I talk with clients all the time about listening to inner directives, those little voices that tell us the right way to our best lives.

My inner directive is telling me to REST. And I’m going to listen.

My blogging for the remainder of the summer will be sporadic. Check back now and then to see if I’ve posted anything. You can also subscribe in a reader or by email, so you can have the blog posts delivered directly to you.

I’ll keep sending out newsletters (subscribe over there to the left), and I’m still coaching.

In the mean time, how are you doing listening to your inner directives?
 

Last week I talked about following my own advice to do only what excites you and not attach to doing anything in particular.

I was writing about how I sat down to write a blog post, but it wasn’t coming. After waiting for a bit, it didn’t feel exciting to wait any longer, so I decided to call it off. Then the post came... actually three came.

That’s what non-attachment will do for you. When you have to do something, it’s difficult. When don’t want something to happen or be as it is and you and try to avoid it, it sticks around. The universe is funny like that.

As soon as I didn’t care if I had a blog post, I had three.

As soon as you stop having to leave your awful job, a new opportunity will arrive.

Do what excites you, don’t attach to anything in particular, and you’ll be on the path to the life you are meant to live.

Simple formula that’s way harder to follow than it is to write.
 

Last Monday I suggested that when it comes to work and life, we should only do the things that excite us. I also suggested that some days bookkeeping, billing, and filing actually fall into that category. I wasn’t kidding on either point.

When you do what excites you, you’re following your essential self. Your essential self knows how to get you to where you want to go (even when you don’t know where that is!).

The part of you that knows what makes you smile is the part worth listening to. The part that is afraid or logical isn’t the part of you that leads you to a happy life or a successful business.

I have a friend who, right now, only wants to do yoga and write. That’s it. Now, in this moment, doing those things won’t make a dime for her in her business. But she trusts this part of her to lead her in the right direction. She’s taking care of herself with yoga, and she’s working on a very important book. And she’s trusting it’s the right thing to do, even if her logic mind can’t make sense of it. I believe she’s right on track.

It might sound scary to do only what excites you, but when we follow this path, the universe provides... even if we’re not sure how it will happen.

Put the fear and the “need to know” aside, even if only for one hour or one day or one decision, and see what happens.
 

Last week I was at the Martha Beck Inc. Coaches Summit, a gathering of 140 amazing individuals who are on a mission to heal the world. At the Summit, there were group gatherings, activities, and breakout sessions to help each one of us further our healing in the world. Every single person is passionate about his or her mission for this lifetime.

For me, the summit confirmed some ideas that I’m here to help the healers and teachers get their work out to more people. I want to help them change the world.

At most events throughout the weekend, I saw how the leader or presenter could take steps to show up bigger and impact more people. I would tell a friend about these ideas, then I would stuff them back inside and keep my mouth shut.

I, too, was playing small.

So I faced my fears about showing up bigger and I shared several ideas with the various presenters. I shared from my heart without judgment. Some heard me and saw how they could step up. Others didn’t. It was okay either way. That’s their journey. Sharing with them is mine.

It’s easy to play small, to play it safe. But you’re here for a reason, so step into the shoes you are meant to fill. 
 

I am!

I had the pleasure of being at the Martha Beck Coaches Summit in Keystone, Colorado, for the past 4 days. What fun!

Today is my chill day. Four days of "work" (a.k.a. crazy fun), and now a day of rest.

How about you? Can you cut out of work early, take a day off, play hooky, and rejuvenate. You deserve it!
 

I believe that deep down we all know what we really want. We know what we want for a career, to do for fun in our free time, in a relationship, and in every other area of our lives. However, we often feel disconnected from those desires due to a little thing called resistance.

We have allowed resistance to protect us. We can grow so accustomed to the resistance that we don’t even realize it is there.

One way to find out what’s stopping you is to move forward.

Take one step toward something new. Start moving toward your goal.

Not sure what you want or even what your goal is? I bet you know something, even something small.

If you work for a large corporation and long for a small, intimate work setting, start researching other companies. Then witness the thoughts that pop up.

Do you hear: “I’d have to take a pay cut and I can’t afford it.” Bingo! That’s one way resistance is holding you back. As long as you don’t look that fearful thought in the eyes, this belief will hold you back from your dreams.

I’m not saying that there may not be a grain of truth in your statement, but until you get to the real truth, you’ll stay stuck. Until you get to the real truth, resistance will run the show.

What’s the real truth?

It’s reality. It’s when “I can’t afford it” becomes “I choose not to change my lifestyle.” It’s when you get really honest with yourself and notice your choices. Would you rather have a fat salary, or be in a job you love? And who says you can’t have both? (Hint: Believing you can’t have both is a belief born from resistance, too!)

There are dozens of ways to get to the real truth. You can recognize that everything is a choice. You can ask your wise inner self to weigh in. You can do The Work.

Getting to the real truth is a journey worth taking, if you want to live life the way you were meant to live it.

What small step can you take today to move toward your dreams and bring the truth of your resistance out into the light?
 

In just a few days of Dance of Shiva practice, I am seeing some of my patterns. Havi Brooks talks a lot about using this practice to notice patterns.

I’ve noticed my perfectionism pattern play out a few different ways.

1. I was hesitant to get started with my new practice because, “What if I didn’t get the epiphanies I hoped for?”

2. Havi recommends moving on before you can really do any level. I wanted to hang around on the first practice until I got it perfect. Epiphanies don’t come from hanging around in a comfortable place!

When I noticed the pattern, I could change my response to it.

1. I did the practice anyway.

2. I went straight through several lessons I never tried before, just to see what would happen. I survived!

This practice is just one way to notice patterns. There are other ways patterns show up in our lives. Our habits give us clues as to how we’re living based on old patterns.

A never-ending to-do list is a pattern to prove that “I’m a failure. I can’t get anything done.”

Constant busyness is a pattern for the thought, “I have to be productive.”

A television always on or music always playing is a pattern that keeps emotions stifled and the present moment ignored.

Whether you use Dance of Shiva or your keen observation skills, notice where patterns show up in your life. Acknowledge how they control you. The change the pattern by doing something different.
 

Listen to your heart.

I know how easy it can be to get wrapped up in doing the “right next thing” in searching for a new career or building my business or working toward any goal. We look toward the logical next step. We believe that if we follow the steps 1-2-3 we’ll get exactly where we want to go.

Rarely does anything work like that, except maybe baking cookies.

Think about a goal or something you’ve accomplished in your life. When you set out to achieve it, was it a simple 1-2-3 process, or did you take some detours and unexpected turns along the way?

Sometimes, the next step on the way to finding a job you love is to go for a walk in the middle of the day. It may not be logical, but your true, creative, essential self knows that it serves you better to go for a walk then to sit and work on your resume.

The next step for building your business may be to take a long bath, have a good cry, play with watercolors, or make faces with your food. Your logical mind can’t explain it--and it never will be able to, but your true, creative essential self knows exactly what you need to do to get to your goal.

Next time you’re not sure if you should take this step, that step, or turn left, check in with your heart.

Get quiet.

Take a few deep breaths.

Ask your heart what is next for you. It knows.

Listen and follow. What you hear may not be logical. It doesn’t have to be. If your logical mind were all you needed to get what you want, you’d already have exactly what you wanted.

Check in with your heart today. What does it say is next for you?
 
photo courtesy of ilmungo via flickr

Do you long for the days when you were passionate about your job, when you were excited about your company and the work you did there?

When we feel disconnected from our work, it is often because our values have shifted or the work has shifted and our values haven’t.

I see this happen to many clients. They remember times when they felt connected to their company and their work. They remember feeling excited about what they were doing. But now, it just feels like work.

Does this sound familiar? Do you want it to change?

Step back for a moment. When the times were good, what did you value about work? What did work value about you?

What about now? What do you value about work? What does work value about you?

What changed: you or work or both?

What do you want to do about it?

You can try to align yourself with work. (Likely you can’t align work with you if you work for someone else.)

You can change the reason why you show up at work.

You can find new avenues for fulfillment.

You can make a career change.

You have options. You are not stuck. You can find a connection with your work again. It won’t be the same as it used to be, but you can feel that passion again if you're willing to make a few changes. Are you ready?
 

In your life, are you working to survive the moment, or are you pushing toward something better?

“I just have to survive these layoffs...”
“If I can only make it through this rough patch...”

When times are challenging, we tend to focus on “making it through,” or surviving the tough times, instead of striving for something more.

Imagine for a moment that times are tough. (Maybe for you right now, this isn’t difficult to imagine.) You need to work hard to make it through the day or through the week. How does this feel?

Now, imagine that you have a vision for your future. You’re clear about what you want. You’re headed in that direction and your dream is slowly unfolding. It could be hard work, but it’s what you want to be doing. How does this feel?

Look at your life today. Are you surviving the moment, or are you striving toward something better?

Which do you want to be doing?

Even when times look tough, setting your sights on something bigger and going for it feels good, inspires others, and directs you toward your dreams.

What are you striving for?

photo courtesy of Pat :-) via Flickr