When I work with clients I often see themes. I’m not sure why this happens, but it happens all the time. I’ll talk to 3-4 people on the same day all dealing with the same question, block, struggle or fear.
Oftentimes it reflects something I’m dealing with, too, and I see the universal challenges we are all up against. I can feel my compassion for all of us in these situations, while at the same time I can often see the Divine grace, the opportunity, and the need for us all to rise up, face the challenge and become a brighter force and light in the world.
One day last week, the major theme was: How do I know when it is time to leap or make this big change?
One woman in her 50’s described how dead her marriage feels; how they never talk, don’t have sex, have nothing in common. He won’t do therapy or work on it in any way.
Yet, when she thinks of leaving she fears she won’t be able to make it on her own, her quality of life will suffer in certain ways, especially financially, so maybe she should just stick it out—for another dead 20-30 years…
Another client wondered why he has been unable to make the leap into self-employment that he has been contemplating for so long. The next client was dragging his feet on getting his book written for fear it will fail and no one will read it, and the client after that reported she got a promotion and raise in her corporate job just when she was thinking of finally quitting and moving to Oregon.
Initially, I let them talk and explore their frustrations and fears. I could see their old patterns of shrinking and feeling helpless rise to the surface, get the better of them and convince them they were doomed, sure to fail.
But, as I questioned and probed further, each one of them talked about how their potential leap could lead to something better than what they have now.
The woman afraid to leave her dead marriage saw how it could strengthen her to learn to be on her own, find her true passion and open the interior design business she always dreamed of and bring some additional beauty into the world.
The author of the book knew his book would help others with similar issues related to his topic.
The man fearing to leave his job and be self-employed saw how his desire to open a martial arts studio and teach self-defense classes to women is a needed gift in the world.
And the woman who got the job promotion, acknowledged she hated her job and had always dreamt of living in Oregon and doing some kind of environmental work.
I could see that each of them had a potential mission they had not yet fully embraced.
I began to talk with them about this bigger picture and the possible deeper purpose at work here. What if there was a reason this was happening?
What if their holding back and playing small was an old habit run primarily by their limbic brain that was based in survival instinct and irrational fear?
What if this seeming impossible situation was the opportunity of a lifetime that would lead to greater personal happiness and some needed healing or service for others at the same time?
We began to reframe their situations into something more than their personal dilemma or fear, and started to see it as a Divine assignment or mission.
I suggested they step into the energy of the archetypal Warrior (in its positive sense), who holds the pose of strength and fortitude despite the discomfort or desire to retreat into the familiar and known. I invited each of them to shift into the Warrior mindset of serving the greater good and bringing their service into the world.
I explained that part of being the Warrior is that when embarking upon the Warrior’s mission there is never a guarantee of success or a map of the final outcome. It is in the one step at a time that the Warrior strengthens, grows, and achieves the ultimate soul’s call.
When reframed as a mission guided by the strength and fortitude of a Warrior, I could see the light in my clients ‘eyes come back on. Their shoulders loosened, posture straightened, head lifted and they breathed a sigh of relief. They somehow didn’t feel so alone after all.
What they found hard to imagine doing just for themselves, felt a bit easier when they realized they were being called to bring their light and service into the world. Not only that, but they realized there’s a bigger energy they can tune into and call upon for guidance, inspiration and support. It remains to be seen what choices they will make.
Will they be able to sustain the energy it takes to make a leap into the unknown or will they retreat to the safety and comfort of the familiar and known?
What leap are you thinking of taking? How will you know if it is time to take this step or not?
Can reframing this decision to seeing it as a Divine mission help you decide the best course of action? Does tapping into the energy of the archetypal Warrior give you a boost of courage and strength to jump into the unknown?
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