How do you get back in the Light?

There are two kinds of light--the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.
James Thurber (1894 - 1961)

Stepping back into the light after being in the dark for a long time, can be painful. Our eyes just want to close, they strain to adjust and suddenly can see! Eyes adjust naturally to the light, just as they did in the dark. Our eyes are capable of seeing the tiniest shard of light in the dark and will instinctively close when the glare hurts. We know intuitively what the right light is and can feel the power of it when we do.

Our physical coming into the light is evocative of our spiritual journey. Coming back into the light takes a bit of patience and a lot of faith. Trusting the process and knowing that the light you find will be the one that illuminates the way to joy is the blessing of the adventure.

I had been in the dark for a while and now have stepped fully into the light. This lovely place of hope, of possibility and God's grace. My dark place was an illness that robbed me physically and emotionally, yet spiritually blessed me beyond belief. I have become grateful for my courage to explore the dark in a way that allows truth and brings me to a deeper love of self, of God and others.

These days when the dark calls, I know there is wisdom there for me. If I am smart enough to be there, explore and move through it with grace, the riches will bubble forth. I have learned that there is a time for me to be alone with God in the dark and then there is a time for me to reach out and seek a hand to explore it and move through.

Debbie Ford, released a movie recently called the Shadow Effect. It features spiritual journeymen like Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson to name a few. They discuss the necessity to adventure into the dark with the faith that if explored with honesty, it will bear riches. We live in a society that is focused on running from the dark or we wallow in it. We avoid "feeling" bad. We seek escape and fantasy and end up numb. The movie compels us to bravely go into the dark and face the sides of ourselves that are craving the light of day. It is by going into the dark that the light can find a way there.

Elizabeth Lesser, one of the founders of the renowned Omega Institute, wrote a book called Broken Open. In it she explores what is available to us in times of brokenness. She shares her own hurts and exposes her frailties to herself and others in order to grow. Her honesty and willingness to be vulnerable inspired me greatly. I learned that through a willingness to be vulnerable with myself and the right people, I would be able to excavate the gold in the dark places.

And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
—Anaïs Nin

Lesser opened her book with Nin's quote. It makes a powerful statement. I am inspired by this quote to be honest with my own fear to blossom. I am evolving my business and finally launching my book. I am finding myself in the wonderfully incredible process of creative chaos, joy and fear rumbling around together.

We all have times of self doubt, fear, and weariness. It is how we respond to these feelings that makes a life or breaks it. This morning, I was having the dreary Monday blues. Feeling overwhelmed and confused, I reached out to my best friend. He reminded me of my strengths and brought a smile to my face by reminding me that he felt good cause I called him for help out of the dark. He got to be my light for a moment, while mine became stronger with a dose of his love.

We laughed at the nuttiness of the moment. Here I am the girl who wrote Who's Helping Who? A book all about reaching out for help and the grace that ensues because of it. There I sat feeling ashamed that I needed a bit of TLC, while he sat feeling blessed to be a beacon. OH right he reminded me, I am human...

It is hard to admit we're having a bad day or a bad spell in our lives. They come. Sometimes, you can go within and seek the strength to move through it, other times reaching out for a hand is what is necessary. What I know for sure, is getting out of the dark is so much easier with the loving hand of a trusted friend.

Which friend of yours sheds light in the dark? Give them a call and say thanks for being a light!!

What are you curious about?

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Are you trying to make a decision?

What are you doubtful about?

Each day we make scores of decisions effortlessly. It is because we are able to trust ourselves and the knowledge we have at our fingertips to reason through options.

When we avoid making a decision, we have often come to a place in the decision road that keeps us from taking action. It is a lack of information that keeps us from stepping in faith.

As I watch people make decisions, it is the research process that brings them to action with assuredness.
Taking actions that are based in reality vs blind faith allows us to have faith in our selves and the decision making process.

Research. Even the word itself connotes that we are searching again. Re-looking for more information, validating an idea, a belief, a process, etc...

Each time we spend time to validate and enrich our ideas, we are making decisions easier and more connected to our visions and mission. It is the commitment and the due dilligence that brings confidence and ability to step in faith in our selves and our beliefs.

What needs a dose of faith?

What needs more information?

Are you alive?

When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable.
Madeleine L'Engle (1918 - ), "Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art", 1980

Who do you allow yourself to be vulnerable with?

What are you missing out on by keeping yourself closed?

Who do you feel drawn to open yourself up to?

Each and every day we have choices to open ourselves to possibilities, to others, and most importantly to love. Taking chances with our minds, requires one sort of risk, while chances of the heart are unquantifiable. I know each and every time I choose to open my heart and mind, I choose to be open to God's love that flows through others.

I know as I open my heart, the wounds that have happened in the past are exposed. I also know that by opening, they are healed too.

When I open my mind, new ideas and energy flows from places that often surprise me and very often astound me.

This notion of vulnerability has me thinking about truly being seen. Allowing myself to seen by those around me and trusting that I will be loved and accepted is a leap of faith. I know that it is the trust I have in myself and my intuition empowers me to open myself to the people who are worthy of my trust.

As I open my self, I see others around me open up. It is a rare thing to be able to be in that space of trust and faith with another person. Be it a friend, a colleague, or a lover, each requires a willingness to be vulnerable to achieve the highest levels of intimacy. Intimacy on all levels, be it Intellectual, emotional, physical or spiritual demands faith in oneself and the other.

My experience has shown me the depths of intimacy takes time to develop. There are relationships that evolve quickly and others slowly. The pace of true intimacy developing is directly proportional to the amount of vulnerability each person is willing to expose.

In my life, I feel as if I develop deep relationships with people pretty quickly because of my willingness to be vulnerable. I have decided for myself that I desire deep relationships and that I have enough faith in myself and God to open myself. I trust that I am opening myself to the right people and I will learn and grow from every relationship I have.

Intimacy scares many people. I thrive in it. I love the space of it and open myself to all that it has to offer. I know that the risks I take and the hurts I experience are far out weighed by the gifts and blessings I receive. I have deep faith in bliss. I believe in a world that creates relationships and experiences that are full of love. Yes there are relationships that are hurtful and impure. I just refuse to believe that if I keep myself shut down, I will find the right relationships.

Yes, I have opened myself up and been hurt. I have also learned and grown immensely from them. I look back on each relationship and take the lessons and put them into play as I create the next ones. I am fascinated by the correlations between personal and business relationships and how they potentially can inform and inspire each other.

I am currently developing several business alliances, that I believe have great potential. As we work to solidify the agreements, we have been required to expose ourselves. I believe we have been able to do that because we each desire to be in alliance with people who share values and dreams. With out the willingness to open up, it would be impossible to create together.

We have been sharing elements of ourselves professionally and personally that have allowed us to see each other fully and hence make decisions to develop alliance or not. I believe my willingness to open, has allowed them to open. A colleague, shared that he had never so easily come to consensus on goals as easily as we did.

As we expose ourselves, be it intellectually, emotionally or spiritually we take chances that we will be hurt, judged, and maybe even be asked to do something that we do not want to do. Fear of these potential risks often close us to down to seeing the possibilities.

We know, we are all looking to be loved and accepted as we are. We desire relationships that respect our hopes and dreams. We seek support of them in every way. As we expose those dreams, we take the risk that the other person will not support it or worse disrespect them.

With each step in faith, I know I am able to create meaningful and impact full relationships. I believe in the power of love, non-judgement and faith. If I have faith, all things are possible...

Do you trust yourself to open up to the right people?

Are you willing to step in faith?

GO FOR IT!!!