“I give up…”
My mother called me the other day, and began our conversation with “So what are you learning lately?” She goes on to tell me this is her new question for people as she likes to measure life by where we are growing. She proceeded to tell me what she was learning about her own life.( I should note that while my mother and I have different modes of operating and often different ideology, I am very clearly a product of her.)
When it came to be my turn to share, I paused, as I was multitasking with headphones in and making homemade donuts at the same time because I wanted some and I have never done it before. “I am really learning to give up, to surrender”.
She was curious. I explained that I find myself thinking that I have truly surrendered something, but my mind is always trying to plot solutions or ideas and then I will take actions on those ideas and it does not bring much satisfaction.
It seems like plotting and coming up with ideas is our job. And while its not a bad thing, there is a difference between trying to find a solution where you feel something isn’t happening and receiving insight on something you know has a solution.
One feels like inspiration, the other feels like effort.
Inspiration has an energy of its own. It is a train we get on that takes us somewhere we desire to go even if we do not know the destination.
Effort is more like a loop we run hoping we stumble on a new route.
We often try to create our life from the same energy that created where we currently are. If you are wanting to create something different you will have to be in a different energy entirely.
Inspiration is broken down to these two words: In - Spirit.
When we get inspiration, it is from a different place then the mind that we regularly operate from. And in order to get to that space we must have space in our mind and our day to allow for that. We must be quiet enough.
For example; I recently found myself thinking about how to show up in my work, particularly in reaching new clients and expanding. Because I have absorbed so many suggestions online, from algorithm hacks, to business classes, to new social media plans… all which feel flat to me, even if they are well intended. I am uninspired by them so I finally said “I give up”.
I realized I am not allowing the divine to guide me and bring me what I need, as long as I am plotting from a place of something not being there already, from lack. It all felt like playing some game that didnt really light me up to begin with.
I realized that I am attached to what I do and how I do it and the ways it could expand, but those ways of being are coming from what I already know, not what my intuition or my soul feels.
As much as I have surrendered and feel attuned to spirit I still have my sticking points.
I share this with you because maybe you can relate to efforting to make something happen. Maybe you have felt the aimless push to create something within the lines of what society expects, whether that is at work, in your family, or in your creative life.
When we are standing in the present moment and don’t know how something could unfold, its normal for our mind to come up with known paths to get there or to not get there, depending on your mood. But what if we don’t fill the space and we just ponder the idea that the divine has something so magical for us that we need not figure out specifics. We need to create space and give up forcing everthing else.
What if we opened wider to possibility instead of basing our future on the past or on other experience. The divine does not operate on the beliefs of society, it works with how much your beliefs allow spirit in.
When you start to function on inspiration, don’t be surprised if you don’t get immediate ideas but instead you get many smaller ideas about just living day to day… like making donuts and calling my mom or rearranging my furniture in my room to have a new perspective. Sometimes these smaller ideas lead you to change the way you feel and bigger downloads of clarity can come in. Or sometimes we need to be more in the flow of the everyday and the bigger clarity you are calling in will come in time.
So when you don’t feel you are on a path with natural energy, a life of its own you are combining with and are pushing and hustling, GIVE UP, SURRENDER. Make some space to find what way of being has momentum naturally, what inspires you.
As always I am here to help you find your way through your own learning and growing. Let me know your thoughts. I love to hear from you and please share this with someone who may need to hear this today.