Thank You – Guide Me – Please

Change is upon us yet again.  Transition is in the crisp air.  I can taste it, no sense denying it.  I feel it happening everywhere around me, and in all aspects of my life.  The leaves are changing and as the colors begin to emerge, they prepare for a final bow before dropping.  It is the end of one thing and yet the promise of another.  And while it is part of why I love living in a climate with distinct seasonal shifts, I resist.  I want to stay right where I am, languishing in Indian summer, holding on with both hands, pining for more.  I want flip-flops, not bulky wool sweaters.  Resistance, an ‘ol whiny friend lingers in the shadows, making things more difficult, whispering sweet nothings in our ears – making us yearn for yesterday.Clearly some embrace change more easily than others.  To some extent we are all creatures of habit and routine, even if that routine is no-routine.  Seasons are natural benchmarks for shift – whether we are hunkering down for a cold winter in more of a restorative mode or exuberantly springing out after a period of hibernation.  They require our participation, our conscious co-creation.Lately, I feel as if I am being forced to practice what I preach, to put my money where my mouth is, literally; to be still and hear the answers (even if I don’t like what I hear).   UH OH!  Be careful what you wish for.  I have been asking for clarity and direction.   And I think the Universe has me on perma-hold…please hold the line and the next available agent will be with you in a few years!  Ha!  But sometimes that’s what it feels like – come on Universe, where’s my answer?!  I want a response.  Give me a blueprint to follow.  Let’s get the show on the road already.When we are physically uncomfortable sitting in a chair, we shift - we change position, we attempt to realign.  We don’t simply remain in discomfort.  It’s the same with our prayers and our intentions.  I have felt a fidgety sense of disconnect in certain parts of my life.  And yet, the perpetual motion of my day-to-day tasks and responsibilities have kept me from facing off with it head-on.For months, I have been praying about direction in my career.  I have been praying for financial relief.  I have been praying to know where I can be of service.  I have been praying to see clearly.  [Dead silence on the other line.]I never contemplated that I was in fact getting an answer to my prayers.A light bulb finally went off recently, as I mulled over the possibility that perhaps the answer had in fact been revealed and I summarily dismissed it.  I didn’t hear it or see it, because it wasn’t the answer I had expected, or wanted to hear.  And sometimes, no answer is an answer.  Mull that big boy over, Kristen.  Could I be open to seeing things differently?  Could I sit long enough to listen?  [And hear.]It was time to get clear.  I’ve written before about the Ask (see my previous Huffington Post piece), and in my recent interview with Giancarlo Esposito for the soon-to-be released inaugural issue of BEST SELF, he brought me back to this notion of the “Ask” and creating the space to get crystal clear with it.  Sounds simple enough, and yet, we can all admit to straying from this simple practice – to sit in silence, to check-in, to get clear and allow the heart space to open.  The answers to our questions reside in this space.So how do we get there?For some of us it’s daily prayer (to God, the Universe, guides or angels), silent meditation or active meditation (where inspiration emerges while out for a bike ride or walk, for example).  Nature is a great place to find it, but you can tap into this restorative energy in any circumstance and from any place, even from a cramped, noisy NYC subway car.I’ve created a trifecta that works for me to cover all grounds:  Thank You – Guide Me – Please.  I begin with giving thanks for all that exists in my life (this shifts my energy immediately).  I move into Guide Me: Show me how I can be of service to the world (how can I make my mark, where can I make a difference).  And then, I top it off with a crystal clear ask, please help me with_________.-What are you grateful for?-How are you being of service to others and the world around you?-What is your ask?Another great way to gain clarity and manifest your Thank You – Guide Me - Please, is to declare it and put it down on paper.  Grab a notebook and a pen.  Answer the 3 questions above.  You might be surprised how easy (or not) it is for you.  Regardless, the exercise will be a great reveal.  This puts manifesting in motion.Carve out some quiet time, sit in contemplative silence and breathe.  Clear out your ears so you can listen for the Universe to respond.Go forth and be ask-kicking!