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Ann Strong 

Ann Strong, offering spiritual business and life coaching to support small business owners in building their lives and businesses on their own strong spiritual foundation and their natural strengths and gifts.

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Spiritual Clarity: Have You Really Given Up?

Recently I noticed that some of what I most deeply desire, I keep moving toward no matter what.  And, in other areas of my life where I also truly would love something, I say I would love it, yet my behavior indicates I've given up.

In my business, I keep moving toward greater ways to serve and offer more value.  No matter what.  I constantly invest my time, money and focus in growing myself and in growing my business.  If
something works well, I leverage it.  If something doesn't work well, I reassess, look for the learning and consciously choose the next leg of my journey.

When I wanted to lose 20 pounds, I started walking regularly and committed to eating less sugar.  That didn't work for me.  My perceived sugar deprivation backfired and I ate MORE sugar for
awhile. I also didn't lose any weight.  I wasn't sure what to do next, but I was still committed.  Shortly after that I felt inspired to begin practicing Kundalini yoga.  Eighteen months later I had lost 23 pounds because I had committed to finding the way that would work for me.

Shortly after I got divorced eight years ago, I realized I wanted to meet and marry my fourth and final husband - my soul mate and beloved life partner.  Today, I still have that desire, yet I haven't invested my time, money or focus and I haven't done the inner and outer work to bring that desire into reality.

I now see that I hadn't made the commitment to do whatever it takes to meet my beloved because I hadn't believed it could happen.  I had given up.  I hadn't been willing to give up the short-term gratification relationships that work in a couple of areas for the long-term huge gain of the amazing romantic relationship I sometimes glimpse.  In one of the most important aspects of my life, I'd settled for something being better than nothing.

It's been hard to admit I had given up.  The good news about finally admitting it is that I now have the real opportunity to commit to what I desire with my beloved in the same way I did with my business and my weight.  So, I am taking the first steps . . .

What about you?  In what area of your life is the reality far from what you desire?  When you take a deep breath and then tell yourself the truth, do you believe it's possible?  No judgment here, just compassionate reflection.

We all have the opportunity to begin again in this very moment.  In what area of your life have you given up?  Would you be willing to
courageously begin again?
 
Feel free to post your own story in the Comments.

Comments

Ann ... thank you for bringing life transparency to this venue. I appreciate your candor around creating your true desires. 
 
Uncovering aspects of behavior / beliefs which are not in alignment or integrity with our true-nature is an interesting dance ... when I deeply sit with the magnificence of the all pervasive it needs nothing, wants for nothing. My desire is to bring this magnificence to my momentary experience in an ever expanding way. (allow more, receive more, share more) 
 
I see co-creating things such as abundance, good health, great relationship and so forth are things I "say" I want. ( I also notice my mind wants to manage them) I also realize that things are "so" in a divinely magical way. It is easy for me to get stressed around closing the gap between moving towards something I say I want and at the same time living fully connected to the perfection of this moment. I do realize they aren't mutually exclusive either. 
 
So sort of a dance between trust and will ... Too, I hear the small voice which wants not to "get" somewhere from a place of woundedness and comfortability being in the background. 
 
I am so so grateful for the true splendor of this moment ... being fully here brings joy and contentment beyond what I could ever imagine. I also choose to act on my true nature of love and acceptance of self towards serving others and sharing this life experience with others. 
 
I realize what appears as the "other" is truly Self-reflection... I am ever so grateful for your strength and courage, your fierce grace and heartfelt service. 
 
Most precious blessings, 
 
Darrel
Posted @ Wednesday, May 19, 2010 10:04 PM by Darrel Sonday
Darrel, 
 
Thank you for such compassionate reflection. I am particularly struck by what you said about the stress in the gap between what I say I'd like and where I am.  
 
Recently, I am discovering for me that if I fully accept,embrace and celebrate the experience, the learning, the process, then the stress melts. 
 
Being a beginner can tend to bring up a bunch of ego chatter. If I can stay present and hear my ego with humor and compassion, then again the stress melts. 
 
Now to stay conscious and to remember . . .
Posted @ Wednesday, May 19, 2010 10:11 PM by Ann Strong
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