Follow your intuition

When did you last listen to a little voice inside you?  You know, the one that urged you to make a particular choice? Are you more likely to  ignore your impulses and take steps to convince yourself to do something other than what you want?  Maybe you arrive at a turning point and are working out what your dreams are and how they evolve with you?

We all know the feeling of, 'should I or shouldn't I?'  We create situations so we learn to make decisions.  What feels right now may not feel the same way at another point later on.   That's okay.  What we decide now reflects how we view ourselves at this moment. 

Do you consult people for advice and reassurance?  Do you trust your vibes? Do you question or doubt the direction that pulls or attracts you?  Some people seek other means of exploring their apparent hunches.  I know people who turn to tarot cards, pendulums, oracles and other tools as a way to seek spiritual guidance.  Some people believe connecting with Spirit is  like connecting with your Higher Self and sensing your intuition.

Remind yourself everything you do with intent will not always turn out as you assume.  Yet, heeding intuition always brings blessings in disguise.  As you choose to recognize something good in every situation, intuition helps you adapt to new conditions.

For example, I recently went o a local store to pick up an order and deliver it as part of service to a client.  I felt organized and efficient, well on my way.   Being a positive thinker, I felt in control of my task. Yet, not only was my order not ready, but a technician present said he would need another day to complete machine repairs.

Rather than get upset about what I couldn't control about service to my client, rather than run off in a frustrated and stressed state of mine looking for another way to get my order quickly from a different supplier, I briefly chatted with this technician about his work and mine.  My intuition told me to take a few minutes. During our chat,  I discovered his ex-wife works in an area that could benefit one of my businesses.   He made a simple comment in passing.  If I hadn't paid attention, I would've missed it. 

The next day, when I phoned the shop, an employee told me the technician was still working. I expressed the desire to contact his ex-wife about work and said I would call again later .  When I did, he had already gone.   However, he left his contact details for me.  By choosing to listen to my gut, my life unfolded differently than expected. Although I didn't initially get my order on-time, I tapped into a lead on a new contractor and positive development to one of my businesses.  Pay attention and expect the best. 

How can success be everything you are?

The human personality evolves to crave security. This nurtures our desire for things, relationships and experiences. Being human in the physical world, we convince ourselves we need money to survive. If we don’t have what we think is enough, we sense we struggle. When the intuitve nudge is there, we are prompted to act. But, to do what?

To focus on what you usually do distracts you from where attention is needed.  Have you ever asked yourself why you behave as you do?You gain perspective as you take steps to learn reasons behind your impulses. Who or what has taught you to think? How does that shape your views of conformity and external approval? Are these your choices?

What if understanding yourself on other levels is part of a meaningful process?  What if clarifying your intention will bring new kinds of fulfillment? The key to security may ly in finding and creating new inner balance.  Discovering who you are and separating this from who you were, changes everything.  What do you have to lose, but debilitating fear?

As you realize what draws most of your attention, time and energy, you may begin to ask not only what you are doing, but why, to what end?  Could you live without some of your pursuits, beliefs and experiences?  You start to think there's more going on than you see.

If you begin to sense there's something about your choices, your life, that you're not getting, then you are finally beginning to ask the right questions.  To begin to question 'why you're alive' and 'whats your purpose,' leads you to discover what life's really about.  Everything you want to know is accessible.  You only see what you are ready to see.

Did it not occur to you that body and mind are not the only dimensions in life?  Maybe its time to think again, to think anew, to move beyond what you thought you knew for sure.

What if success is an illusion?

Let's imagine that nobody wants anything from you.  Reflect on this deeply for a moment.  Consider it a valid emotional and spiritual exercise, not a mindgame.  What kind of very real implications would this have on your life? your thinking? your assumptions?

Well, for starters, many things you were brought up to believe would seem deceptive or confusing.  The perceived demands and rules of family, school, social institutions, workplaces and communities would seem like you made them up.  Would you have thought you had such a  convincing imagination?  Would you have thought you were so gullible?

Take this perspective a step further.  Why is it you've grown to link "unhappiness" with not having, not knowing and not doing?  Why might you decide that other people and circumstances beyond your control must define your level of inner contentment?

To hit the nail on the head, why would you choose to believe success has to be something you're not? Why punish yourself with reprimands, challenges, blame, guilt, fear and similar feelings that are based on holding yourself back and perpetuating insecurities?  Somewhere along the line, you decided certain things mattered.  Why?  Who told you they should?  If you didn't choose to believe your shaky assumptions, they wouldn't matter. 

Every moment of every day is an opportunity to restructure your life.  In order to do that, you need to evolve to be willing to deconstruct your entire thought system.  Imagine what kind of life you would lead if you didn't need to feel motivated, if you weren't constantly working to achieve based on desire. Would you truly discover what is?

Consider a world where you produce outcomes in more subtle ways, and the outcomes themselves don't matter.  Consider a world where the thoughts of other people influence which events unfold and you can either follow the group, or take steps to help direct it.  Consider a world where top-down hierarchies dissolve, where power and knowledge exist in all of us. Wouldn't you choose to tap into it?  What if your mindset stands in your way?

Learn the value of saying no

To clarify your view of success, choose to rethink what you say. Words are power. As you think before you act, and realize limits you do or don't set, you will learn to accept responsibility for your life.  Success isn't about what you do or whom you impress, its about defining your milestones. Trust and contentment begin inside not outside yourself.

Whenever you stop taking responsibility, you succomb to temptation and wallow in excuses.  Identify your underlying motivation.  Learn to see through your own procrastination.  Find courage to face fear.  Decide you will overcome challenges.  All you have to do is look within to assess your weaknessess.  You'll discern what works. 

Recognize that saying yes is not always in your interest.  Appeasing everyone is unrealistic.  Some opportunities that present themselves will only encourage you to deviate from your path.  Do you sense it? Every choice isn't right for you.  Just because some people seem superhuman or would find a choice you face appealing, doesn't mean you follow suit.  You can't progress until you take responsibility.  

As you make the conscious decision to be accountable for what hasn't worked in your life, for what does and doesn't work now, for perceived mistakes and failure, you learn what it means to be loyal to yourself.  Rediscover who you are again, as if for the first time.

How can you stop striving for satisfaction?

Striving for satisfation is seen as a legitimate way to live your life. If you're working toward something, then you're goal-oriented, motivated and generally live for tomorrow. 

Perhaps this sounds like you.  Do you ever sense you're missing something? Insisting you need things you don't have suggests you are missing something.  When will you trade in striving for an understanding of arriving where you are meant to be?  That is, when will you realize you are satisfied as you are, where you are, and doing what you're doing? 

If you have no goal in mind, does not everything you attempt then succeed? Have you ever thought what your life would be like if you were flexible and open to possibilities? What would happen if you stopped limiting yourself to what you assumed was necessaary to succeed? Which unseen doors would open if you trusted yourself and the unexpected?

1) Stop seeing all of your doubts in other people.  You choose to project your anger and fears in others.  Everyone tests your beliefs and sensitivities.  Only as you grow to accept everything about self will you become indifferent to how events unfold.  Believe every result is in your favor.  Ego-based expectations and assumptions do not honor the inner child.  Nobody causes you to lose touch with your soul without your consent.     

2) Follow the laws of nature.  You don't need to force things to happen or do what you think is neceassry to become the person in charge.  Observe nature's conditions and discern benefits in cycles.  Setbacks enable us to settle our minds and gain perspective.  How could you listen differently, be more instinctive, appreciate life's 'ups and downs'?

3) Eliminate fearful self-judgment. Thoughts of deficiency only attract it.  Believe greatness is on its way.  You get what you think about, whether you consciously want it or not.  Circumstances do not influence your peace of mind. If you choose confusion or blame, this prevents you from taking responsibility for what you feel.  Rather than resist believng you deserve or already live in abundance, choose gratitude and grace instead.