Have you been feeling like your life journey is taking you along the edge of a cliff? Like your next step could have you plunging into an abyss?
Don’t look down.
Journey’s Edge: Expansion into the Unknown
Whether your journey is about growing a business, learning new skills, or cracking the code of greater self-discovery, it all has to do with expansion. Expansion happens at the edges of your known world. It brings you into a new landscape with unfamiliar markers.
Maybe you’re in this place because of an external push from an outside situation. And you don’t know how things will “work out”.
But you never really know that, do you? When this happens to me (and it happens often), I see it as the Universe stepping in to give me a push when I’m holding back and what I really need is to step forward.
Hiding Out
Hiding out may be your first impulse, too. However, know this. It will not bring you comfort in this new environment. You probably feel uncomfortable, maybe even scared right now. But it’s important not to get paralyzed. Or, conversely, not to leap right into action, or dive into planning—doing anything so you don’t feel what you are feeling.
You might know that you need some quiet time. Yet do you allow yourself to be truly quiet? Or do you lose yourself in watching TV or reading a book?
What’s important is to work with the expansion. This isn’t the first time you’ve grown into something new. Create space to remember that you’ve been here before. Remember that it has worked out before.
You may bump against old concepts of yourself or of how life is supposed to be. After all, these new experiences are stretching your boundaries.
If you are approaching this in your usual way, perhaps a shift is in order. Feel the freedom to explore, to modify and to experiment.
Getting Grounded
Start by feeling the ground under your feet and the support that offers. That’s what being grounded means—that you have a connection to the earth and that it will hold you.
You might notice that the quality of your thoughts is different, or you have ideas that surprise you. Hang out with the new pictures. Welcome these different thoughts. Allow your pictures to be fluid, so that you can discover what lies beyond your edge. After all, it’s who you are, today.
To grow is to go beyond what you already know, which by its nature takes you beyond your comfort zone. At some point you will adjust to the changes. This is where you will feel moved into action. Nothing can unfold unless action is taken. Every action has right timing, though. How could this evolve?
What is the next step on your journey?
Time to Reflect
Take a breath. Release it. Take another. Devote some dedicated time of concentration/meditation. It doesn’t need to be hours of quiet, perhaps only 15 minutes. Then allow the question to simmer within you. Let responses bubble up into your awareness. Notice new ways of thinking, of images or ideas that arise spontaneously. Pay attention to your dreams. Let it happen. Be aware. See where it leads you next. Let yourself savor this process of receiving from yourself. Don’t judge whatever comes up, just receive it. Make notes.
You may want to share something from this process. Sharing is an important way to anchor an insight in your body. It leads you to deeper insight. It stimulates action. Share whatever moves you.
6 Responses
Hi Laurie:
Lovely post. I really liked: “This isn’t the first time you’ve grown into something new.”
It never ceases to amaze me as far along on my journey as I am, I am still scared and afraid of the edges of which you speak. As the last set of expansive edges become familiar, the new ones come along seemingly larger more hairier, sic. scarier than the last.
Then guides, sacred messages, help comes along to remind you that this too can be conquered like before.
Your sage message this morning is well timed.
As I stay dedicated to my vision of helping raise consciousness in the world, my bank account empties, my income from the past choices I made stops.
Yet, I’m ok.
A great reminder that what I’m doing asks others to embrace their edges. It makes me humble and inspires me to deep loving respect for them. Because I’m intimate with what it is they are going through on that part of their journey.
We are all ordinary and on this wondrous journey together. Thanks for inspiring me to “just receive it.”
I will open my heart to it in this moment and in as many moments as I can.
Warmest Regards, Joseph
http://www.insideoutwisdom.com
Joseph,
You have so beautifully shared the ongoing reality of how it is to keep moving forward. The changes always keep coming, and I too find them bigger, more intense and sometimes more challenging. Some moments it’s just to keep breathing and staying with the big picture.
I’m right with you… Thanks for being a part of the journey.
Laurie
Nice post. This is a very gentle and compassionate method to hold one’s expansion and inner process. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks for your words, Cynthia. I appreciate them. Laurie
The ‘edge’ is only one step away, a ‘step’ which is inside us, and begging that we ‘step away’ and ‘step outside’ of our ego, fear and pride.
Your post is timely because it finds me stepping over into Africa (Tanzania) for two weeks, and these steps will take me to India (New Delhi) next week, for six weeks. Actually Emirates Airlines will take me, but I had to take the steps to plan the trip and then step onto the plane.
Thank you for voicing so eloquently the steps that continually guide my feet to walk this path of Compassion, Humility and Integrity (CHI).
Anthony
Anthony–It sounds like your steps are taking you deep into the heart of your own life’s adventure. How wonderful! I invite you to share some of your experiences and insights here.
Laurie