What Next? Walking in My Why 4

 in 2018 NEXT by

Kinwomen

If she’s walking in her why she truly delights in what she does.

 Susan David

Instead of rushing into plans for this year, I’m taking it slowly–so slowly I’ve almost stopped!

I’m in a new season of writing, a new season of family, and working out how I want to live the next years of my life in a half-decade year. So, I’m in a hotel room to work out how to walk out my why in 2018.

How do I make decisions that match up with the way I want to live?  How do I make decisions that match up with my values? How do I make decisions that match up with my beliefs?

It’s really important to be in touch with the things that matter to me and use them as signposts to point me in the right direction.

When I’m able to exude natural, and real, enthusiasm, it tells me a lot about the values I bring to my everyday.

On the other hand, every time my heart shrinks, every time I dread saying yes to something, I stop and ask myself why. Why am I hesitant? Am I being selfish? Am I walking in my why?

 You can tell she knows herself because she’s got conviction in the way she says, ‘No’ and possibility in the way she says ‘Yes’. Rebecca Ray

This has been tested with my aunt’s recent accident. She broke her hip and my sister and I have stepped in to help her.

Caring for family is one of my ‘whys’, but I have writing deadlines as well, and I got really frustrated. My frustration at the interruption to my work was a signpost. I found myself resenting being torn between two whys.

So, I asked myself, ‘Can I be fully devoted to both?’

Today is an example of prioritising. I spent the morning at the hospital with my aunt. This afternoon, I checked into a hotel so I can edit my next book.

Today, I’m walking in my why.

This sacred quiet time at the beginning of the year is not a blank slate. 2018 is a continuation of the years before. My values are ongoing, not fixed. They guide, but don’t constrain. This year, instead of making long ‘to do’ lists, I’m finding that my meditations are leading me to my ‘next’ through a process of continuity of self.

Anything that excites me, energises me, or propels me to action is where I need to be. Of course, when life flings stuff like my aunt’s accident in my path, I just need to relax into it, trust God, and do what I can.

Someone said recently that hope is a confident expectation. I confidently expect that my ‘next’ will be walking in my why.

love, Elaine

About Elaine Fraser

Elaine realised she wanted to be a writer at ten years of age when the words flew off the page during a creative writing lesson. She studied English and Education at university and went on to spend many years as a high school English teacher teaching others how to write. In 2005, Elaine took the plunge and began writing full-time. Since then she has published five books and blogs at www.elainefraser.co. Elaine’s passion is to write about real issues with a spiritual edge. When she’s not travelling the world in search of quirky bookstores or attending writing retreats in exotic locations, she can be found in the Perth hills sitting in her library—writing, reading, mentoring writers and hugging her golden retriever.

4 thoughts on “What Next? Walking in My Why”

  • Jeanette Rigley

    Timely! I’m entering in to a year that is going be very full. And yet after reading this I realise that every aspect of the coming year has a very strong why attached to it. Maybe that’s why it feels so sure and right. When I feel overwhelmed, I must certainly will at times, I will recall this and let the why sustain me. Thank you for sharing.

  • Jeanette Rigley

    Great post. I have a very full year coming up and reading this I’ve realised that each of the main aspects of my year have a very strong why. That is probably the reason I feel so sure about it all. When I feel overwhelmed (which will most likely happen) I will remember this and allow the why of my doing to sustain me.

    Thanks for sharing Elaine

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