The Catalyst
In a recent session with a client regarding his particular journey toward writing, I said the following,
Listen, I know this’ll probably sound super flaky, but I really believe in signs. I think they’re everywhere, and they’re trying to point you in the right direction. You just have to pay attention and follow them.
Great advice, right? Actually, the great part of it was my client calling me out on the “this’ll probably sound flaky, but…” Here’ what he said:
Hey, you don’t have to qualify or excuse your belief on my account. I totally believe it, too…
He went on to tell me about some of the many signs that told him this was his time to commit to his writing process. The lesson here for me was exactly he said. I don’t have to qualify or excuse my belief for anyone. (And neither do you.)
It was such an impactive reminder to me! As I reflected on the meeting later, I came to another forgotten conclusion. There is no hard line between “Teacher” and “Student” but rather a fluid line over which participants can offer one another wisdom and insights… if all parties are receptive and open.
Our meeting led me to also reflect on the very topic of signs we’d touched on. My statement was entirely true. I believe in signs. I believe they are all around us, every single day, pointing us on our way, should we choose to follow them.
So, how does one spot these signs, and how does one know they’re really signs? Or that they’re meant for me? Or that they’re really even signs and not random coincidences? And… whoa. Let’s just run with that first question & the others will get answered within, okay?
7 Signs You’re On Your Right Path
- You often see/hear a particular phrase/quote/song/image at (or near) a time when you were thinking about your goal or dream.
- You find yourself gravitating toward a person, place, or thing that relates to your goal or dream.
- Someone “randomly” brings up your goal or dream in an unexpected context or place & time.
- An advertisement about your goal or dream pops up (unless it pops up on Facebook after you just talked about it. That’d be creepy Facebook spying on you.)
- You can’t stop thinking about it.
- You’re having dreams about it.
- You’re talking to others about your dream or goal.
Those last three aren’t the magical mystical ones that comprise the first four, but rather your own hidden passion rising to the surface because you’re not listening to the woo-woo ones. Just like a person’s true character always comes out, so does your true path call out to you.
The Question…
Will you, can you answer the call? Or will you convince yourself you’re not ready, or that the timing is off, or that you’re not good enough, and thereby ignore the call from your conscious (because that’s where it’s really coming from) that is begging you to fulfill your passion?
Here’s The Thing…
If you’re reading this, it is a sign. You were meant to find this post at this moment. Why? Because you need to follow your path. All of those deterrents mentioned above come down to one word. Fear. But here’s a not-so-secret secret. We’re all afraid. Every day. I’m afraid every time I coach a client, write a book, speak in front of people, do book signing events, sit down for interviews, and even write these blog posts. My personal list of fears is even longer (and more bizarre, honestly).
So Why Do The Scary Things?
Well, one answer is: No risk, No Reward. If you don’t take the risk – which is really about taking a risk or a gamble on yourself – you’ll never have the reward – which is accomplishment. For me, the joy of knowing I’ve helped someone on their Path To Authorship outweighs my fears every single time.
What About Those Other Questions?
Oh, you mean these ones… Or that they’re [the signs] meant for me? Or that they’re really even signs and not random coincidences? Those are easy. So, you know the signs are meant for you simply because you’ve noticed them. As for coincidences… well, let me repeat the quote at the top of the post:
“Coincidences mean you’re on the right path.”
― Love Begins in Winter: Five Stories
If writing is somewhere on your wish list, I’m going to leave you with this. There is no better time than now to start your journey. I would love to help you navigate that path. You can check out my Facebook page: Path To Authorship to learn more, or email me at authorelsakurt@gmail.com & let’s talk about your authorship goals.
xo – Elsa
