Step Out of the Story, Open the Door to Inner Guidance

The other week I was out hiking some spectacularly beautiful trails that traveled up and down verdant hills speckled with wildflowers. It was hot and I kept stopping on the uphill stretches to rest. It seemed like I was out of shape, I got tired more easily than I normally would. This gorgeous hike was starting to feel like a chore. I noticed that I was pushing myself physically to get up the hills.

Then I stepped out of my mental story of “Oh, it’s so hot. What’s wrong with me? This trail is longer than I thought,” to receive a sudden realization that if I got totally present and accepting of the pace my body really wanted to go at in this moment, then I would be experiencing ease, which is how I want to live my life anyway. So I started taking very small steps on the hills, and used the time to breathe and appreciate. I approached one particularly daunting slope and was amazed that this time, even after having hiked five miles, I made it to the top with ease and without stopping.

You may have heard it said that the world is a hologram, which means, on a personal level, how you approach one area of your life affects all the other areas of your life. Our thoughts are powerful creators. Once you get into a groove of not liking something, however justified you feel that is, your experience gets significantly harder. Slow down to find a way to be with what is, appreciate what you can appreciate, and the peace you find will nourish your soul.

We’ve been exploring the power of stepping out of your story in my Clarity, Inner Freedom and Next Steps class. Once you step out of your story and become intentional, you activate your inner guidance, which just loves to help you achieve your dreams and live with greater happiness and fulfillment.

© 2010 Nicola Walker, Clarity for Life

Want to use this article in your own newsletter or website? You can as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Nicola Walker, inner vibrancy coach, teaches Deep Listening Skills™, a simple focusing process you can use to get clear, unstuck, find happiness and next steps personally or professionally. She offers Inner Guidance Coaching Programs™ and a free half hour phone coaching consultation. Visit her website, http://www.clarityforlife.com to find out more.

Inner Guidance Can Be Subtle and Quick

How many times has something happened out of the blue that didn’t surprise you? In fact, the surprise is that, on an almost subconscious level, you already knew what was going to happen. I say almost subconscious, because you probably received a flash thought, feeling or image but it went by so fast you didn’t fully register it. I’ve experienced this phenomenon of already knowing, yet not knowing—knowing on a subtle level, so many times—like when a meeting gets cancelled or postponed, a job ends, or something comes up in a relationship. You can have the same sense of knowing when something uplifting suddenly happens—you might say, “I knew something good was going to happen today—I could feel it in my bones.”

Often we don’t fully receive our inner guidance because we are moving so fast, our minds preoccupied with so much at one time. We aren’t always present with ourselves or each other, so it’s hard to be open enough to hear inner guidance. Some of the greatest joys in life flourish when you slow down. Even in the course of a busy day, it’s wonderful to take the time to do simple things like listen to the birds, admire a flower or press soft pungent pine or cypress needles between your fingers and sniff their fresh scent.

A couple of weeks ago, I went for a hike that climbed uphill through woods to a beautiful meadow, overlooking a magnificent vista of several mountain ranges. I sat and meditated for a while, feeling the peace of letting go of everything I’d been holding on to in the last few weeks. As I got up to go, I walked towards the path I needed to take to return, yet turned around to look at another path that went further up the hill. Although I needed to be mindful of the time, I felt drawn to retrace my steps and just explore the uphill path. There was something about the light on the gorse bushes and the emerald green grass that beckoned me.

I walked up a short way and came to another meadow that I didn’t know was there. Then when I turned back, I suddenly saw a rabbit. It was a small white cottontail bunny. I was thrilled because I adore seeing bunnies in the wild. I stood and watched it for a while, then started to creep one step at a time closer to see it even better. It stayed quivering and listening and then finally fled, its white cottontail disappearing into the bushes. I walked a few more steps along the path and saw two more rabbits, much closer to me than the previous one. I stayed watching until they became aware of me and darted into the long grass. As I turned the corner, I saw three more. I was in rabbit heaven. It’s very rare to see cottontail rabbits in the Bay Area and yet I’ve always loved seeing lots of rabbits pop in and out of the grass in the fields in England. I was so pleased that I had followed my urge to explore the path in the opposite direction from which I was headed. I was thrilled with my unexpected gift.

Take some time each day to slow down and let your inner guidance catch up with you. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll notice, realize and be gifted with.

© 2010 Nicola Walker, Clarity for Life

Want to use this article in your own newsletter or website? You can as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Nicola Walker, inner vibrancy coach, teaches Deep Listening Skills™, a simple focusing process you can use to get clear, unstuck and find your next steps personally or professionally. She offers Inner Guidance Coaching Programs™ and a free half hour phone coaching consultation. Visit her website, http://www.clarityforlife.com to find out more.