While we wait for life, life passes – Seneca
There was a deep and familiar resonance in my body as she spoke. This prospective client’s message was honest and vulnerable, her emotions raw and held just beneath the surface, until they weren’t.
“I feel like life is passing me by,” she confessed.
Oof.
Although the words vary, I hear this sentiment frequently. It’s a pervasive angst that life is getting away from them. A fear born out living a life that is not their own and they know it but they’re not sure what to do about it.
The common emotions while living in this tension range from frustration, confusion, and impatience to anxiety, fear, and panic that while they’re trying to think their way into greater alignment, life is indeed passing them by.
To compound this downward spiral is the awareness that their life is the picture of success to the naked eye. A great income, professional accomplishments or a successful business, and other external success markers gathered along the way. “I would be crazy to put these things at risk”, they think to themselves which adds a layer of shame on top of all the other unwanted emotions for daring to want something different, something more aligned with their True Self.
And round and round it goes until the courage or desperation reaches a tipping point.
If you are in this spiral now and you feel trapped, lost, or frozen in place by the not knowing, Here are some suggestions I invite you to try.
- Step off the mental merry-go-round. Create some space and perspective to activate a different part of your brain by doing the following:
- Create a peaceful environment for yourself – in nature or in a comfortable chair – someplace quiet, where you can be alone with yourself.
- Light a candle or incense to create a pleasing fragrance or attune to the natural scents if you’re outside.
- Take several long, deep cleansing breaths. With each exhale, release the stress and tension in your body, and with each inhale, notice the good things that have occurred over the arc of your life to date. The people you love, The parts of you that are healthy, the challenges you’ve overcome or endured, and the people who have helped you along the way.
- Hold this spacious goodness and resulting emotions with gratitude in the present moment as long as it is comfortable to do so.
- Now gently consider that time is not your adversary but a wise and supportive partner in your process of aligned transformation. It’s a key ingredient.
- As you sit quietly, write down an inquiry for yourself, such as:
- What action is being asked of me today?
- Whose counsel might I seek today?
- To whom should I reach out today?
- Release any resistance to the process, soften your heart as you sit in silence and listen for what arises. It may feel like a soft nudge, a wise and gentle prompt, or a still small voice that involves a specific action.
- Trust (with discretion) what comes up in response to your inquiry, and honor that action.
- Rinse and repeat.
From out of nowhere it seems, our constructive discontent rises from within as a sacred gift whose purpose is to guide us toward greater alignment with True Self. This gift, if we choose to accept it, is our invitation to a remaining lifetime of transformation.
With Gratitude,
Keith