A friend wrote to me last week…I’ve hit a plateau. Or I’m having a meltdown? I feel like I’ve outgrown my dreams. The things I used to want have lost their electricity. What’s exciting anymore? I’m not sure. What do you do when you don’t know what’s next?
I wrote back:
- I feel you. As my sweet husband can confirm, I believe in
occasionalmeltdowns. - Also: YAY. Plateaus precede breakthroughs.
- What does your soul say?
I talk to my soul like I talk to the trees, my creative projects, and my Wild Self.
(shout out to all the other only children out there who grew up talking to plants and inanimate objects and all of the strange people inside of ourselves)
I call the answers we receive back, Soul Directions.
Unlike shoulds (dreams that don’t belong to us), Soul Directions are a unique set of instructions from the most authentic part of ourselves and contain the blueprint for our next chapter.
Soul Directions are always available to us, but most of us have been conditioned to listen to cultural directions instead. Living in a culture that profits off of our not listening to what we think and want means Soul Directions are often hard to hear.
Becoming skillful at listening to ourselves is the essential modern tool that most of us were never taught.
But our souls are open and ready! I don’t think they care how we connect with them, and even a few minutes of tuning in can spark major momentum toward the life that you want. If you, like me, barely have time to shower let alone go on a 10-day silent retreat—5 minutes of journaling, a walk among trees or a conversation with someone you trust can be all you need to receive the next instructions for how your life wants to move.
I sent my friend these 13 questions. I offer them to you in case you are also feeling meltdown-y or plateau-y or like it might be time to let go of what you’ve known so you can explore what could be.
13 Soul Prompts
Or: what to ask yourself when you don’t know what’s next
- What questions won’t let go of you? What are you most curious about?
- What multiplies your energy? What diminishes it?
- What do you really want?
- What makes you come alive?
- What needs healing?
- What does a remarkable day look/feel/sound/smell like? Does your calendar reflect your answer?
- What secret dream are you keeping close to your heart?
- What does your Future Self most want you to know about your next chapter? What about your body?
- Who would you love to collaborate with?
- What are you ready to be done with?
- If you had unlimited courage, what would you do?
- If you had one year left, what would you create?
- Who are you unbecoming? Who are you becoming?
SOME THINGS:
- Sometime it feels like your soul is speaking through a bullhorn and sometimes it’s the faintest whisper. Watch for patterns and celebrate insight in all forms. If you notice yourself saying the same thing over and over again, pay attention. What do you know that you are pretending not to know?
- Writing by hand is great, but you can also draw, dance, paint, talk into a recorder, sing, talk to a friend—anything works. The clarity usually drops when you are in the shower or washing the dishes or taking a walk anyway.
- Move at the speed of your future self (who, I imagine, does not rush)
- Music helps. Here is a playlist
- Expect breakthroughs. When you dare to tell yourself the truth about your life positive change is inevitable.
This is important — Soul Directions can feel scary and uncomfortable. Fear shows up before, during, and after moments of expansion and is often a sign that we are walking the path of our purpose.
So: can you let the fear be a sign that you are headed in the right direction? Really—can you do this?
Share any insights below, or message me on instagram and let me know any insights you have. We are going through so much collectively and the way forward is together. The truth works. So does kindness.
You. are. so. damn. awesome.
