When I started writing articles and teaching, I thought I had to be enlightened. I struggled with this, because unless I spoke my truth when things weren’t going well for me—as a writer, as an artist, or as a person—I wasn’t being real.
And all I care about is being real.
My brother always said, “Play the game…” And I couldn’t. I can’t. It’s not in my nature.
I don’t want to care what others think. I’m a mess. I’m enlightened. I’m everything in between.
What I want most is to claim this in myself with respect. I don’t care about anything else. No apologies. No mistaken identity. Just being who I am.
I’m not saying I get to act irresponsibly or without holding solid values. I’m asking for freedom. And to not take things too seriously, even when things get hard.
I have a dear friend of 17 years named HeatherAsh Amara. I adore this woman for the light she shines of utmost love and respect for herself and all those she comes into contact with. Her book, The Warrior Goddess Way, released last fall.
She writes in The Warrior Goddess Way:
The amazing thing is that when you cultivate Warrior Goddess respect, you no longer see your fear as an obstacle, and believe it or not, you may eventually look forward to finding places that you are afraid so you can dance through these fears rather than run from them . . .
I used to take things seriously, very seriously, in fact. But my serious attitude did not have the intended results . . . the truth is being serious is often an unpleasant experience in itself, because we clamp down rather than open up and explore . . .
Our focus becomes fixated on what is wrong and in avoiding our fears, rather than celebrating what is right and moving through what scares us.
This is a radical shift on our thinking and being, and the impact in how you live your life when you embody this is radical.
The Warrior Goddess Way is about becoming fully engaged with both the gifts and the struggles in life, and realizing that both are here to evolve us. So let’s dance with all of it, because no matter what it is, it is dancing with us.
I remember myself in the most fearful time in my life—after I lost my parents, my husband, too many miscarriages, and my dog. By meeting these fears over time, everything came into perspective.
I met it AND I ran from it. But eventually, what terrified me cooled down—as it’s prone to do after time.
Adversity comes to take us to a new level in ourselves.
Today, I can still be messed up and healed and lovely and full of spirit, and intent upon helping others. I’m just like you. And we’re like everyone else, facing our vulnerable, fearful, sometimes terrified selves. Meeting life’s adversities together as we do our damnest to accept our humanness.
The way through? To dance with our fears, as HeatherAsh Amara says in her book, with love and respect: love for ourselves, love for others, and love for our life.
Cause if we don’t LOVE whatever arises through trial and tribulations, then what do we have?
What sets us free is a desire to learn how to love, respect, and not take trial and tribulations oh-too-seriously.
And as my brother often says to me, too, when life gets hard . . .
“Que sera sera.”
It isn’t apathy he’s suggesting, but holding difficulties with a lighter hand and remembering what’s true.
Wishing you a life filled with wonder, love, and being you.
