Lucie pulls to the curb with a delightful smile beaming on her face, filled with happiness to have discovered the joy of driving. My oldest granddaughter has that magical ability to light-up my heart with carefree exuberance. Teenagers wield a powerful energy-field brimming with the hope that life will be a wild adventure. “Let that light never dim, come what may,” I quietly pray.
As we sit in a café with her mother, aka my daughter, Lucie blurts out, “What should I do with my life?” Angela and I exchange a look that is half dreamy and half angst. “Not many people know that at 16,” I murmur, “but, there are clues. Tell us what you’re thinking about.”
No matter our age, we all tend to ask that question from time to time, and it is an important one. We play the hand we’re dealt and modify our choices as we navigate the road. The innate gifts we carry within, tend to line-up with our career choices and leisure pursuits, though at times we’re thrown a curve ball. But, even a stroke of seemingly bad luck, may just be a detour set up by our soul to lead us into a more meaningful existence.
Fear is the main deterrent to living a fulfilled life. In fact, some people become so afraid of failure or success, that they do nothing at all. Disappointing circumstances may throw others into a life of addiction or crime. The good news is, is that no matter what our past contained, we all have the ability to start fresh. And the glory of it being a new year is that it prompts us to make new beginnings.
There are clues that can be very interesting and helpful to guide our way. Astrology and numerology can tell us what esoteric influences are nudging us to take action, as well as the pitfalls to look out for. Also, knowing our individual archetypal personality patterns can be immensely helpful to take a deep look into where our shadow (subconscious) traits may be sabotaging us, as well as to where our innate abilities lie in order to pursue our authentic abilities with more knowledge. (For this I recommend the work of Caroline Myss or Robert Ohotto) However, most importantly of all, is to find a way to access our soul guidance and follow its intuitive lead. I suggest making the effort to really quiet our busy mind via meditation. There is only one person you really need to get to know and understand ~ and that is You!
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help in becoming truer to your authentic self:
What are you distracting yourself with that is preventing you from taking the time to quietly turn within? Is it time to let go of watching too much junk TV, endlessly scrolling social media, or engaging in activities that allow others to drain your energy to further their agendas? What activities interest you that can replace engaging in useless deeds?
What secret endeavor have you always wanted to pursue but never got past the toe dipping phase? What have you tried before, but never brought to a satisfying completion? Be honest with thoughts of what has held you back. Do you have fear of failure, criticism, or humiliation? Now is the time to let that go and view set-backs as polishing the learning curve.
What creative pursuit would you like to contribute to the world? What if you had no attachment to fame or fortune? Would you do it just for fun? Can you imagine lighting up the angels with elation at your accomplishments as they applaud and shower you with love? Could you love yourself enough to persist come what may?
My granddaughter may have many careers or one, she may have many adventures or none, and she may create beautiful works of art that touch many lives or just hers. My wish for her (and for all of us) is to keep investigating what is most true to her authentic self and live a life of deep satisfaction!
Pen Augustin is author of Waves of Light and The Priestess Tale series. Pen loves to give messages about how we can heal ourselves and bring balance to our beloved planet. Living near the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan, she enjoys spending time in nature and communing with the local wildlife.