Equal amounts of time spent inside your imagination, and, concentrating on the task at hand is healthy. The former is not an indulgence, it is a necessity. Without it the latter operates without a clear and purposeful map.
All that angst? Unnecessary. The solution? The writing retreat I had forgotten about until just then. Instead of no, I perked up and said, “Perfect timing!” Steps that would make it possible, blocked by my initial no, looked easier than I could have imagined. I felt energized, excited, and awake, and then my body felt calm. The no turned into a resounding YES!
Through regular practice of my energy tools, I have come to learn that I can trust my inner guidance, my wise and loving self. Whatever the response I receive, I know my intuition won’t lead me astray or abandon me.
How often do you say no to yourself when what you really want to say is Yes! How can you trust what you hear in the yes or the no? Access your innate intuitive intelligence. Learn to trust it. Not sure how? Join a workshop and find out how easy it is. What do you have to lose? Doubt, for one!