Don’t Trip Over How
Along any given path it’s easy to trip over how
It’s been a decade since I began to seek, find, and walk my chosen path.
This has occurred in fits and starts, with some success here and achievement there. But there is one hurdle, one obstacle that still tends to trip me up.
How.
Further, this gets complicated by walking the line of reality as it is now versus as it could be via conscious reality creation. I know where I was, I know where I am, I know where I desire to be. Now – how do I connect these and make it so?
It’s all too easy to trip over how. It’s an amazing unknown that we frequently look to understand. While this can be a really good thing – it can also be a serious tripping hazard.
What’s good about understanding how
The Universe is unbelievably vast. Like, so big, that the human mind can hardly even remotely wrap itself around the size. If you think a tiny insect compared to the whole of the continent of Asia seems massive, take that tiny insect and compare it to the size of our local solar system. And you still haven’t done more than scratch the surface of size comparison on this scale.
The point is – there are theologians, scientists, philosophers, and others seeking to understand the how of the Universe. How are we here? And how did it all begin? How might it all end? And on, and on, and on.
For most of us, however, these are understandings far too grand to seriously ponder. They exist on a level we don’t really need to explore, frankly.
But seeking answers and asking questions leads to growth. To gain experience, to learn all that you can about life, the Universe, and everything, how is a question to be asked.
But sometimes asking “how” and trying to understand it takes too much focus. And distracts you. Then, you trip over how and stumble on your life path.
That takes many different forms. Indecision, fear of choosing wrong, concerns that not knowing how means you can’t succeed, and so on. Too much focus on working out how stays your hand and causes stagnation.
If you knew how you’d already be going it
This is a tough notion to understand, let alone accept. If I knew how to get more people to buy my books – and studios to option the movie rights – I’d be doing it.
Others have done it. And I try to use their example to do it, too. But since my work is not the same as their work – how is different.
Most of our grandest dreams and ambitions are easy to identify. We can see what we want, where we want to be, why it would be awesome, and so on. But how do we get there? That’s a total unknown.
Maybe not a total unknown, though. For example – to be a writer you must write. If I never write a word, never finish a book, nor take any other steps to get from here to there – it won’t happen. How is irrelevant.
This is why, with conscious reality creation, you cannot work from a pure vacuum. Do you want to be a great actor? Cool – what are you doing to get out there as an actor? If the answer is nothing – how won’t matter.
If you are studying acting in school, going to auditions, seeking mentors, and putting yourself out there – now the question of how do you best succeed has validity. But focusing too much on it will cause you to trip over how on the path.
Why? Because my how, your how, his how, her how, their how, and every other form you can think of is as different and unique as we are.
Why we trip over how
How did Neil Gaiman become an almost household name as a fantasy author? What process got George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire books made into a culturally popular fantasy TV series? How did Spiral Wars sci-fi series author Joel Shepherd get his work to a level where his seller rank is in the low 5-digit range while I struggle to keep my novels within 6-digits?
If I knew how they did it – I would do it, too. However – their paths are not my path. All of them have gotten to where they are in their own way. But that doesn’t mean I can’t learn from that.
But if I get too focused on the how it will only trip me up.
We trip over how because there is never One True Way, and what works for me might not work for you and vice versa. So, we get stuck in uncertainty over how to get from here to there – and that becomes a hell of an obstacle along the path we’re walking.
I know where I was, I know where I am, I know where I desire to be. I can look back to how I got from where I was to where I am. And that can help inform me as to options, steps, and potential means to an end. But to get from where I am now to where I desire to be is a challenge.
This can be massively infuriating. And, just to add insult to injury, many of the people you know and associate with will also question how ad nauseam.
Mindfulness now clarifies the obstacles
How do you make any money doing that? Do you know how to get seen? How will you succeed? Can you tell me how you expect that to work? And so on and so forth. Too many messages of this nature become a part of why we trip over how.
When the answer is “I don’t know”, that can be frustrating, depressing, and difficult. However, it can also be exciting, introspective, and empowering.
This depends, in part, on what follows “I don’t know.” If it’s “I am unsure and lost”, that’s placing you in a disempowering, negative mindset/headspace. Conversely, if it’s “but I will figure it out”, that’s placing you in an empowering, positive mindset/headspace.
Conscious reality creative is working on empowerment to find and/or create life how you most desire it to be. Pathwalking is choosing what path you take to that end. Just because how you do a thing is a mystery doesn’t make it any less worthwhile. It’s just another challenge.
Defining what, why, where, and who you are – here and now – is important. Once you have that, you open more options for working out the means to become who you desire to be and are less apt to trip over how.
It’s important to be mindful for clarity. Mindfulness of your thoughts, feelings, actions, and intentions shows you your inner being, your mindset/headspace/psyche self. That insight opens the door to look deeper. This allows you to work with your subconscious and be more consciously aware of your habits, values, and beliefs.
This process gives you knowledge that makes figuring out how more manageable.
Don’t trip over how
When you reach the tripping hazard of a how, pause. Rather than run over it and trip yourself up, get more clarity on other, easier to answer questions.
Why, what, where, and who am I are easily defined via practical mindfulness. Knowing these answers – here and now – makes finding ways to manage how far easier.
Additionally – knowing these can also make surrendering to the Universe an easier prospect.
When you do the work, put in the effort take the steps along your chosen path – and you find you’re about to trip over how – the leap of faith is the answer. You need to accept that everything is figureoutable (thank you, Marie Forleo) and that how will work itself out.
Again, you cannot do this from a vacuum – there needs to be effort to consciously create anything you desire, no matter the path you walk for it. Effort is necessary and required to get from here to there – no matter what that looks like for you.
Lastly – know that you are worthy and deserving of consciously creating your reality. The path you choose is your right. Nobody but you knows what’s right for you. You are no less worthy or deserving of being the best you that you can be than anyone else. The world deserves you and your gifts. If you are unsure of the way you are capable of finding and/or making it.
What do you do to not trip over how and similar obstacles on your path?
This is the five-hundred and second exploration of my Pathwalking philosophy. These weekly essays are ideas for – and my personal experiences with – mindfulness and walking along a chosen path of life to consciously create reality.
I share this journey as part of my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Additionally, I desire to empower myself and my readers with conscious reality creation.
Thank you for joining me. Feel free to re-blog and share this.
The first year of Pathwalking, including expanded ideas, is available here. My additional writing, both fiction and non-fiction, are available here.
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