Life is a journey with many paths. It is a journey, not a destination. It HAS a destination, yes. But there are many interesting routes to travel and many ways to reach our goals.
Today’s post is a bit different. A bit philosophic, yet still about traveling. About navigating throughout life.
Mapping the routes of our lives, I would call it. Especially in times like now, where the pandemic is forcing us to be flexible and patient, where we have to re-think and re-schedule, I think the best thing we can do is to just step back, breath and re-focus. Times like this are good to reflect. Self actualisation is at the top of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
I found this great story in the book ‘I’m the director of my life’ by Beata Pawlikowska. It’s about going on a trip, it’s a beautiful analogy to our life-trip. To our purpose and destination. I took the story and translated it for you.
Beata is a polish traveler, journalist, author, illustrator. She wrote countless books about her travels and her personal development journey. She inspires and motivates. I love her books and articles. Especially those about the subconscious mind. Her book series ‘positive thinking course’ helped me a lot when experiencing a bad break-up a few years ago.
Following my own creativity and writers flow I adapted in slightly to my own thinking process, but the following story is based on ‘W moim życiowym atlasie’. Here it goes:
‘In my life atlas’ (by Beata)
Imagine. You get in your car, turn on the navigation, and you try to type all the trips you plan to take over the next ten years, into your navigation system.
Possible ? Not really! Because in these ten years new roads will be built, which are not yet on the maps.
Also, because, maybe in a few years you will want to get somewhere completely different than today. Maybe you will meet someone along the way, with whom you will want to continue traveling. And because your navigation device will eventually run out of power and it will lose all the routes you have previously entered. Also, perhaps in five years’ time there will be new, better apps, equipped with better maps, road indications and settings.
Do you understand now?
It makes no sense to plan all your travels in advance. Neither it makes sense to insist that there is only one route, THE best route. For sure, you won’t use the same apps and maps for your entire life. Because everything changes!
I don’t know where I will be in five years, because life maps are being constantly updated
I don’t even know where I’ll be next year. But I know my immediate directions very well. I know my next steps. I know where I want to travel, I know what articles I want to write, I know more or less what I will be doing in the next few months.
More or less, because my life map is also constantly updating!
I have plans, I have dreams and projects, but I’m taking them easy. If they stay with me, that’s great. If they fly off into the unknown, that’s fine too. In that case they will make room for something new.
In my atlas of life I only know two pages – the ones I’m walking on. The rest is a fascinating secret that I will discover while traveling.
It is not carelessness or thoughtlessness. It is about what I am able to predict and plan. It’s about what I’m able to get done in the present moment. It’s about focusing on the road ahead of me.
Trust the road and look out for signs and indications
So, I don’t waste time thinking about where life will take me in the next ten years. I know it will be okay. Of course it will be okay! After all, we are all part of a larger plan built on harmony, balance, truth and love.
All you need to do is, trust the road and look out for signs and indications. Don’t insist on the old route, don’t try to always go straight, watch out for redirections and alternative routing.
Discover new ways. Find new fascinating projects, follow your passions. Don’t insist on anything, don’t demand, don’t try to bewitch reality.
Just be open to changes. Walk new trails with joy, feeling the wind in your hair.
Trust that there are only good paths in your life atlas. You don’t need to know all of them. Just trust that they will guide you in the right direction (at the right time).
To sum up (by Bea)
Go with the flow. Be true to yourself, act according to your core values and principles. Have integrity, be curious, be open minded. Update your goals from time to time. Always listen to your heart. Be in sync with your soul. Consider other people’s opinions but go with your gut feeling. Your intuition is your best guide. You are your own best friend.
I believe that any decision based on what your heart tells you, can never be a wrong decision. You might get lost for a while but you will learn from your mistakes and get back on track. And trust me, you will never ever have any regrets if you follow your heart!
So, yes take the scenic route from time to time, if you feel like. Just remember to install new updates of your ‘maps’.
Recently I heard a great expression, which matches my life motto: ‘If it’s not fun, it should not be done’. Epic! I love it. Have fun on the road guys. Be strong. Corona will not last forever. For now, zoom out on your ‘maps’ to see the bigger picture and have faith that the road construction is going to be over soon.
Love
B.
PS. If you enjoyed this article, you will like this related post: ‘In my garden called Life’
