| Imagine for a moment that you are driving into a | | | | much better! |
| dense evening fog on a country road. Surrounded by | | | | I had been lost, stuck, overwhelmed. After I took |
| white, you can barely see past the front of the car, | | | | the first few steps I could see much further down |
| much less the end of the road or your destination. | | | | the road and was then able to identify my next |
| With the headlights only able to provide visibility on | | | | steps. |
| the asphalt directly ahead, you resort to moving | | | | You'll Never See It All |
| forward slowly, as you focus on the part of the road | | | | When it comes to life, no one can see all the steps |
| you can see. | | | | of her or his path. As my friend, Barry, said to me, |
| Almost magically, each time you reach the end of the | | | | "Life keeps life-ing." There are unpredictable twists, |
| headlight beam the fog seems to dissipate and you | | | | turns, and curves in the road. Sometimes the road is |
| can see just a little bit further down the road. | | | | foggy and unclear. |
| Does your life ever feel like this? | | | | Having a clear vision for where you want to go in life |
| We all love the times when we know what we | | | | is exhilarating, wonderful, useful, and powerful. And |
| want, exactly what steps to take to get there, and | | | | even when you have a clear vision, as you move |
| are able to just do it. Case closed. Mission | | | | toward it you'll see different parts of the path, |
| accomplished. | | | | discover new steps to take, and evolve your vision. |
| Unfortunately life isn't always that clear. Sometimes | | | | Here's another example of taking the steps you see. |
| it's more like driving on a dark, foggy road: you may | | | | I'm coaching two life partners who also share a big |
| not be able to see where you're going or how to get | | | | vision for creating a healing center together. They |
| there. | | | | are very clear on their vision and that the time for it |
| Times like this can be frustrating and overwhelming. | | | | is three to five years from now. |
| Whirring around and around in your head trying to | | | | From where they are today, they cannot see every |
| figure it out, you struggle. You get stuck or perhaps | | | | step of the path ahead. It wouldn't make any sense |
| you take random action so you're at least doing | | | | to create a plan for everything to be done during the |
| something. But none of this helps; you still can't see | | | | next three to five years. |
| where you're going. | | | | Based on what they can see right now, we identified |
| What Can You Do? | | | | a few steps for them to take in the next three |
| There is an alternative: focus on what you can see | | | | months, including setting up a file folder for the |
| and take your next step based on that. When you | | | | center, contacting someone to explore healing ideas, |
| take that step you'll be at a new vantage point, able | | | | and teaching a meditation class. Each of these steps |
| to see a little further down your path and can then | | | | "lit them up" (energized and enlivened them) and |
| choose your next step from there. | | | | moved them in the direction of their vision. |
| It's just like using your headlights on that foggy night: | | | | In a few months we'll look again and see what is |
| look at what is illuminated in front of you and drive | | | | illuminated from their new point on the path. |
| that part of the road. | | | | In Your Life |
| It Happened to Me | | | | Here are a few suggestions for moving forward |
| I recently had a personal experience of not being | | | | even when you can't see your entire path. |
| able to see clearly through the fog. After two years | | | | 1) Identify what you do know and what you are |
| of spending most of our time on a small island 1.5 | | | | clear about. |
| hours north of Seattle, my husband and I have | | | | It could be "I want to figure out what to do with my |
| decided we want to make this our permanent home. | | | | life that will be more enjoyable and fulfilling" or "I |
| We knew this meant it was time to face the project | | | | want to start my own organizing business to help |
| of getting our Seattle house ready to sell. | | | | people reduce the stress in their lives caused by |
| Being a good planner, I usually go directly to action at | | | | clutter and chaos." |
| moments like this. But not this time. Instead I | | | | However general or specific you can be about your |
| became completely overwhelmed with all the details, | | | | destination, it gives you at least some direction. Don't |
| complications, and unanswered questions. | | | | worry if you don't have it all figured out. It will |
| We don't have a permanent island house yet so | | | | become clearer over time, as you take the steps |
| where will all our belongings go? Since we don't know | | | | that are illuminated in front of you. |
| what size or kind of house we'll eventually have, how | | | | 2) Now look at what you see right in front of you. |
| can we know what to keep and what to get rid of? | | | | What step or couple of steps could you take |
| What stuff should we remove and what should we | | | | towards your destination? |
| leave to help the house sell better? What should be | | | | Your steps can be small or large and will, of course, |
| our top priority in the next few weeks, thoroughly | | | | be different for each person. |
| clutter clearing the house or handling just the visible | | | | I strongly recommend you choose steps that "light |
| clutter so we can put the house on the market | | | | you up." They'll give you more momentum and are |
| quickly? Where should we start with all that needs to | | | | the foundation for sustainable action. |
| be done? What really must be done and in what | | | | 3) Keep taking whatever steps are illuminated in front |
| order? | | | | of you. Then see what your new vantage point |
| Whew, it's exhausting just remembering this. | | | | shows you regarding your destination and next steps. |
| Eventually I talked with Denny, my best ally in life, | | | | "The journey of 1000 miles starts with one step" |
| and told him how much of a tizzy I was in. He had a | | | | states the ancient Chinese saying. |
| clearer sense of where to start. We spent a few | | | | When you're stuck and unclear, stop focusing on |
| hours quickly cleaning and picking up the house. Then | | | | what you can't see or don't know about where |
| we did a fast pass through dealing with the obvious | | | | you're going in life and how to get there. Look |
| clutter that we could easily decide about. After that, | | | | instead to where your lights are illuminating your path |
| we tackled the room with the most clutter. | | | | and take the steps you can see. Step by step, you |
| By the end of the day, we'd accomplished an | | | | can discover and create what you truly want in life. |
| enormous amount plus I was clear about what we | | | | Enjoy! |
| needed to do for the next few weeks. And I felt | | | | |