Most of us are familiar with those folks who really seem to have it all figured out when it comes to creating. They write a book, then launch a program, then ink an incredible partnership, then create another beautiful why-didn’t-I-think-of-that thing, then write another book, then create a podcast, then get loved-up by Oprah, then speak at the UN, then, then, then… and somehow still manage grab lunch with a famous person and get a pedicure.
Poised.
Productive.
Prolific.
I’ve been friends with these people.
I’ve dated these people.
I’ve been that person.
And still…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve admired someone’s creations and thought some variation of: “They beat me to it…Why didn’t I think of that?….Why didn’t I jump on it sooner?….Why am I soooo slow?”
I know I’m not alone in this.
This sense of being so far behind, and at risk of missing the boat, is fueled by the avalanche of rhetoric that reminds us to just! keep! hustling!
“The train is leaving the station…”
“Never put off for tomorrow, what you can do today.”
“You have as many hours in a day as Beyonce.”
Are these things helpful? Maybe. They certainly beg us to get off the couch and get moving, which can light a necessary fire in someone who’s trapped in fear and resistance.
But when you’re in a space of honoring – knowing what you need and heeding it – these platitudes do nothing but annoy us at best, shame us at worst.
Because here’s the thing…
If the train is leaving the station and you’re not ready to get on it, there will be another train.
Just because you can do something today, doesn’t mean you should do it all today.
Unless you have ‘round the clock personal assistants, chefs, drivers, makeup artists, and childcare, then no – you do not have the same number of hours in a day as Beyonce.
The relentless push to “keep up” is rooted in the fear that we can’t trust ourselves.
We are so afraid that if we even entertain the thought of taking our time, we will fade away into oblivion, and become irrelevant. Our soul will shrivel. Our dreams will atrophy. (Our Instagram “likes” will decrease! 😉
But allowing ourselves to go at our own pace isn’t about analyzing things to death; it’s not about inaction or perfectionism. It’s about saying no to the culture of competition that has us feeling inadequate unless we’ve reached superstardom. It’s about reclaiming our sovereignty and the wisdom of our intuition. It’s about deeply trusting the timing of life. Spring always comes.
To trust the timing of life is to trust ourselves, which requires that we listen for what’s true.
Three years ago, I had a vision come to me for a new program. I was so excited, and started trying to work on it. I sat with my laptop in the dining room, with notebooks in the woods, in meditation…nothing was coming. I designed it and redesigned it, named it and renamed it, at least a dozen times. I had Akashic records sessions, intuitive readings, tarot and astrology readings (by the way, they all said “wait”, which I clearly didn’t want to hear). I spoke with coaches and content developers. No matter how much I tried to see the program, nothing came. Nothing felt right.
When I got quiet and listened-in for what was true, I kept hearing that it would come…eventually. There was no need to force it. When I got pregnant, I could feel that I needed to have Raven first.
Now, on the other side, the program is coming to me through flashes of insight and creative clarity. And it will be so much richer for the waiting.
There is a time in your life for that thing you want to do – quitting your day job, having a baby, writing a book, creating a course – and it may not be today (which is not to say that it’s time to do nothing).
Sometimes we feel called to do the thing we don’t want to do – getting a day job, scaling down to focus on the kids, tightening the budget, putting systems in place.
But how do we discern if we are trapped in avoidance or heeding our inner knowing?
The only way to know is to listen.
Your knowing doesn’t come from your mind and your reasons; instead, it’s the thing that goes zing! -or- thud. -or- whoosh in your guts. It comes from the quiet, empty space of embracing not-knowing. To get there, get out of your head: meditate, dance, commune with nature or your beloved. Listen.
When you embrace your pace, the wisdom that comes through will be worth the wait.
Trust the pace of your wisdom and the wisdom of your pace. @AskNisha (Click to Tweet!)
A FEW THINGS TO REMEMBER:
Spring always comes. Keep feeling into what’s true for you, then doing your work of putting one foot in front of the other. I’ve been running my business for 10 years, and even with a team and systems and plans, it’s still a constant dance of surrendering into what’s true.
You can’t force the muse to show up. You can just get up every day, sweep the temple, say your prayers, sit down, and listen. When she shows up, grab her hand and follow her. Tip: When I am not in a place that I can drop everything and write for hours, I make a quick voice memo of my ideas, so I can capture not only the wisdom that’s coming through, but also my energy and enthusiasm.
Whatever you create, it’s not going to look or feel exactly like someone else’s. And if it does, go back to the drawing board – you may find that what you created is disconnected from its soul.
It’s not just the pretty font or perfect words that make something successful (unless the thing itself is about font or words). It’s the feeling of something that makes us love it. And no one can feel more like you than you.
The true pace of your productivity is innately intelligent.
It’s okay to feel like you need a little time.
It’s okay.
You’re okay.
We’ve got this.
Nisha Moodley is a Women’s Leadership Coach and the creator of Fierce Fabulous Free, The Freedom Mastermind & The Virtual Sisterhood. Inspired by the belief that the world will be set free by women who are free & sisterhood is key to a woman’s freedom, Nisha creates communities of ambitious women to support them in redesigning their lives & businesses. Find her online at NishaMoodley.com and download her free Take Flight Action Guide to explore the next expansion of your freedom at TakeFlightActionGuide.com. You can follow Nisha on Twitter or FB.
Image courtesy of BRUNO CERVERA.
