Don’t Settle.

Back in 2013, before finding and eventually moving into my current home, I looked at about 40 other places. While some of them were fine and some of them were terrible, none of them were… it.

There was one apartment in Echo Park that was close. It was almost right, almost a match, not a complete yes, but not a complete no. Even if it lacked certain desired amenities, it had some cool features. I wanted to love it. I thought I could make myself love it. I mean, I was so tired of looking (the search had lasted several months) that I was just ready to settle on something, even if it wasn’t a true fit. I put in my application and waited, half-hoping I wouldn’t get it.

And… I didn’t.

Even though I was mildly relieved, the rejection still didn’t make any sense to me. I had good credit, a good income, and good references. I was totally “good tenant” material. So why didn’t it line up?

At this point, I was incredibly frustrated by my search for a new apartment. Nearly hopeless, actually. I’d been looking for what felt like forever. I’d already given notice to my roommate. I needed to find a place and soon.

And then one day while waiting to meet up with a friend for lunch, I decided to pass the time scrolling through the apartment listings on Craigslist. While doing so, I saw an ad for a cute little bungalow in Eagle Rock. It had only been posted 10 minutes prior and they’d included a phone number in the listing. The charming pictures and the relatively cheap price made me think it had to be some bogus scam but nonetheless I inquired. I was apparently the first person to call about the property and was told that I could go see it as soon as I wanted.

Conveniently, my friend had just — seconds earlier — canceled our plans. I now had the afternoon open. So, I jumped at the opportunity to visit the place.

Lo and behold, it was pretty much everything I had been looking for. And more. It almost seemed too good to be true. I called the landlord back after my tour and he basically said, “If you want it, it’s yours.”

Umm what??

A home that was so much bigger and better than I could have imagined, in a neighborhood I wanted to live in, for a price that was way less than anywhere else I had seen… and I could have it? Just like that? I could have something so seemingly wonderful? It could be that EASY?

Apparently, yes. The doors literally flew open and everything fell into place. Within a few weeks, I relocated to the most adorable house and over the past 5 years it has been the most comforting of havens. It’s by far my favorite place I’ve ever lived; one which I will be so incredibly sad to leave when I move out of Los Angeles next month.

In this instance, what manifested was beyond what I could have envisioned for myself. And it came to me in a nearly effortless way, in which I didn’t need to push or force. I only had to remain open to the possibility, take the steps I was guided to take, and then say “yes!” when the opportunity aligned.

What if everything in life actually does work this way?

What if every seeming rejection wasn’t life saying “you’re not good enough” but instead, “there’s something so much better for you coming?”

What if we trusted this gift to arrive in its own surprising manner, in its own natural time?

What if we opened ourselves up to receive it?

What if we allowed something this good to actually be true?

Also published as “Too Good & True: A Lesson In Divine Timing” on www.erikadward.com.

The inspirational message books, Wisdoms Of The Formerly Wilted: Vol I & II are available for purchase on Amazon. If you’d rather avoid Amazon, reach out to me directly for alternate purchasing options.

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