I’ve been thinking a lot about longings lately, and how so many of us go through life resisting the things we’re longing for. The trip we long to take. The book we long to write. The business we long to start.
Over time, ignoring our longings can lead to stress, burnout, and dis-ease -a feeling I often refer to as “Divine discontent” which is the sort of vague, unsettled feeling that there’s something MORE we’re supposed to be doing, being, or experiencing. We can’t quite put our finger on it, and we also can’t shake the feeling that there’s a whole chunk of life that we’re missing out on.
Here’s what I know to be true: Your longings are given to you for a reason. There’s a reason why you feel the urge to write that book, start that business, or pick up that paintbrush.
That dream that’s on your heart, that urge to do that thing, that’s unique to you. It’s your soul’s way of calling you into your fullest, most authentic life possible.
{Side note: Your longing doesn’t have to be something to DO, it can also be something you’re longing to BE. Braver, stronger, calmer. More resilient, patient, creative. These longings are also nudges from your soul, guiding you towards what’s waiting for you.}
Often we ignore our longings because they don’t fit the mold of what we think we’re supposed to do, have or be. We shush that little voice inside, telling ourselves “later” or “someday”, while we double-down on more practical or seemingly urgent matters.
Because following our longings is scary. We worry what other people will think, how we’re going to explain to our family this inexplicable urge we have to visit Alaska or take up pottery or quit that soul-sucking job.
We’re afraid of what will happen if we DO follow, but deep down we’re even more afraid of what we’ll happen if we DON’T.
Here’s what I’ve learned about longings: You are never given a longing without also being given what you need to lean in and follow where it leads.
Depending on the size of your longing, you may not have everything you need to do ALL the steps – in fact, you probably don’t…. yet. This is because following our longings is soul work, and it requires us to step out in faith and trust that what we need will be provided at exactly the right time.
My belief is that longings are your soul’s way of guiding you into the life you were born to live. Following them can feel scary and risky, but I’ve seen this over and over again – doing so brings magic and miracles into your life that simply cannot happen any other way.
Leaning into your longings can lead you to your soul’s purpose – it’s also the fastest, most direct route to peace, vitality, and fulfillment that I know of.
My invitation to you, if there’s something that you’re longing for, take the first step towards it. You may feel perplexed or confused or terrified, and that’s all perfectly normal.
You don’t need to know how or why or where it’s all headed, you just need to trust yourself enough to take that first step. And then watch as the next step is revealed.
If you don’t know what exactly you’re longing for or what that first step is, I’d like to invite you to join me for a free mini-session. This is not a sales pitch, it’s a 1:1 conversation designed to help you figure out your very next step towards whatever it is you’re longing for so you can begin moving in that direction.
This is my heart’s work, my soul’s purpose. My deepest longing is to help you lean into YOUR longings.
Because I know firsthand the magic and miracles that await you when you do. <3