When My Inner Voice Contradicted My Plans

Have you heard of Danielle LaPorte’s Desire Map? If this is new to you, let me quickly explain. It’s working backwards from how we typically work. We often think we will feel good when we achieve our goals. We’ll feel loved when we get the boyfriend, or when we get the job promotion. And then we get the goal and don’t feel the way we want to feel. LaPorte teaches us to work backwards. Get clear on how you want to feel, and then do whatever you can to feel that way while moving towards your dreams. The more you feel your desired feelings, the better you will feel overall. LaPorte teaches a process to help people uncover their core desired feelings so you know what to focus on creating.
 
I reflect on my core desired feelings daily. What will I do today to feel the way I want to feel? I aim my actions towards my feelings and reconnect to them often so that I stay on track.
 
One of my core desired feelings is Deeply Connected. I want to feel deeply connected in my work and in my relationships. In order to feel deeply connected to others I must first feel deeply connected to myself. And to be completely honest, I forget to do this a lot.
 
Recently, I’ve been feeling a little flighty. Not committing to things and messing up appointments. Feeling like resting and laying down instead of working hard on my business. I haven’t even felt focused when reading. I started writing four different blog posts before I realized what I was really missing was my connection to myself.
 
And a voice inside myself said that I need to rest and be calm.
 
I argued back, “But I have a blog post to write! I have a commitment to consistency. Besides, I like writing! Can’t we do the thing we like to do?”
 
My deeply connected self said, “Yes, we like writing. But can we let the us off the hook this week? I need rest.”
 
I thought about this. “What would it look like to be let off the hook?”
 
“What if we make it short?”
 
“Hmmm, I can get behind this. Keep talking, deeply connected self. What would we write about that would still feel like rest?”
 
And there was no answer other than “This.”
 
Last week I talked about the voices in our head. Yes, we all have them. They all want to be heard, and they all have a message for you to hear. They really do have your best intentions at heart and are trying to keep you safe.
 
My deeply connected self still wanted to connect with you. It wanted to honor the commitment I made to myself, my business and to you because that’s important. But it’s also important to know what’s true and how to honor what’s true.
 
Right now, I’m needing some extra rest. That’s what it means to be deeply connected. To listen to the impulses that I’m getting from my body and to actually do what it’s asking.
 
What’s one thing you can do today to feel good? What does that look like for YOU? Comment below and tell me. Then I’m going to tell you to go do exactly that. Don’t wait, do it now.