Don’t get stuck in your goals.
This is a story about Lucy. A momma of two, who felt unappreciated, exhausted, a bit unsure and in a place that she didn’t see coming.
Lucy loved her babies. Of course. And she really loved being a mom. That wasn’t the problem.
Lucy had a “great” government job with benefits and…hell ya!…sick days. She had wonderful friendships and an overall happy life.
But something was off. Lucy felt…lost. Unsatisfied. And in a state of wanting more with no sense of what the “more” was or should be. This was the problem. She had followed her plan. She wanted a family, a successful career and a 4-bedroom house with 3.5 baths. And that’s what she had. Still, even with everything going according to plan (and she was uber grateful for all of it) she felt like something in her was being stifled. That who she really was, at some point in her life journey, had been shelved somewhere unreachable. She was on the right track for all the “right” things. So why did it feel so misaligned? What was she missing? What did she need to change to feel less restless and unheard?
HAVE YOU EVER FELT THIS WAY?
One day Lucy dressed up as a Clown for a kid’s birthday party and everything, suddenly, with out warning, changed. Lucy discovered she LOVED being a Clown. And the kids loved her too! It was a moment of realization that bridged her from wallowing in the unknown into the juiced up excitement of “YES I CAN!”
Lucy started her Clown Act. She created a website. Developed her character. Wrote up a rock solid business plan. Refined her costume. Started getting gigs. She quit her soul-numbing-well-paid-with-benefits job. She was on the train to success in Clowntown. And she loved it. Nothing. Absolutely nothing was going to stop her from her goals. She was, and is, a Determined Diva of Doing It All.
EVER HAD ONE OF THOSE AH-HA EXPERIENCES WHERE EVERYTHING, IN THAT MOMENT, SEEMS TO ALL COME TOGETHER? LIKE THE PERFECT SOLUTION FOR AN OVERWHELMING PROBLEM JUST ARRIVES AT YOUR SOULS DOORSTEP?
About a year after she started her clown biz, Lucy found herself thinking about how annoying the kids are when they pull at her costume while she’s performing. And their constant overly excited post-toddler screaming. It was all just over-the-top aggravating.
Something in Lucy was shifting.
She continued on. Relentlessly pursuing her goals. Ignoring the gentle pushes of intuition and soul-centred wisdom. Hell bent on maintaining her trajectory. Persistence. Determination. A forward focus on momentum, neglecting life adjustments based on honest self-reflection.
An ah-ha moment is not the forever solution to any of life’s challenges. It is simply a seed of thought and a push of energy bringing you closer to your evolving purpose and passion.
Lucy was offered a job at a large toy store to manage their marketing division. They loved her energy and professionalism. It included great pay, benefits, PLUS flexibility! She thought it would be an amazing opportunity BUT she had goals to complete. So she said NO. Lucy didn’t get off the train to Clowntown to spend time in Toyland Marketing Management. Nor did she disembark, even if for just a short stop, to explore the other life-circumstances that brought opportunity to her.
WE ONLY SEE POSSIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE ARE OPEN TO IT. THIS IS WHY SIMPLE MIND-SHIFTS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE. NOT BECAUSE OUTSIDE CIRCUMSTANCES DRASTICALLY CHANGE BUT RATHER BECAUSE YOUR PERSPECTIVES AND MIND SET ALTER, EVEN IF JUST SLIGHTLY, ALLOWING NEW IDEAS AND POSSIBILITIES TO BECOME VISIBLE.
Lucy’s mother got sick that spring and was admitted to long-term care. This broke Lucy’s heart. And stretched her ability to hold it all together. 6 months later Lucy felt totally relieved when a booked Sunday Birthday Party was cancelled. She was tired of working on the weekends. She missed family day with her kids.
Something was off. She felt lost. Overwhelmed. Misaligned.
EVER HAD AN AH-HA MOMENT TURN INTO AN AH-HA CRASH?
She had followed her plan. She created a growing business based on something that was a natural skill-set. She was following her goals, strategies and systems with veracity and forward focus. Failure was not an option. This was the problem. Lucy had evolved. Her goals had not. Getting off the train in Clowntown was not the sweet moment of victory she anticipated. It actually felt rather empty…and forced.
Lucy was learning a life lesson that is at the core of my Soul-Centred Success Teachings, “Be committed to your evolution. Not your goals.”
3 powerful questions to ask yourself if your evolution and your goals are aligned. Answer them honestly and then create realistic action steps from that place of clarity and awareness.
Are my goals serving my spirit?
Am I open to altering my goals to reflect changes in life circumstances and perspectives?
Is the heavy energy of resentment holding me back from living in joy and fun?
