What Do I Do With My Answers

We’ve now talked about what finding your own answers within means, established that you already have what you need, and identified some practices you can use to find those answers you already have.  Once you’ve found a way to find those answers that you already have inside, what exactly do you do with them? 

I have good news, and I have bad news.  The good news AND the bad news is that it is completely up to you! 

Do you want to take action on that answer that you are now acknowledging?  If you do, take the first step.  Pick one thing you can be or do to bring you closer to that person who already has whatever answer it is that you received from that still small voice inside.  Just one. 

Let’s say you now know that you are not going to accept that lucrative job offer that just seemed wrong somehow– at least for you right now.  There are lot of actions you could choose to take. You could: 

• Ask another question, like “what job should I look for instead?”
• Stay in your current job, until you feel like you have the right option that feels right for you right now
• Stay in your current job and make it better with an attitude of gratitude for all that you have and maybe were taking for granted
• Start your own business, if that feels right, either with or without your current job
• Look deeper within and find your life purpose, then take action on that 

Do any of those actions resonate with you?  The list of possible next steps is literally endless, but choose one that feels aligned with who you are.  There is no right or wrong step.  Sometimes, taking a step in SOME direction is really all that is needed.  If you start down the path and do not like how it feels or what happens, choose a different path.  One of my friends and mentors has a motto that she uses during painting workshops.  She tells us that it’s just paint.  “If you don’t like it, paint over it.”  I LOVE that.  When I paint, if something is not looking or feeling the way I want it, I pick up some color and paint over it.  I can even start over completely. This truth from painting workshops also applies to life.  If things are not going in a way that you want, make a different choice.  Easier said than done, I know, but it’s true. 

So, imagine how you would be and what you would do if you had already whatever it is that you want.  Then, pick one way that this you who already lives your answer would be.  Then, you guessed it, be that one thing.  In our example, let’s say that you choose to stay in your current job that you are now thankful for.  You can choose to be grateful.  Choose to be grateful for what you have each day.  I write down at least three things I’m grateful for each day.  In fact, I had an agenda item in each of my corporate team meetings that I call “Something Good.”  Each person is required to come up with one thing they are thankful for that has happened since the last time we met.  I will tell you that when I first started that practice in corporate world, I met with some resistance.  People had a really hard time coming up with something to share. Within a week or two, everyone had something ready to share with the group.  By the time I left my corporate role, people were sharing at least one professional thing and a lot of personal things, too.  If you start this practice, you’ll have more things on your gratitude list than you have time to list them!  It’s amazing how a shift to being thankful can impact your way of being.  This one practice alone can turn a cynic into an optimist (or at least a realist).  Try it for yourself and see. 

If you’ve gotten this far into the post and still can’t think of one step you can take to move closer to the person that already lives your answer, you probably have other questions to ask for clarity.  Now that you know how to get still and hear those answers you already have within, just repeat the process until you have what you need. 

• Ask yourself your question.
• Choose a practice to get still.
• Find the answer to your next question.

You can do this over and over until you are clear on one next step you can take (one way you can BE) to get closer to that version of you that already lives your answer. 

I’m looking forward to hearing how this goes for you.  Did you find the answer to your real question?  Did you find other questions to ask?  What practice(s) did you use?  What step are you going to take to BE more like that you who already lives the answer?