A few months ago I was collaborating with someone on a fun project. This was no ordinary project. It was one that could affect the trajectory of my life. We were excited and had lots of energy and passion about the idea. My fellow collaborator and I could see the end quite vividly. We began brainstorming and having conversations about the details and were jazzed about the possibilities. Honestly, we were having a blast. I hadn’t had so much fun in years. We were both so engaged with the idea that we barreled forward like a freight train.
Yet, in the back of my mind, occasionally there would be a niggling doubt, a feeling like perhaps this wasn’t the ideal person for me to be working with on such a project. There was nothing wrong with the person that I could see, but if I was going to collaborate on this level, there needed to be a lot of compatibility. Something just felt off. But I pushed that aside because there was so much that was right. We could see and visualize so many possibilities together, that I ran forward, fueled by my enthusiasm.
Then one day, we hit a little snag in our plans — nothing big, just a bit of a disappointment. We both stepped back from the situation and from our interactions with each other. It took me no more than 24 hours of stepping back to realize that this collaboration wasn’t going to work. I experienced an overwhelming knowing that this wasn’t the right project, the right person, or the right time. The interesting thing is, the other person received the same clarity of insight, and we amicably went our separate ways.
I asked myself, “How could we both be so engaged, interested and excited about something and then lose interest literally overnight?” I think sometimes our own emotions and passions become so intense that hearing the subtle whispering of the Spirit is like trying to taste a piece of bread while eating a jalapeño.
For me, in this experience, the whispering of the Spirit sounded like occasional doubts, uncertainties, or a feeling that I was missing some important information. In my excitement for the project, I had begun filling in pieces to the puzzle with my own imagination, without waiting to fill them in with facts or a better understanding of my collaborative partner. I was making a lot of assumptions, but deep down, my spirit knew I was filing in gaps. My spirit knew there were compatibility issues that would cause us problems down the road.
What did I learn from this situation? Lots of things. The lesson I’d like to emphasize here is the power and perspective obtained by stepping back from a situation. If you’re heading down a road that feels fun and exciting but you have some reservations, step back. Stop eating the jalapeño long enough to taste the realities of the bread. When you do, you’ll either decide you’re on the right track or it will become obvious that you aren’t.
Thank heavens the creative process isn’t instantaneous. If it was, we’d all create a lot of things we really don’t want in life!
Honestly, in my situation, I believe God intervened. He wasn’t going to let me make a decision that would adversely affect the trajectory of my life. Stay aligned with God; listen to the little warning signals. Pay attention to the counsel of friends who love you and see things you can’t see. Step back, take your time. There is no hurry on the creative plain.
Have you ever had a similar experience with stepping back?
About Marnie Pehrson Kuhns
Marnie Pehrson Kuhns is a Certified SimplyAlign Practitioner™ who uses music and creativity to mentor you past barriers, fears and doubts to discover, create, align with, and deliver your soul’s song (the mission, message or purpose you are on this earth to live). Marnie is a best-selling author with 31 fiction and nonfiction titles. If you'd like Marnie and her husband Dave to work with you personally on Your Great Reinvention, get a FREE 20-minute strategy session with Marnie here.
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