Sometimes I secretly wish I had a map showing exactly where I am, the next step and where I’m to go. As many years as I’ve learned about and practiced living in the moment and tuning in to my inner guidance and intuition, I still often sigh thinking, can you just tell me what to do, give me a map?
I’m pretty certain you have a map app on your phone and have used it. I use mine often in order to get to an address I’ve never been to before, especially if I’m out of town. One afternoon, I was driving along following the familiar voice telling me, “in a quarter mile, turn right on…” whatever the street name was. I had to chuckle thinking how great it would be if I had a map app for life – in twenty minutes call… - post this on social media – do not go to that event – it’s time to quit your job, to quit doing… whatever. You get the idea. If you’re like me, sometimes even small decisions can be difficult, as can just avoiding coasting on auto-pilot while missing all the cue’s, that while voiceless, are guiding you nonetheless.
With all of the technology in the world today, we’ve become used to everything being lined up and can have a relatively clear picture of what lies ahead. Of course, we know there are always bumps and unexpected turns, but it made me wonder how much more stress we experience when those bumps and unexpected turns do show up when, no doubt, technology is somewhat programming our mind. We’re moving right along smoothly, then one little bump turns us upside down, stressors are activated, and we’re pretty much rendered deaf to the guiding directions for railing against what wasn’t supposed to happen.
What has happened is that we’re in app mode and are operating in much the same way as when looking at the map app that lines out a route, how many miles, how long it will take to drive it, and points of interest along the way. The problem is, life doesn’t have an app. Something that should take ten minutes takes an hour, someone changes the plan at the last minute, you’re late and traffic is backed up, you overcook a meal that was supposed to be fabulous, Wally World is out of the one item you desperately need – or suddenly, in one moment, your life will never be the same again. Nope, no app for that kind of stuff.
At least with a map app, if you get off course, it tells you exactly what to do to get to your destination. That actually may be one thing living life from within and a map app have in common. We have an inner guidance system that will gently guide us over those frustrating bumps or
October/November 2017 | ElementsForAHealthierLife.com | 19