I recently decided I wanted to get a new cell phone. I’m not one that must have all the latest bells and whistles. But as a speaker I wanted to have a much better camera to take those spur of the moment shots. My current phone worked well for email, texts and as a phone but I had stopped even trying to take pictures because the quality was so poor.
In my family, my husband is the research guy. He loves to research which I appreciate because I do not. He figured out which phone would do what I wanted and offered the best value. As a solopreneur, I am usually watching expenses so I purchased my phone from one of the online resellers. I’d done business with this firm before and everything had gone smoothly.
Not this time.
When I got my new phone, the first time, it was linked to the wrong carrier. I hoped it might work but two stores assured me I would need to send it back. That whole process probably took nearly a month. I’m not impatient (well not too impatient) by nature but it was frustrating to experience this delay. I ordered the phone again after my account had been credited. It was supposed to be delivered within 10 days but I was told on the 10th day there had been an ‘unavoidable’ delay and it would take longer. I was tempted to cancel at this point but was told I couldn’t as the phone had ‘just been shipped’. Can you feel my frustration? By this point I’m wondering if the universe is conspiring against me and whether I should have just kept my old phone with the horrible camera.
There was more drama associated with this purchase but in the end, it has worked out just fine. Although things didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked, I like my new phone. And, I got for less than $200. It takes great pictures and allows me to take high quality video as well.
Why am I sharing this story? Because I have found this same occasional rocky path to be true on my path to living an authentic life. In my new book, Say Yes 2 Your Life I share with readers what I have experienced to be true. Even when you know you are on the right path, things don’t go smoothly all the time.
Yes, life is different than the decision to buy a new cell phone but the feelings of frustration are often the same. I first realized that lesson when I began my journey to saying yes to what I felt truly called to do with my life. I was trying to find my purpose and my calling among the many social justice ministries available. Nothing seemed to be the right fit. I felt frustrated and wondered, “Why can’t I figure out what is mine to do? Maybe I should forget the whole idea.”
Have you ever felt that way?
What I discovered is that it takes listening practice to hear your small voice. At least it did for me. What I had been doing was trying out social justice ministries that “looked good” and that did important work. And that’s fine. Any one of them would have been a good choice. Except, they weren’t the ministry that truly called to my heart. Once I allowed my authentic voice to guide my choice, I found my path. And today, I have found my passion working in prison ministry.
If you’ve every experienced this type of frustration, I encourage you not to let it stop you if your heart is calling you to some purpose. Take a step back. See if maybe you might have taken the wrong fork in the road. If not, perhaps the path has more twists and turns than you anticipated. If you’re not already keeping a journal, try it. Writing down your thoughts is a wonderful way to unleash your creative energy and guide you to the path right for you.
Are you ready to start on your path to leading a more authentic life? Order your copy of Say Yes 2 Your Life: Journey to Celebrate Your “is-ness” from Amazon today.