listen: you already know all the answers
Monday, February 15, 2010 at 6:00AM 
When I got very quiet the other day, and I stayed very still, and I let go of my expectations of myself and the world around me, a curious thing happened.
I realized I already know all the answers.
I'm not talking about all the answers to every question in the world, no. I'm talking about the answers to the questions about how I want to live my life. For myself. The ones where I ask myself how I "should" be living my life, the "right" way to do it all, according to so-and-so and not at all according to myself.
I was in a crappy mood. The kind of mood where I was comparing myself to anyone and everyone, and I was forcing myself to ignore it and just work already, but it wasn't happening. So I took a break. And I decided that although it was the middle of the day (and I "should" have been working,) yoga sounded good.
I got quiet, and I started listening. I listened while I stretched, I listened while I held my warrior poses, I focused on the yoga and my breathing, and what eventually came was this:
I already know the right way for me. I'm not going to find my right way outside of myself-- it's already within me, waiting to be discovered piece by piece. I just have to be quiet and listen. And since my right way is already there, the comparing and the questions are useless. No one else can give me my answers but me. It's so simple. A little thrill of freedom came over me when I realized that all I have to do is whatever feels good for me. I don't actually have to compare myself to what everyone else is doing and wonder if that's the "right way"-- there is no right way. We each have our own version of what's right. There's just no comparison between us-- we are unique and incomparable, and that is fascinating, isn't it?
So.
I feel a little lighter with my newfound insight. I like the calm and trust in myself that came with it, and the sense of not having to take it all oh so seriously. We make up these stories in a split-second, and then we think they're true, and we make such a big deal out of them, when really they're just stories invented by our wacky minds and that's all.
The listening and the quiet reveal the untruth in those mind-made stories.
Reader Comments (18)
Jessica,
I've been reading you for a while, and always find your posts moving (and your artwork beautiful, whimsical, joyful) but this one really touched me - yes, yes, yes. It is such a wonderful reminder that if we can just get quiet enough ... I'm still struggling to do that, but your description is an inspiration. Thank you.
This would be so amazing in a teen's room! I love it.
I love this idea! Love the painting, too, of course. :)
A wonderful truth we can all learn from. Thank you.
I love this post!! And the beautiful painting. Such a powerful insight!
Wow, thank you everyone. I'm so glad it speaks to you!
So true! The hard part is to remember these truths the second we begin to question again...it's like muscle memory. Practice practice practice, and then one day, the second you think these extraneous thoughts, you will counter them with the truths you hold without even thinking about it :) I love the painting that goes along with this, too. It truly is all about listening to yourself, which is just harder and harder in our plugged in world.
Such a wonderfully inspiring post. I've already passed this advice on once today after reading it. A great concept to meditate on!
You are so right. Why on earth do I always forget that I have the answers already? thank you for sharing Jess.
Ahhh, muscle memory. You're so right! It takes practice practice and more practice, always.
jess! i don't know where my head has been, but i didn't realize you were maintaining a blog here as well. i thought you had shifted the pecannoot posts back to your treasuring blog. anyway, this is a fabulous sentiment and an amazing illustration! off to put this blog in my google reader!
Wonderful and calming to hear this. Thanks for that affirmation. It's true, it's true, we do have answers inside us and trusting is such a learnable practice.
i love that her heart is like the flowers and that the lines of flowy listening are soft, lovely & know where to travel & i love how she is adorned & i love the ground she stands on. listening within is pretty like that! xoxo
www.allididwaslisten.blogspot.com
I love everything about this post Jess.
You are so correct. This is the kind of thing we need to remind ourselves every once in a while. It is easy to forget, especially when you're in the wrong place, but sometimes all we need to is still ourselves, and listen. and sometimes we just need to be.
Beautiful Jess! ... both the artwork and the thoughts behind it all. Letting go is such a beautiful thing when we remember to!
Jessica, thanks for posting this! you're so right! and the painting is amazing too! listen to your heart, it speaks the truth . . .
Really great post. I agree, every now and then, one needs a reminder.