Are you the princess or the pea?
In the fairytale, The Princess and the Pea, the princess affirms that she is truly royalty by passing the test of having a sleepless night due to the disruption of a small pea placed between a massive pile of mattresses. Her inability to get some Zzz's was deemed proof of her lineage because only a princess would be so sensitive to feel the effect of one small pea. Her triumph resulted in being crowned queen and living (and sleeping) happily ever after, never to be tested again.
Revisiting this fairytale with my granddarlings inspired this question, "Are you the princess or the pea?" What I mean by this is, are you living in alignment with your unique powers (talents and strengths) and enjoying your best life like the princess or are you caught like that poor little pea, feeling stuck or trapped? If there is even one part of your life that you feel has stalled or is not as you had envisioned or hoped, there is probably more you can do than you realize to shift it more to you favor.
Consider these choices that may be either sabotaging your efforts or that could move you more effortlessly towards your happily ever after:
- Promising vs. Progressing: Are there things you have promised yourself you would do for yourself or even for others, but never seem to get around to doing them? Whether it is a hobby, a health routine, a getaway or a deep desire, promises are only as good as the intention behind them. Take a moment to list these promises and then transform them into real progress by committing and doing, starting with small baby steps in order to start to make it real. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words.
- Pushing vs. Pulling: My very wise Granny Pea (no pun intended) taught me as a small child that one of the secrets to success is "Find a way or make a way by helping others find a way or make a way." If you are someone who is highly driven to succeed and get things done, you may be frustrated by a lack of motivation by those around you from which you would like support. You may then think that you have no choice but to do it all yourself. The reality is we cannot do everything ourselves, nor should we. The key is to pull people toward you in a way that invigorates and excites them to help you. The secret to this is by caring about and genuinely wanting to see them succeed in what they endeavor to be doing, and then tying your passion to theirs so everyone gains something in the end.
- Programming vs. Propelling: Are you living in autopilot in your life? Are you operating each day as if programmed to do certain things or the same things at certain times or the same times? While routine is good in some respects, it can also make our lives feel somewhat "blah" over time, leaving us feeling as though something is or has been missing. Make it a point everyday to break out of your routine through being curious, inquisitive, explorative, and every once in a while, impulsive, to bring some of that vigor back in your consciousness. You might be surprised how some things you have desired are suddenly propelled into being, simply because you got out of your own way by doing even a few things a little differently.
- Practicing vs. Purposing: How intentional and purposeful are you in the things that you are doing? Too often, people seem to be caught in practice mode, never really getting to the point of putting themselves out there with all their glory to truly live with purpose and passion. What are you passionate about? What do you believe your purpose is to being in this world? How are you living your purpose every day that is making a difference for yourself and others?
Each one of us was born to achieve and succeed in our lives. There are no exceptions. You can be on top of your own world, loving life and living with true satisfaction, by simply paying attention to how you are contributing to manifesting it into being.
When you awaken to your possibilities, you can live them. Your own sensitivity in knowing who you are and were meant to be is the first step. The next steps are believing that no matter how stuck you might think you are, you are not. It is only a matter of taking action, one small or courageous step at a time.
Yours in dreaming WIDE awake,
