Some things sound so easy and then trying to do them becomes almost impossible. It’s easy to say we should all live our authentic lives, but there aren’t any real rules or guidelines for achieving it. Authenticity has its own energy that can grace us, stall out, or elude us. What’s for certain is that consistently living an authentic life requires the hard inner work of self discovery. But there’s a hint that tells us if we’re on the right path, and that is the energy any given thing has for us, whether it’s a person, a job, or a house. This kind of energy grabs hold of us, it’s a clue showing us what has real meaning for us, and my advice is to follow where it leads. Many times we know what we need when we see it. We may not have all the details worked out, but we can tell what calls us by the strength of our desire for it.
It’s just like having a dream that shakes us awake, we can be sure the unconscious is trying to get our attention. It’s up to us to follow through. Now I’m saying follow the energy but it’s not exactly literal. Because if we meet someone we can’t stand following the energy does not mean telling them off, just as if we meet someone we immediately fall in love with we don’t run off to Barbados with them. We follow where the energy leads within us, we’re trying to understand what’s asking to be recognized or incorporated within ourselves. Following the energy points us in the direction of where to go next, of what needs to be looked at. Ultimately this is how we put the deeper meaning of our lives into perspective. If we can adjust the focus back onto us and what we need, instead of getting caught up in the other person or thing causing us to be captivated or repulsed, we will be well on our way to deciphering what’s asking for our attention and to living a more authentic life.
We have a boss that drives us crazy, or a friend’s husband we have a crush on, the question always is, what does that lead us to look at within us, a fear, an old issue. The work is always interior, we wait for the answer to reveal itself while we mull over the situation we find ourselves in. We sort out the clues of our strengths and weaknesses through living our everyday lives. We become a divining rod, tuned to those spikes or dips in energy, showing us which direction we need to go. This is how Anais Nin use to advise people to write, by following what has heat. When we come upon an idea, a concept, a person, whatever it is that ignites us, we can be absolutely sure that is the direction we should be heading. We’ll learn more by following what calls than by toughing out what bores us. If we listen and follow through we will be lead to what is necessary for our soul. We’ll never have to fake this connection, and we definitely shouldn’t be running away from this kind of jolt of energy. It means we’re closer to the truth of us.
Following the energy leads us to a deeper way of living.
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