Each week in The Wisdom of Change blog series, I share the original artwork and unpack the insights and meaning behind one of the 44 cards in The Wisdom of Change oracle deck.
This week’s card is 23 Inspire
I’ve been unusually reluctant to write my blog post this week. When I saw it was the turn of ‘Inspire’ to share its wisdom with us, I scratched my head. There is nothing seemingly inspirational about my life at this time, so I’ve been searching for an angle. This week, we drove from Windsor to Devon to set up home in a rental property whilst we sell our house and find our ‘forever’ home. For now, we are preparing ‘base camp’ for the family in time to start the next academic year and gain the lay of the land in that neck of the woods. It’s exciting on one level, but largely about hard work and practicality for now.
I left it a few days before committing to this post and felt deeply into this card, taking myself to the origin of its wisdom in my life. It took me back to the first time I’d agonised over making changes that triggered others to caution me about my choices. All that second guessing; wondering not only if I’d done the right thing, but also whether or not I’d upset someone, only to be astonished to find out later that they had actually admired my bravery, clarity or vision. It’s a surprising realisation about your personal change journey; that other people gain something from your experience, even when they display quite resistant behaviour at the time. And there it was; this card is a deeply subtle but powerfully reassuring reminder to guide me during our current relocation;
You may not think that what you are doing is impacting anyone else, but it may be giving another the permission or courage they need to do whatever they desire in life too.
The phase we are in right now might look very mundane and practical, but it’s definitely part of a master plan; one that’s been in the making for about six years now. Moving to Devon heralds the phase of life that starts with my husband’s retirement, the culmination of our time in Dubai, the chance for me to indulge once more in my calling, in long scenic countryside walks with the children and the dog and to get back in the saddle for much longed for horse rides.
I wonder what big dreams you hold dear. Where are you in your journey towards them? Do you ever feel like giving up when the interrelated complexity of all the moving parts seems impenetrable? Do you ever feel knocked off track by someone else’s grave concerns about your much-cherished dreams? I certainly did. I spent a long time in a place of deep longing for something better; more aligned, more truthful somehow. There were many who looked in on what they must have perceived as ‘the mess’ that my life had appeared to become. There were many who projected onto me their fears for my mental health, financial stability and physical well-being. They were well meaning I’m sure, but they did not hold my answers and could not help me in the way I needed support. It was me who needed to do the work; me who was required to navigate my unique path. I wonder if you can relate.
Back to our current relocation to Devon. We had to make some big decisions and bold moves to chart our way to this point. The situations we navigated were uncomfortable, messy and risky on many levels; divorce, marriage, expatriation, cementing stepfamilies and re-prioritising career goals to name just a few. Our choices triggered many people we loved dearly and required us to get incredibly honest. Who we are as individuals, what we want to achieve as a couple and how we aspired to raise our family were all at stake. No, it wasn’t easy. Yes, there was a lot at risk, but what we desire to build together was inspirational enough to make it worth fighting for.
Are your dreams worth the work do you think? Are they worth fighting for too?
I didn’t set out to inspire others. I didn’t have that luxury. I set out to inspire myself; to build a life that I could buy into and feel excited by. I realised I’d had enough of saying no to myself and could no longer bear the pain of selling out on myself. It was time; and as I rose to meet my own expectations of life, along came a man who made that vision even more intoxicating and feasible. Along came a lot more joy, opportunity and excitement besides and truly, I’ve never looked back.
I dare you to inspire yourself today and take action towards something you’ve been holding dear or wish to change.
I don’t think you’ll regret it either.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s connection to your inner wisdom.
As always, I’d love to hear your comments below.
If you’d like to learn more about The Wisdom of Change oracle deck you can find out more here.
If you'd like to find out more about a Wisdom of Change reading with Wendy please click here.