Morsels of Inspiration

How many of us are aware of our potential? Who among us has been lucky enough to have been able to tap into their talents at a young age and spend the rest of their lives developing those talents to be able to develop them into a career? Anyone? Right…

Like most of the people I know, it took me decades of self-reflection and realization before I came to a place where I felt safe enough to stop playing the corporate game that I was surrounded by and do my own thing…tapping into what made me happy, what I felt was the foundation for the peaceful life that I was periodically getting fleeting glimpses of and that I knew I wanted to make more of a fixture in my day-to-day existence. Making the decision to go ahead and drop everything was obviously petrifying, but it proved to be one of the greatest moves I’ve ever made for myself…here’s why:

1 ) The freedom of letting go of what we suspect is chaining us down, but which we have so far tolerated, is dizzyingly intoxicating.

2 ) The fear of the possible repercussions of letting go of all that has allowed us to feel stable and secure is oddly motivating and tends to result in never-before-seen rushes of productivity.

3 ) Once you clear out the proverbial room to make space for what you seek, it ends up materializing with little or no added effort.

4 ) As soon as you realize that all that stands in your way of achieving your wildest dreams is your fear of said realization, you start seeing the world differently. It’s safe to say that as soon as you know that you are capable of doing something, it becomes monumentally easier to do.

5 ) I didn’t quite grasp it at the time, but I had an inkling that tapping into what set me apart from the majority of folk around me would bring me to a better place, both professionally as well as emotionally. I cannot stress enough how important it is to assist others around us to cultivate their individuality…the greatest leaders of our time, regardless of the arena, have all unflinchingly believed in themselves and in their talents and capabilities. Never forget that what comes naturally for you may seem like an insurmountable goal for someone else.

6 ) As I took each step towards realizing my goals in that first year of transition, it became clear to me that as great as it is to keep visualizing the end result, the innate beauty and truth in life (that is always on display but rarely seen through our fog of delusion) became brighter and clearer…and always in the steps leading towards the goal. By the time each goal was realized, I understood that the goal may have been the catalyst for the journey, but it ended up being a byproduct of everything that was revealed along the way.

7 ) When you realize that nothing happens overnight, the sense of urgency to create the life you dream about living becomes a great motivator. We’re living this life right now, and no one is going to make the changes we’d like to make except ourselves.

8 ) When you share the changes you’re trying to implement with the people in your life, you will be humbly surprised at how much support and help will be unselfishly offered to you.

9 ) The process of deciding what you want to do and simply doing it can also bring up feelings of envy in others. Never take no for an answer and don’t let anyone sway you from doing what you know is good for you. Having that discipline and courage result in success will in turn inspire others to pay more attention to their own internal dialog.

10 ) Following your heart and your dreams allows you to come into focus for those who love you and truly see you. It helps define your character and puts that added spring in your step, confident in the knowledge that when we focus on managing ourselves instead of everything around us, we come back to the source of all that is, which can never be bad.

I know that all this can sound a little far-fetched, but I’m simply communicating what I’ve experienced and what continues to unfold for me as each day’s events present themselves. As we nestle into 2011, let’s all think about how we can move towards our own truths, to a place where we feel so capable and nourished that we need to share that blindingly beautiful energy with others….and hope they pass it on. This is how we will effect change in the world we live in – by living it, and leading with it.

Happy 2011!!!!