Whose Vision are you Living?

We each experience a deep drive to find meaning. What’s behind that drive can be hard to define, but the search can add purpose to our lives.

As children, we existed in each moment with a purity of experience. If we wanted to feel the sensation of mud in our hands, we poured water in sand and felt the thick pastiness of the clay as it slipped through our fingers.

I used to take that mud and make beautiful cakes. I loved to embellish them with shells, sea glass, or tiny bits of nature items and reveled in how they looked.

As we got a bit older, we became tainted by questionable motivations. At this point, we started to live the visions of others and that’s where most of us lost our way.

The great American dream that throbbed in the very essence of our parents, family members, clergy, and teachers rubbed off on us and created a new generation that looked outside of themselves for definition and fulfillment.

Today we are bombarded through social media with the message that all we need to do to feel better is “follow our bliss.” We are currently navigating a new strain of that old dream.

The far-reaching and attractive power of social media allows us to continuously see the success of those who ditched their 9–5 and achieved success by doing what they love.

These images seep into our subconscious and steal the uncomplicated joy that comes from expressing ourselves simply because we enjoy it.

The trap of comparison can hold us fast to a life that isn’t what we would have created for ourselves if left entirely to our calling. In our 20’s and 30’s, we looked at our peers and felt less than if we weren’t buying our first house, getting married, starting a family, or making a guaranteed income.

Perhaps we have not yet ascended to the point where we question our previous programming.

As we awaken, we realize that asking questions is a part of our spiritual ascension. It can be unnerving. It can make us feel that we are disloyal to family and friends. That very questioning is what will start to loosen the bonds that hold us back from creative and spiritual expression.

How do we find out if we are living our vision or someone else’s?

It’s a simple process but requires time and effort. It helps to keep track of the journey with journaling. To begin, ask yourself this question, “What is my vision?” Now, ask yourself, “Where did this come from?” Whatever the answer is, you will ask the same question again. “Where did this come from?” Continue asking and answering this question until you get to the very root. You may revisit this question for days, weeks, or even months. The goal is to get to the very core of your vision.

You may see that your vision has changed over time as your priorities shifted.

As our vibrations rise, what is important to us can change dramatically. If we stay true to our vision, it will feel natural to navigate those changes as they happen.

When we are holding someone else’s vision, the shift in our priorities can feel abrasive, exhausting, and depleting. Our desires become supplanted by the wishes of others.

Performing this exercise every so often allows us to remain honest and in alignment with our highest self. So many of us feel the call to do good works here on planet earth. We want to contribute to the collective raising of consciousness, but we are not always sure how to get started.

Identifying the root of our vision and adjusting the course accordingly is the first big step toward healing the consciousness of the collective. When you tend to this one task, you are being a beacon and inspiring others; just by being who you are.