The Truth About Trust

As many of you know, my word for 2017 is Trust.

It’s the thing I want to concentrate on … trusting that things will all work out. No need to fret over things so much or “push the train.” It’s all about allowing things to play out in their own time and their own way, realizing there’s no benefit in getting worked up about things I can’t really control … or shouldn’t try to control.

So, wouldn’t ya know, as soon as I declare my intention to trust that things will work out, I get challenged.

We’re in the process of purchasing a lovely, modern condo in a gated community on a beautiful beach in Mexico. And quite the process it’s been!

On the home front, our Secretary of State in NC is taking forever to approve a simple document. And things aren’t exactly humming along down there. We don’t speak Spanish. We’re trying to make things happen from 1,000 miles away. And all of our service providers seem to be functioning on “Mexican time.”

That’s a mindset I hope to benefit from when we finally live there full time, but one I could use more patience with right now.

We’re not going to close on March 13th as planned. OK. An opportunity to let go & trust!

We’re going to miss the prime season for rentals now? OK. Let go & trust!

The closing could be so late that we miss our window of opportunity to furnish it and get it in great condition before we leave for our long awaited two-week trip to Italy … pushing us back yet another month?

Come on. Really? If those are your biggest problems, you’re doing just fine.

In the big picture, despite the frustration, adherence to some arbitrary schedule doesn’t matter very much. It’ll all work out fine.

We all know people who float through life naturally trusting that, through all the ebb and flow, things happen for a reason, and you shouldn’t sweat the details. I don’t know about you, but I’m not one of them! I’m a high achiever, Type A personality who’s often been rewarded in life and business because of my drive and determination. It works a lot of the time. But not always.

I’ve had to learn to throttle back just 10-15% and let the Universe carry the rest for me.

When I do, it all works out so much more easily and in ways I could have never imagined!

In fact, that’s how we got an amazingly good deal on this condo. The Universe just dropped it in our lap at a ridiculously low price and at a time I would never have expected or could have planned. All we did was to have a reasonably clear idea of what we wanted and stay open to possibilities.

Of course, when “bad” things happen, it’s easy to abandon hope and stop trusting.

Yesterday, a speaking engagement I was holding for September fell through. And it was 99% closed. Yeow. That hurts, and now my fall speaking calendar is pretty messed up.

But guess what? My letting go of the multiple Mexican frustrations got me in a groove of sorts. It seems that just as the “reward of patience is patience,” the reward of trusting is trusting.

Was I disappointed? Sure. Did I let it throw me off my game, and get me upset … pushing and forcing?

NO! And believe me, that’s a behavior change. I had my minute or two of disappointment and then chose to move on. And, I didn’t have to work at it! It came naturally and with ease. Nice. And once you make that choice, it becomes clear that any misery around disappointment is optional. Extra nice.

The message is simple: Take care of the stuff you can directly affect and then let go and let be. It’s so much easier and the payoff is so much greater!

Okay, so where can you practice trusting and letting go instead of worrying and pushing? I’m guessing you won’t have to look too far.

Try just trusting for awhile and see if some beautiful rewards don’t come to you in all kinds of unexpected places!

Love,
Denise

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