Day 268/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
Discovering our own unique gifts that we want to bring to the world is definitely a journey. In all its frustrations of yearnings, seeking, testing and trying.
Modelling on other people's success, studying our mentors and those who most inspire us is a common suggestion. There is so much we can learn by leaning into other's success and exploring their biographies for inspiration. Yet this too is limited by our inability to walk in another's shoes, really, truly. It's not a possibility because we are all such uniquely fashioned individuals.
It is our uniqueness as individuals that remind us that our gifts too are unique. Our own special combination of our history, our interests, experiences, abilities and vision.
And it's very much connected to our ability to be wholly who we are in any given moment in any situation.
We can strive for dreams and ideals. My experience is that striving is short lived. Striving to me is about resisting that which is resisting us. We are using willpower and determination to achieve when the path we are taking is telling us it's the wrong path. Achievement of our uniques gifts should be effortless.
Effortless means that we are inspired to take the education that is in alignment with our gifts, make the decisions that are in alignment, meet the right people, ask the right advice, be at the right place at the right time.
When we are in alignment with our gifts we are in alignment with the flow of life and everything becomes effortless.
Currently I am completing a Masters degree in Psychotherapy, effortlessly. There has not been a single day of struggle in the 4 years of this programme. It is so completely aligned with my purpose for being here, a purpose that continues to unfold.
My friends ask me, will I do a PhD. Only if it is in alignment with my purpose and it is effortless. Then it will be done. I don't know that yet.
My one piece of advice is to work to understand the impact that your life experiences are having in the present moment. How are you being yourself now that is informed by adverse experiences of the passed. This is our biggest fish hook. Or you might like to think of it as an anchor holding us in passed experiences and limiting our ability to create new lively more authentically us, experiences.
When we have not fully resolved our adverse experiences we continue to live as if they are still alive and happening now.
Do the work, clear the path, find your gifts, towards self-mastery.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.