Follow a path, not a plan.

Have you ever had a moment where you were completely redirected in life? Stopped in your tracks (literally or figuratively) and your direction had to shift? One of those moments where you think that cliche (yet true) saying “Life is what happens to your plans” because what has happened was clearly not in the plan? 

Those moments have shown up for me often and they’re one reason why I don’t subscribe to having a plan anymore. I believe we’re not meant to have a “plan.” Over my years of coaching, this was a major rub for so many of my clients (as it used to be for me). They would say “I need a plan” or “what’s the plan?” and I would need to gently guide them through the process of letting go of having a plan and instead, embrace having a path. 

Why a path and not a plan?

First, because if you have a strict plan for your life, I do believe that life is what happens to your plans - you will be detoured. But much more importantly, I feel that having a plan can suffocate the potential alignment and magic of your path forward.   

What does it mean to live on a path and not with a plan? 

It means loosely holding where you are headed. It means knowing what you value and what matters to you, what you want to feel and experience in life, but not having a specific vision of exactly what that will look like.

It means listening and looking for the signs along the way. Embracing that you will be guided in different directions because you are co-creating with spiritual energy that knows what’s best for you and also that has the power to create more magic than you can imagine. 

A visual representation of this is sort of a yellow brick road... you are on a path leading somewhere that is the direction you want to go, but you’re not sure where the path will wind along the way and who or what might show up. There are moments where the road ahead is dark and all you can see is the steps just in front of you. And as you walk, the path is lit up or directed by metaphorical street lights and signs in the form of resonance, ideas, inspirations, and intuitive guidance, even people - all showing you the way on your path.

Sometimes you might see more of the path ahead of you and sometimes very little. And sometimes you might be guided in a totally different direction than you expected. But all the signs and guidance are guiding you on a Connected path of your purpose and life. 

What matters is that you look, listen and heed the signs. 

Following a path also means moving slowly enough that you look for the signs, that you look for the guidance you’re being shown and you pay attention. That you’re not just plowing through the dark, because you will likely run into something that will detour you or stop you in your tracks.

This has been on my mind because allowing life to be a path rather than a plan is a big part of Living The Connected Way. But also because I was personally reminded of it recently - specifically about slowing down and paying attention. Over the years, I have been guided to slow down many times (often in the form of physical injury). And yet, it seems I need to keep learning that lesson. A week and a half ago, while skiing, I broke my pelvis.

I know this is a sign to slow down. To stop and re-evaluate. To take care of myself, to multitask less, and to really focus on some personal healing that I have been needing to prioritize, which this injury is really highlighting. 

I am still navigating that might look like, but I am aware that I have been moving too fast, doing too much and that I specifically need to re-evaluate how I’m working. For the last year or so since I launched The Connected Way™, it has been my main focus. I have been running a business supporting clients and doing the work while also building the business behind the scenes, which has basically felt like two jobs, both of which are spiritually, emotionally and mentally intensive.

I am not slowing down in supporting clients as that feeds me so deeply (and is my livelihood). But I do need to find a bit more balance and a different pace with building the business to allow for guidance and inspiration to move through me and for me to have a healthier balance with allowing for other parts of my life to have space to bloom and grow as well. And appropriately, I am recalibrating my work in building the business to be less of a plan and more of a path. 

Frankly, I don’t know what this means. You may hear from me a little bit less, I may take a break from some things, but I’m not sure yet. If there is something to share with you in the process, I’ll share. But no matter what, I am here to support you on your path. You can sign up for a session (links below) or reach out for support anytime. And I will still be hosting my Spring Equinox Gathering on March 19th, honoring new beginnings and what we want to plant, nurture and grow. I hope to see you there. 

I hope this idea of letting go of the plan and embracing the path is helpful for you. I’d love to hear from you if this resonates or if you’ve had similar experiences of shifting your mindset and any signs that have guided you along the way. 

May you see and heed the light bulbs and signs on your path. 

Love, Rev Dev