Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire. – Arnold Glasow
One of the most difficult shifts this journey has inspired is believing not that we are “doing” enough every day, but that we “are” enough. We practiced a very different pattern for many years that went something like, “If we don’t get it all done we haven’t done enough, and therefore we are not enough.”
We have felt freedom from that old pattern of thought for most of this journey, until recently. Livology turned into a serious business in the past year. All of sudden there was pressure to engage through social media, conduct interviews and podcasts, and schedule book signings. My husband and I started working at all hours, night and day to “get it all done” and we lost sight of what we call “enoughness.” We were scattering the coals and the flame was waning.
Livology is a study and we are so grateful to have come back into that knowledge at the beginning of this new year. We did it by looking back. We stopped powering through and planning the next steps, and took a good hard look at our life together. Putting ego aside, we talked about all that we appreciate about the path that led to this moment. It was not about accomplishments, raises, awards, or even approval from others. What stood out were moments of absolute presence and “enoughness.”
We determined that we misread, based on old patterns, that the momentum of Livology meant serious business. For so many years we practiced managing something when it gained momentum to make sure we didn’t lose it. Of course, the opposite is true. Trying to manage something that is taking off, only clips its wings and leads to a sense of overwhelm disappointment, and exhaustion that could have been avoided had we stood back and enjoyed the ride.
What we now know is the momentum, the combustion, the flame, came from courage to follow a dream. Believing we are enough is the fuel that feeds that fire. Livology is bigger than we are, and that was our greatest desire. Yes, we take it seriously in that we know joy is a huge part of living our passion. We are a part of something that helps us, and others, practice being present in the world every day and it will never be done. It will never be done because practicing the art of presence means we are growing and to be done is to be dead.
Getting it done and getting it right have been replaced, once again, by appreciating the past, anticipating the future, and basking in the present. We are grateful each time we come back to this knowing and relish in the warmth around the fire.
Today’s Tweetable: Believing we are enough is the fuel that feeds our fire.
