Trust In Your Path

Trust that your path is always perfect…

That seems like a simple statement but as we know, simple is not the same as easy. Being a control freak is a well-loved tradition in my family – trying to control events, people and even the future can be exhausting.

For me, learning to let go and trust the process of life has been nerve-wracking, nail-biting and ultimately, monumentally freeing. During one prolific struggle, a dear friend looked me in the eye and said, “You have to trust that your path is always perfect. It’s the timing we wrestle with.” Those words became a mantra of peace and surrender to a life force I feel but cannot direct.

This concept became a foundation in my book on turning unexpected change into opportunity. How many times have you reviewed the past, only to see how fluently the pieces fit together in hindsight? How many times have you mourned a “loss,” only to discover that a better opportunity emerged? How many times have you thought “if only” – and were later relieved down the road?

Perhaps the biggest challenge of living “trust that your path is always perfect” is believing it is possible. Trust requires that we listen to our inner wisdom; trust takes faith in the life process; and trust means we commit to living fully in the present.

The disciplines of inner wisdom and faith are easier to understand – it’s the “present moment” idea that trips us up. Personally, I’m a dreamer and it’s an integral part of my creative process. Here’s the challenge for us dreamers – we become committed to “what if.” We fall in love with the potential and fantasize about what can be. We are energized by the possibilities and spend our energy and focus on the future instead of the present.

Being in the present moment is recognizing “what is” without judgment. It is understanding how fluid our reality is, how it can change within moments. As my dear friend Dr. Kimberly Ventus-Darks says, it is “holding on loosely” to what we love and treasure. It is acknowledging, accepting and experiencing where we are in this moment, and appreciating the purpose of being where we are.

There is no wasted time in your life process – every single moment is purposeful, although it may not feel like it at the time. It’s when we look back, recall the experience, that we often understand the purpose or see the path more clearly.

Accepting our present situation is fundamental. Appreciating it is divine. Once our present moment is appreciated, it no longer feels wasted or “lost.” That’s when the path is always perfect becomes a reality – when we give thanks and gratitude for all the moments of our life, not just the happy ones.

And so, the path is truly perfect for each and every one of us. Your path may zig and zag differently from mine – that’s what makes the journey so intriguing.