Crystal Ball or Surprise?
Co-creating with the Universe & Quieting the voices that hold us back
Depending on the day, I fall into either of these camps:
Yes - I want that Crystal Ball. I want to see the end, so I can just relax and enjoy the unfolding.
But then what if I don’t like what the crystal ball shows? Will I subconsciously play that out and forfeit my free will? Will I stop creating? What if current me is unhappy with future me’s decisions that manifested into the reflection I’m seeing in the Crystal Ball?
Or…
No - I want to actively create my life! I want to manifest the experiences I want. I want to enjoy the process. I don’t want to read the last page in the story first!
But then if I could just have a quick peek into the ball and see that everything I’m working towards is going to pay off, then I could just relax and enjoy….
Right?
We want both!
And yet either option assumes that we have to do it all by ourselves.
No Universal Assist.
No room for Surprise.
But what if there is a third option?
One where the universe conspires to help you find, and co-create your path…
“The Universe has much bigger plans for you than you ever dreamed of for yourself”
Deepak Chopra
What if we opened ourselves to this magic, choosing a path of creativity, intuition, following our inspirations, and trusting ourselves?
What if this is our crystal ball?
Creative Nuggs
This week we had Allyson Byrd on the This Juicy Life.
If you are into some spiritual wizardry (the episode is titled Prosperity is our Baseline), then you will be game for Allyson’s Money Ministering.
This episode is really about this co-creative dance with the Universe and how worthy we all are, just as we are right now.
I’m a big fan of books about Creativity - and I plan to continue to share more of these nuggets in this section moving forward.
One book I’ve read about 5 times is Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic.
I recently saw a clip of her talking about what it means to live a creative life.
A creatively lived life is any life where consistently, routinely, habitually and constantly, you choose the path of curiosity over fear. Not once, not twice, not a few times, but all the times.
Liz Gilbert
She talks about how we’re faced with this choice daily.
It’s our job to recognize we do have a choice.
And to challenge ourselves not to choose the path that feels safer, simply because we have a clearer picture of how the softer option plays out.
We don’t have to enter the uncomfortable territory of the unknown when we’re playing it safe.
But imagine the adventure we’d miss out on?
The surprise!
My brother and sister in law were those parents who decided not to find out the sex of their children until they were born. When I asked my brother why, he said it was because there were so few true surprises left in life, and they wanted that feeling.
I found myself agreeing, and then I left and thought wait, I don’t believe that… so I went home and wrote a thesis about why that’s not true in my journal!
As creatives, creators of our own lives, we are continually choosing to be surprised.
When we’re tapped in, tuned in, feeling the magic…the surprises happen every day.
And we don’t know what’s next…
What a fun adventure!
The Untangling
If you’ve had a conversation with me this week…you know that I can’t stop with this quote I heard…
“How do you know you’re on the path? When the path disappears, that’s how you know.” ~ David Whyte
In last weeks article I shared my goal setting pickle; my belief in having vision, met with the surrender of that vision, and being entirely open to surprise.
It’s the absolute unknown of where the future will take you.
So this reel was a creative nugget for me to untangle. An invitation to dive a little deeper.
If the path disappears then how do you know which direction to take?
You have to trust that the path will be there each step of the way. Materializing under your feet as you walk.
And you have to trust that you’re being navigated by your higher self (or universe, or whatever mystical magic you subscribe to).
It requires presence.
And the choice to move forward.
And once you start, momentum takes over.
And you have no idea where that magic carpet ride is taking you!
It’s in the process - on the ride, that puzzle comes together, and you start to see the whole picture.
It’s 100% not ‘normal’ to live this way - and I can completely understand if it’s not the path for you - this is the radical choice!
Living a creative life is a radical choice.
It would certainly feel more clear to just do what everyone else seems to be doing. To follow the common paths we can actually see.
To not deviate too far outside of the box.
You’re reading this, so I know you at least see the box.
We all have different vantage points - maybe you’re still in the box, but you’re starting to crack the lid open, or maybe you’re in the process of climbing your way out, or maybe you’re out but feeling scared and thinking about getting back in.
The ability to contemplate and make these choices is creative, and deviates from ‘the norm,’ which means they’re inherently radical.
A choice to follow your curiosity.
A choice to indulge your aligned inspirations.
A choice to take a baby step forward when you have no idea how it will work out.
A choice to actively create the life of your dreams.
But when you don’t see the path…
…and it’s just darkness ahead…
…and you can feel the energy of momentum, but you don’t see the proof yet…
If you are someone who is accustomed to seeing the path ahead, to planning and predicting the future, then this idea might send you into a tailspin.
If you have a sense of what I mean, of this feeling of not knowing what’s ahead…then you may also be intimately familiar with our old friend self-doubt.
In the reel, David Whyte goes on to say that it’s our job to silence these voices - not to let them drown you out.
Before silencing them… you first need to hear them.
Then investigate.
Then recognize that they’re actually not your voice, and they’re not the truth.
Elizabeth Gilbert talks about this too - it’s the choice to follow curiosity over fear.
Curiosity is jumping on the magic carpet ride, even if it’s scary.
Fear is listening to the lies of self-doubt and assuming it’s the objective truth.
In this talk, Whyte uses the below poem to illustrate his point.
Your path knows where you are, let it find you.
Abundance Aggregate
This week I had a conversation with Jane Gahng about the ever unfolding path of her own creative Business.
Jane is an Artist who has done all the things… she’s a painter, an illustrator, a lettering artist, a muralist, and a luxury event calligrapher!
Jane is admittedly not afraid to jump in and try something new, whether it’s an offering for her business or for fun (last year she made over 200 paper flowers for her own wedding!)
She trusts in her ability to figure it out, and also release what is no longer serving her. If she adds something new into her career, something less juicy falls away.
Coincidently this knack for trying new things has made her an abundant stream of wisdom for other artists. She has always been the mentor willing to be the open book that other artists trust.
Jane allows herself the freedom to indulge the creative gifts that arrive.
When you build this trust in your abilities, and trust in yourself, you can tune into the ideas that feel truly inspired to you.
This is not about the impulsivity of choosing a new idea so you can avoid the scary stuff…
It’s intentionally taking the next step in that direction… choosing the inspired action. Choosing curiosity over fear.
Her best results have come when she has been willing to dive in right away vs. overthinking it. This is jumping on the rollercoaster before the self doubt has time to sabotage!
Jane’s career is ever-evolving, because she is ever-evolving.
When we’re starting our creative business we’re thinking cool, I just need to monetize my passion, and maybe learn a thing or two about business.
What we don’t realize is that we’re often signing up for a Minor in Personal Development that turns into a PhD!
Choosing a Creative Path usually comes with a desire to grow… and if we’re growing, a crystal clear path forward is not usually the case.
Sorry!
But it means you get to indulge new ideas! It means your career will never be boring! It means you get to be Creative in your choices! And it means your life changes in ways you never dreamt of.
And like Jane, you get to build a sustainable business, and develop a trust in yourself that is yours to keep.
Want to collaborate? Want to chit-chat? Want to spread some abundant ideas? Get in touch, I’d love to hear from you!
You can learn more here, or reply to this email.
Lots of Love!
Lauren