As we get closer to the final quarter of the year, what gifts and dreams of yours have you abandoned? How would you feel five years from now if they were still unlived?
Maybe you’ve always wanted to teach a class or take up painting again – or there’s a book waiting in the wings.
It may not be easy to get in touch with what is missing for you to have a fully expressed life. One great way to gather clues is to notice when you feel envy.
Does your smile become a bit fake when a colleague announces she’s publishing her first book, or taking three months off to travel in Africa? What causes a twinge and then an immediate bounce away from your depths?
You might tell yourself, “I’ll be able to have (fill-in-the-blank) later when I have more time and more money in the bank.” Or maybe it doesn’t feel like you’ve made a conscious decision to postpone it, but somehow everything else is getting your time and attention instead.
What would it take to make this wish a priority, with no ifs, ands, or buts? If you really want it in your life, pull out your calendar and set a date to take a first step.
If you don’t know yet exactly what to schedule, then make a date with yourself and your curiosity. What do you have to lose if you take the time right now? What do you have to lose if you never take the time?
Once you are alone with an uninterrupted block of time – no email or answering the phone — here are some questions to help you clarify what might be ready to emerge:
- What things would you regret never having done?
- What would you like to be remembered for?
- What does a “fully expressed life” mean to you?
- What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
- What would the impact be on you and those around you if your life was like that?
Clear regular time in your schedule to keep this part of you alive. What do you need to say no to in order to say yes to this? If you have not done the exercise from the June issue Do Your Actions Match Your Heart’s Priorities (or the blog post https://www.clearchangegroup.com/do-your-actions-match-your-hearts-priorities/), I recommend doing that next.
Finding and following what calls you might not be easy – it requires commitment, discipline, and sacrifice at times. You will need to persevere, keeping your inner flame lit in the absence of immediate reward or support.
And the rewards of expressing all of who you are? I’ll leave that question for you, to find out what might come true.