Where You Look the Waves Will Take You

I was reading a book called Before Happiness by Sean Acher and particularly enjoying how he talked about reaching for goals. The line that stood out to me was this, "Where you look the waves will take you." How simple and yet profound. It also was a great visual to keep in my mind.

There are so many examples of this in real life. The easiest for me to remember is when I jumped back on my bicycle after more than two decades of ignoring it. I was rusty. The bicycle seat I thought was comfortable years ago had my private bits protesting loudly after the first few rides, but I was determined. We were taking a trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest, and I wanted to include a couple easy rides along the way for my husband who was an avid bicyclist.  

Slowly but surely my bicycling skills returned and my body adjusted to the pressure of the seat.  My speed was increasing. My distance was increasing. I felt I would be ready in time. There was only one snag. Going between posts or through narrow spots scared the hell out of me.  I was so sure I would hit something and crash spectacularly. Out of fear, I would bring the bike to a full stop and use my tip toes to navigate through the barrier. It was so embarrassing when other cyclists flew through them while giving me an eye roll with eyebrows raised, or even worse, a look of pity.

One day I mentioned this problem to my husband who changed everything for me in an instant with the words, "Just look ahead at something in the distance and aim for it." I stopped for a minute, floored, and considered the possibilities. Would this work? The next time I was out on my bike I gave it a go. While I will never be courageous enough to fly between poles at top speed, I did find I could move through them now without stopping. Eureka!

What I learned that day is when I look at the barrier, that's all I see. I am magnetically pulled towards it.  When I look off into the distance at a goal and aim myself there, the barriers disappear. While this solved a bicycling problem I was dealing with, I found myself pondering this truth on a larger, life-size scale.  

When it comes to hopes, goals and desires for our future, letting ourselves be mired in the minutia of every day living can be a distraction. We can't see anything but the problems or barriers in our way.  Keeping our focus there will paralyze us.  I believe if we are meant to achieve a dream, life will find a way to lead us over, under, around or even dissolve whatever stands in our way. We just need to be open to its guidance. 

I do believe there are times we need to walk in the moment without expectation, to let go and allow life to lead us. However, I also believe while living fully in each moment, we can also keep our eyes on our dreams and allow life to guide us towards their fulfillment. These two ideas are not contradictory, they are complimentary. We walk fully in the moment without expectation while keeping our eyes on our dreams. 

How do I make this process work for me?  I allow time for my creative mind to have empty space where dreams run freely.  I try not to grab onto those dreams with tense claws, set impossible work schedules, or force things to go the way I think they should. I try to relax into my hopes, allowing them space to grow, expand and change. 

 

I try to walk fully in each moment while embracing a habit of showing up every day. When my muse speaks, I follow without question. When a door opens, if it feels right, I say yes and walk through it. If it feels right to leap, I leap. And if it doesn't feel right, I walk away. It's all a matter of two things - keeping your eyes on the dreams while listening to your heart's whispers. It takes time and often restarting over and over, but it's work the effort.

No fear, no regret. If you are struggling, try spending an extra few minutes in bed every morning before rising. Breathe deeply, relax and repeat, "Where I look the waves will take me."