Take a Step and the Next Step Will Appear

I got further proof today that the Universe WILL take care of you (me). All you have to do is take the first step.... then the next step will appear.

                             

                               


Yesterday was my last official day at my part-time job. I had previously taken a smaller leap of faith by requesting to go from full-time to part-time back in August. That was good enough for a while... until it wasn't.

I just had a feeling that the job was keeping me from other opportunities, or other dreams from coming true. As long as I kept the job, and the steady paycheck it offered, I wasn't fully trusting the Universe. I was holding myself back.

So, as I said, yesterday I submitted my final timesheet to my supervisor. And today I got a follow-up email about an at-home job that I applied for nearly a year ago!

I applied for this job at the same time as I applied for the job I just quit. This other job is for an at-home scorer of standardized tests. It's perfect for me. I would get to work from home, and do something I enjoy doing (grading/scoring). Even when I worked as a teacher, I always enjoyed grading papers (something many teachers abhor).

Well, I applied for the job in January or February of 2014 and never heard... until now.

I don't have the job just yet. What I got in the email was an invitation to take an employment survey to see if I still qualify for the job and if I'm a good candidate. I submitted the survey. We will see.

The scoring position is very flexible and won't preclude me from pursuing other interests. It's also short-term. I could basically do as much or as little as I wanted, and would get paid in relation to how much I scored.

Yesterday I was really struggling with the status of my life right now. I'm 37 and feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere. Even though it's been 100% my choice to leave former jobs and try something new... and I've never regretted any of those decisions (until recently), I find myself at this point in my life feeling envious of people who've been in their careers for years and are considered experts in their fields.

I'm definitely a jack-of-all-trades and expert of none, as they say.

And as I said, that was fine with me... until now.

The lesson I got today was that it's not too late. New opportunities WILL present themselves. The Universe will continue to provide for me. All I have to do is take a step when I feel it's time. And the next step will come into focus.

                                        

Forgiveness - Part 1

I started reading Iyanla Vanzant's book, "Forgiveness: 21 Days to Forgive Everyone for Everything" last night. Already I can tell this will be an amazingly healing book for me and a great learning and growing tool.

It inspired me so much, I wanted to write this blog post to share what I've learned so far... just 22 pages in.

"Regardless of how hard, painful, etc. an experience may seem, everything is exactly as it needs to be for us to heal, grow, and learn."

That was the first quote that jumped off the page at me.

Regardless of how hard, painful, etc..... Everything is exactly as it needs to be...

Everything.

We've all had tough times. Experiences where we feel life is incredibly unfair or people are treating us with total disregard and disrespect. I've been there too. But it's essential, for our present and future well-being, peace, and happiness, to remind ourselves that no matter what, it's all happening for us, and for the greatest good for everyone.

"The moment we determine what is, should not be, we are denying the presence of love. Love is always present, surrounding us, guiding, growing, and teaching us."

 I had to read that sentence a few times to get the emphasis in the right places and understand it correctly.

Basically, as soon as we decide, in all our great wisdom (hear the sarcasm there), that what happened, or how things are, shouldn't be that way... we are denying the Love that is there for us in that experience.

We usually cannot see the "grand plan" of the Universe. And when we attempt to fight reality, we are robbing ourselves of peace and happiness.

That is not what the Universe intends for any of us.

"Forgiveness leads to acceptance. Acceptance means you know, regardless of what happened, that there's something bigger than you at work. It also means you know you are okay and you'll continue to be okay." 

I'm not always good with acceptance. I want things the way I want them. The way I think they should be. Admittedly, I've spent way too much time fighting with reality the past few years.

I'm afraid if things don't go the way I think they should, then I won't be ok. Then things will fall apart. People will leave. I'll be hurt.

I know that's not true, intellectually. But the fear is still there. 

I am hoping Iyanla's book will help show me how to improve in this area. Teach me how to accept more and forgive more. (I think it will and I'm excited to keep reading!)

                                   

                                             

                                        

New Year! Welcome 2015!!

Welcome 2015!! 

I don't know about you, but I am STOKED for 2015! I have a feeling that it will be an awesome year! What are your desires and intentions for the year ahead?

I created a vision board for 2015 and put it on the wall over my bed (replacing the previous one that I had made in February of 2014). I also made a written list, which I called "Desires and Intentions for 2015." I found it extremely helpful to get clear on exactly WHAT I want in my life for this year. And I will admit, some of what came up for me were somewhat surprising.

What we want for ourselves in our lives often changes over time. As we go through life, new desires and interests come to the surface. It's ok to shift our focus and follow those new passions.

The question I've been wrestling with is how do you know if you should stick with a current, or past passion, or move on?  

                                     

I don't have the answer to that question, but I think the quote above says it best. If you feel stuck, stagnant, or unhappy, that's usually a clue that you need to move on or at the very least change something.

As I like to do, I'll share a bit of my personal experience.

I've been working hard on writing fiction novels for the past six months. In that time I have published three new novels (part of a series), and the fourth one is nearly finished. I even have the fifth book in that series already in my head. But for some reason, something shifted inside me around mid-December. I lost motivation to write.

I'm not sure what it is, but I felt the need to make a change. Real estate came to my mind.

I've toyed with becoming a realtor for years, but the timing never felt right. Now it feels right.

What does this mean for my path as a novelist? I don't know. The past several days I've struggled with the idea of maybe I should stick with writing. Maybe I'm on the verge of "my breakthrough" and should keep forging ahead. Am I making a mistake by shifting my focus now?

Who knows. All I do know is my motivation and energy has taken a definite turn. And as Wayne Dyer says, "Follow the energy."

                                 

Do what you feel drawn to do. What ignites a passion, an interest, inside you.

For me, right now, that's real estate. Will it change? Maybe, maybe not.

What will happen with my writing in the future? I don't know that either. I have a feeling that I'll write and publish more novels. I still feel that inside of me. The interest is still there, it's just shifting.

Finding the courage to follow your shifting passions is the key. Not everyone has that courage. But bottom line, it's your life to lead. However you want.

What will YOU do with your life? What will you do with the next twelve months and this brand new year we've all been given?

I'd love to hear more about your desires and intentions for your life! Leave a comment below, or look me up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sarahnoel500).

Whatever you choose to do, may you have an awesome start to 2015!

-- Sarah