Your True Colors
By Susan McNeal Velasquez
Has your ability to shine become a bit tarnished? Are you settling for a muted, toned-down version of your imagined self? Have you lost your vibrancy and zest for living and can’t remember where you misplaced it?
Knowing where you are is the first step in making new decisions. Self-honesty might not be sexy, but it is crucial to your sanity.
Most of us make decisions based on what we like or don’t like. If we like something, we go after it, and we try to avoid what we don’t like.
The “I like it/I don’t like it” approach will keep you stuck in a small, predictable life that can easily become stagnant and rigid. Why? The only way you know beforehand what you like or don’t like is if you have already had a similar experience. Therefore, making your decisions based solely on your personal likes or dislikes stops life’s flow.
Nothing new can find you. You will stop the wonder and delight that comes through unanticipated experiences of synchronicity. The true gifts of the universe come wrapped in light and love. Openness and acceptance of new experiences require trust in the basic goodness of yourself and the basic goodness of your life.
So, the first part of the formula to broaden your self-assessment is to decide if you are ready to transform what isn’t working.
If your answer is yes, here is the next question. Are you willing to create a life that works? Wanting what isn’t working to go away is one part, and being willing to create what does work requires another yes.
Everyone wants a life that works. Many people wish, dream, long for, grasp at, demand, command, lust after, and suffer over their current situations.
What works is to commit your will, your willingness, and your willpower to live your life to the fullest. Will you soften your heart, open your mind, uplift your spirit, un-numb, defrost and live life as though you’ve never been hurt? It isn’t necessary to know how to do that at this point.
If your answer is yes, continue. If your answer is no, ask a few more questions. Who are you blaming or resenting because they hurt you deeply? Are you lost? Are you drowning, going down for the third time, and still unwilling or unable to call out for help?
Are you so disappointed that you won’t let your heart and soul fully participate again? Did you squelch your hurt feelings, cut off your tears and cut short your grief, and now your “sad” is stuck and really mad? Are you waiting for someone else to read your mind, figure you out, fix it and make it all better? Are you lusting after perfection and won’t accept anything less because you are acting spoiled and emotionally immature? Are you holding an unrealistic picture of what a successful life is?
If you are willing to answer any of these questions sincerely, you might be able to get unstuck and start moving again. Remember, no one ever feels 100% able when confronting hard situations. Lighten up on yourself. Ask for guidance, internal and external, take the first steps, and let go of having to have all the answers right now.
Be willing to ask for inner inspiration about what the right action is for you today, at this moment. Open to external help by asking for what you need, even though it is uncomfortable.
Your intuitive guidance can soothe and smooth the journey if you allow yourself to let go, let down, and do whatever is necessary to become ready, willing, and able to learn new ways to thrive.
Susan has been a local since 1986 and is the author of Beyond Intellect: Journey into the Wisdom of Your Intuitive Mind. susanveasquez.com.
