When's the last time you were unpredictable? Daring? Silly? When's the last time you were willing to take a step off an edge and trust that you could fly (metaphorically, that is). When you last felt confident, expectant, positive?
The answer for most of us is when we fell in love. That's usually when we have that invulnerable feeling of being fully whole, when we feel the sun shining in every cell of our bodies, even during a blizzard.
But wouldn't it be wonderful if you could create that feeling for yourself. And to be able to do so more often. If you could open a new dimension of your world, if you could sharpen your awareness, could feel more energized with every breath, and trust that you would not only survive the adventure but grow from it.
There are times in our lives when this is a goal, and other periods when it is the last thing we think we want. Sometimes life feels so turbulent all on its own that we long for some calm, some respite from crisis or commitments. But in other periods, when we think we have everything nicely set in order, what we really need to get our juices flowing is a heaping tablespoon of the unknown, one that we can swallow without an aftertaste of fear.
You can wait for fate to hand it to you, but you can learn to create it as well. Too often we forget we have an innate ability to make our lives more interesting. We think we need our opportunities spelled in large capital letters on billboards. What if you could teach yourself not merely to read these messages but to write them for yourself?
Here's the secret: Grab a paintbrush, pick a color, and splash a swath of vitality onto the palette of your life. Lay down a new melody and listen for the answering harmony. Leave space in your schedule for the unexpected, and don't flinch when it finds you.
The key to surprising yourself is trust. Not so much trust in luck or fate, in the capricious winds of whatever spirits you invoke. But trust in yourself, in your own abilities, in your intuitive understanding of how to surf the energy that forms the context of your world.
We tend to want to avoid hard experiences, those that cause us discomfort, ache, or loss. But if you review your life you may find that those times have been greater, teachers for you than the easy ones. Almost any day we would prefer to fall in love than to be dumped, but both are gateways to a new phase of living, loving, and learning.
Don't judge what life throws you. It is the challenge of the unexpected that helps you stretch, and the perspective of time that shows you its full value.
Try to let go of the idea that you have to control all the experiences that come into your life. Be more spontaneous. Take little risks if you need to practice. Start with an impromptu afternoon adventure instead of a rafting trip down Grand Canyon. But leave room for something unpremeditated to happen, and space for yourself to grow.
Walk somewhere you don't usually go. Look around. You'll be surprised and pleased with what you see.