By Lorraine Cohen, www.lorrainecohen.com

Are you willing?

I was asked the question on a coaching call many years ago. I was struggling with stepping up and out in a bigger way.

My fears and “not good enough” messages were swirling in my head. I knew I was sharing my gifts and talents in comfortable ways and the idea of being more visible felt daunting.

We were speaking about my doing interviews, leading online teleseminars and in –person workshops, creating products and programs….yikes.

What did I have to offer that anyone really wanted and would pay for?

And what if I failed?

I came up with excuses and reasons to resist expanding my work into new areas and yet, there was a part of me that felt excited at the opportunities.

So when she asked, “Lorraine, are you willing?” I knew she was also asking if I was open to new possibilities and opportunities to fulfill my deepest desires and dreams. The first step in saying YES to something new is to be willing AND open to experience life in a bigger way.

I explored:

Am I willing to fail?

Am I willing to succeed?

Am I willing to learn something new that might become something fabulous?

Am I willing to be uncomfortable in uncertainty?

Am I willing to let go of the need to know and take a leap of faith?

Am I willing to let my heart and soul guide me for the pure joy of the experience?

Am I willing to let go of what I think I have to do to allow what is ready to unfold?

Am I willing to have fun with creating what I want?

Am I willing to be open to possibilities?

So I said Yes!

I was willing then and still ask myself that question whenever I am stretching out of my comfort zone.

When I began working on surrender I realized that I didn’t know how to really let go without feeling resistance or trying to control, manage, or direct what I was feeling, thinking, and experiencing. I could talk about surrender conceptually but embodying the essence of letting go completely and embracing life in each moment felt elusive.

So, I started with a willingness to learn how and put out my prayer request to be shown how to let go with as much Grace and ease that I would allow. I am still learning how to let God and let go every day!

You don’t have to have everything figured out!

Just start with a willingness!

Is there something you have been struggling with? Perhaps it is something you have been resisting? Perhaps there is something you have been TRYING to change or create without a lot of success? Maybe you have convinced yourself that something you deeply want is out of your reach because you feel inadequate or not enough?

Asking yourself the question, “Am I willing?” is an invitation to freely play and explore the field of possibilities without the burden of shoulds and have tos or feeling pressured to make something happen by your own efforts.

Being willing and open, like you were as a child, invites magic and miracles; to flow with life and see each day as a grand adventure.

Here are five ways to deliberately play in the field of willingness:

1. Experiment. Be curious to play with and take some actions with an idea for the fun of it. Make “what if” a game that allows you stand in wonder and possibility! Meander with a sense of purpose by letting go of the need to see and understand where the path will lead. It begins with just one step that always leads to the next. You can use experiences to find out so much about yourself including what you really, really want.

2. Redirect your energy and imagination. Turn anger, fear, anxiety, and feelings of unworthiness into your passion for what you want to be, have or do. Becoming aware in the midst of an emotional and physical reaction can empower you to embrace the charge and then shift the energy towards what you most want to create. Flip the switch!

3. Question the messages you are telling yourself. You might be using past experiences as an excuse and reason to hold yourself back. What if what you are thinking, believing and telling yourself is a big fat lie? “What happened then is sure to repeat”. Take the gifts and learning from prior experiences to plant seeds for a blessed present and limitless tomorrow. Remember that when you align with the Divine, anything is possible!”

4. Stay consistent with your spiritual and self-care practices. These are critical pieces to staying centered and connected to the wellspring of wisdom within you. Your Higher Nature knows the quickest route to live your greatest life and guide you “home.” Take time to pause, integrate, and rest when you need to just BE!

5. Surround yourself with a strong, healthy, and like-hearted community of support including trusted friends, colleagues, and professionals. We all need help sometimes for accountability, an emotional boost, a kick in the pants, a mirror reflection, and for deeper healing processes we cannot do ourselves without getting in the way!

The next time you find yourself using excuses, struggling, empowering your fears, questioning your brilliance and competence, giving up, feeling frustrated, overwhelmed or stuck… Stop and breathe.

Think and feel into something you really, really want.

Take another breath.

Rest into the body and notice the sensations you are feeling.

Take another breath.

Ask yourself, “Am I willing for this (whatever you want) to manifest in my life?

Breathe deeply and stand in your willingness and openness to be taught, shown and guided to have what you really, really want. Make that verbal declaration to yourself and to the Universe. “Yes, I am willing and open to….” Be specific in what you are inviting into your life as a prayer.

Let go of the need to know how, what, or when your prayer will be answered. What you don’t know how to do, the Divine does and relishes the opportunity to teach you. Trust that you will be shown and intuitively guided through experiences that will serve you in the highest way.

And be open to the magic of possibilities!!

Namaste’

Lorraine

Rev. Lorraine Cohen (United States) is an internationally recognized life architect, spiritual guide, inspirational speaker, and heart healer. For more than 25 years, Lorraine has assisted thousands of women who value the inner journey, have the courage and passion to go deeper and create massive changes in themselves to reach higher states of consciousness and be of the greatest service to the world; to live a life that is awake and authentic and to create a reality that is conscious, deliberate and meaningful. www.lorrainecohen.com