Right now, in your mind, take a little trip into the future. Not too far. Just two months, right around Labor Day, which often feels like an important marker of the end of summer. So imagine that it’s the beginning of September and you are at home, by yourself, reflecting back on the months of July and August that just passed.
At first, you might start thinking about fun family outings that you attended (or hosted), important home improvements that you made, and other meaningful summer experiences. However, for now, I invite you to focus solely on your relationship with your Soul, and more specifically how your Soul led you this summer to the next phase of your life’s work.
For example, maybe your Soul led you to read some inspiring books that provided important clarity about the next chapter of your career, or your Soul led you to revisit an old manuscript of a book you’ve been wanting to finish writing, or you were led to begin, or reinvigorate, your daily meditation practice. Maybe your Soul led you to step beyond your comfort zone and attend interesting seminars or workshops connected to your evolving career interests. Or your Soul might have led you to hire a professional who can help you get clarity on your career.
As you take this trip into the future see yourself in early September looking back on July and August with joy because, not only did you do the usual summer things you like to do, but you also took time to follow your Soul’s guidance and take the little steps your Soul guided you to take. This summer was not an “either or” summer, where you either spend time with family, OR you tended to yourself. This summer you chose to have fun with your loved ones AND to carve out time to tend to your Soul and follow its guidance.
There are many ways that your Soul wants to lead you this summer. And in the summer, with all of the fun exciting things you want to do, your Soul might lead you in taking just ONE step. ONE thing you can do this summer that would deepen your connection to your Soul, that would move you forward on your journey of evolving to the next chapter in your career. ONE thing that would make you so happy to be able to say you did this summer.
Usually, people will start to list a bunch of things when asked to think about this ONE thing: I’ll meditate and journal every day, and I’ll go to yoga three times a week, and read all of those books I’ve been putting off reading, and stop eating sugar, and on and on. None of those things are wrong. It’s just that, for most of us, especially in the summer, it’s too much. Instead I invite you to ask your Soul for ONE thing and commit to that.
This is not an intellectual exercise. It requires you to have some time alone with your Soul so you can receive the guidance. It might take you a few days to get clarity. That’s fine. The time you invest in listening will be well worth it.
Once you know what your ONE thing is, write it down and ask yourself if there’s anything you need to do to ensure that this happens. For example, when I asked my Soul about my ONE thing, the guidance I received is that I needed to have my meditation/prayer/Soul time BEFORE everyone gets up to really have quality time with my Soul. This would help me focus on my priorities, making sure I wasn’t filling up my day with over busyness. It would also help set a loving tone for my day.
This means I need to get up earlier than everyone else, which means I need to go to bed before they do, even though in the summer everyone goes to bed later than usual, which means that if I want to watch a movie (or do anything else) with my family I need to do it earlier than we might typically do in the summer.
When I first thought of this I felt like my Soul was limiting me, and that this would make my summer days boring. But when I looked more deeply I saw that when I DON’T do this I get easily frazzled, I tend to over-commit and my day just flies in a frenzy of activity.
However, when I do start my day alone ,connecting with my Soul, I am more loving and compassionate. I am better able to follow up on my creative ideas. And I am more present, not only to myself, but everyone in my life. In short, when I do this ONE thing there are more blessings and miracles in my life, and because of this I enjoy and appreciate my summer days so much more.
So remember that committing to your ONE thing is freeing. It gives you space to enjoy your summer with your loved ones AND ensures that you are continuing to deepen your relationship with your Soul, following it’s loving guidance as it arrives.
Blessings and love!
Lisa
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Follow-Up (audio version below)
If you’re ready to choose your ONE thing to create this summer take some time to connect with your Soul. The following process can be helpful.
First, create some sacred space. This can be as simple as imagining a circle of light around you, or you can play some beautiful music, light a candle, hold a crystal, or whatever feels sacred to you.
Now bring the palms of your hands over your heart center and take some nice cleansing breaths. Then ground yourself by visualizing beautiful mother earth underneath your feet and say something like this:
Beautiful Soul,
Show me what ONE thing I can do this summer that will deepen my connection to you.
ONE thing that will ensure that I continue to be guided by you step-by-little step into the next chapter of my life’s work.
ONE thing that will allow me to spend time with my loved ones WITHOUT neglecting the creations that want to be birthed by me.
Show me beautiful Soul what this ONE thing is and grant me the courage and trust to follow your guidance.
Then just let yourself receive. It’s OK if the first time you do this you feel that you didn’t receive any guidance. The most important thing is for you to ask your Soul with a beautiful clear intention and then trust that you will receive the guidance at the right time. Often the guidance shows up when you are not actively seeking it, like when you’re in the shower, or driving.
Namaste
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