Let Go of How You Think Life Should Look
Ayla’s musical career has asked her to surrender her agenda countless times over. She consistently found herself trying to force something to happen, wanting her life to look a certain way instead of allowing life to surprise her in mysterious ways. Trying and working so hard while seeing a vision that was much bigger than the perception of her immediate reality created an immeasurable disconnect as she began her musical career. In Ayla’s case, the paradox of her journey was being simultaneously fearful yet desiring of being seen.
It can be easy to get caught up in the myriad of ways a certain career path should or could look. When you compare yourself to others, there’s a chance you might feel disappointed or discouraged when you’re beginning something new. Like Ayla, learning to let go of control will allow something better than you likely could have imagined. The brain can only perceive a set amount of possibilities and it is usually the ones just outside of immediate thinking that are wanting to make their way into your life. What if you danced with life instead of playing tug-of-war it?
Seek Out Your Fears
It required pushing through an extraordinary amount of fear for Ayla to get on stage and sing after being in a recording studio. She shares, “every step of the way all those things I could have just said I’m not going to perform, sing, do this…” but, for whatever reason, something continued to propel her through this discomfort. By facing her fears she learned how to shift her perspective and embrace new ways of being for her performances.
If you’re standing on the shores of your comfort zone looking out into the sea of your fears, there’s a strong likelihood that those treacherous waves look a whole lot bigger than they actually are. It’s all about riding the waves that come with trying out something new and learning how to sail smoothly. Perhaps it’s scary at first, but with commitment and practice the ride gets easier and you’ll learn to find your flow and fluidity.
Don’t Turn Back, Carry On
It wasn’t until Ayla started playing the loop pedal that she actually made money on tour. It was a big turning point in her life that asked her to make some sacrifices to rightfully claim her position as a full-time musician. Her sacrifices included living out of an extremely cheap, tiny room and scraping by for a bit. It was not an immediately glamorous lifestyle, but it freed up the energy to live her calling.
When faced with the choice of giving it all to our passion or say staying in a comfortable job, it can be extremely enticing to stay put and ignore the voice that begs you to listen. But, you were put on this planet for a very specific reason and by not following that voice you are doing a disservice to the gifts that only you were given. Wherever you find yourself envious or longing for something different, pay attention. Notice the patterns that consistently play out in your life and take note of the things that draw your attention. Life speaks volumes to those that are paying attention.
