I’ve felt like I’m in a period of “waiting” lately. Waiting for inspiration, for engagement, for an inner “yes!” It feels a lot like going in circles.
Don’t you love it when the Universe gives you just what you need to hear?
Today’s wisdom about going in circles is a quote from a book—(one I have on my bedside table, but haven’t cracked open yet!) A fellow fan of this series sent it to me in an email. Way to go, Universe!
Going in circles is something we’ve all experienced—traveling ground we’ve been over before, sometimes multiple times. You wonder if you’ve progressed at all since the last time you came this way…
“Never fear going in circles, Maisie. The next time around, you’ll see something you missed before — that’s if your mind is open. And you will be different, and it will be better. Experience, Maisie. Knowledge of yourself. And when you have knowledge, you have wisdom, if your mind is open, and your heart is willing.“
—Maurice, to Maisie Dobbs, in Journey to Munich, by Jacqueline Winspear
Maurice’s words came in just right for me. They remind me that knowing oneself is a process, just as life is a process. Keeping an open mind and heart on your own behalf requires patience, love, compassion, and the willingness to laugh at yourself. Being older doesn’t always mean wiser. Sometimes the wisest thing is to put on your “kindergarten mind,” or “beginner mind,” and have a look from a fresh, open and nonjudgmental perspective.
Maybe the biggest affirmation I get from that quote, is actually its subtext:
“Have faith, Maisie. There is more here than meets the eye. You are on the right path, even though it appears to be wandering in circles. Keep walking it, keep trusting it—with an open mind and heart.”
That subtext is the gift—for me, and from me, to you!
Coach’s Challenge: When you feel impatient with your “lack of progress” this week, laugh at yourself. Use that “kindergarten mind” to notice something new, a layer previously overlooked or unappreciated. And ask new questions. Questions open the path ahead, both within and without.
