points of light in a darkened world: the i&a blog

vanessa f hurst, ms

I smile. You smile. The moment transforms with  the grace of that interaction. 

I smile. You frown. I do not want your grimace to trigger a reaction in me. I choose not be caught by the trigger but to soar on the wings of the joy within myself.

2018 has challenged me to live gracefully in uncertain times. From the ever changing weather to connecting in job interviews to navigating relationships to finding joy, I am mindful about the unevenness present in many unfolding moments. 

I have managed to reframe many of those moments — turning the dread of uncertainty into the possibility of real transformation. In other moments I get caught in a tsunami of fear raging toward me. Paralyzed, I feel the remnant drops of fear splatter my face as the wave falls just short of my being. I practice self compassion. I laugh at my imperfections until I am okay with who I am in that moment.

In those splattering drops of fear my inner wisdom whispers, “Trust. Hope. It will get better.” I find myself wondering, “Will it? If so, when?” 

I am not certain that I want to hear the answer to that question. For, we can no longer measure the uncertainty by old standards. Better now does not always measure up to what was better then. The ruler we have no longer has the right markings on it. This new world requires that we measure better or worse by a new standard that is evolving as we do. In this evolution we find ways to raise the bar of better using our hope and trust.

So, hope and trust are needed as fear and calm vie for our attention. Hope is being able to see the uncertainty in a new way — to feel the glimmer of possibility warm our being. Trust is knowing, no matter what, that we have our integrity — the ability to act with courage as we do the right thing. Together hope and trust power our journey through the uncertainty and into our compassionate, authentic response. 

Today I stand on the shore of uncertainty and watch the next tsunami rolled closer and closer. I do not cringe in fear as I feel its remnants spatter upon my face. No, I vow not to give one more microscopic particle of energy to a fear filled reaction to any uncertainty in the world. I embrace hope and call upon my integrity to transform myself into a point of light in a darkened world. Join me.  

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is a Mindful Coach, Neural Synchrony™ facilitator, Professional Speaker, and Author who weaves her inner wisdom into all she touches. Vanessa assists clients in navigating their life paths with intuition. Her books are A Constellation of Connections: Contemplative Relationships and Engaging Compassion Through Intent & Action. Contact Vanessa @ vanessa@intentandaction.com for keynotes, programs, and consultations.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / 

Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2018