I recently read Eat, Pray, Love.
Each word in the title of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book represents the energy that she experienced visiting Italy, India, and Indonesia. While in Italy, a friend of hers suggested that the word for Italy is sex because it was everywhere; people were kissing and rubbing all over each other. Even though Elizabeth chose to be celibate during her tour, she wondered (as she consistently gained thirty pounds in Italy) why her word wasn’t sex. She decided her word for Italy was eat! This got me thinking!
What if we had a word? What would it be?
This thought barely escaped my mind when the word became blatantly clear. Fear. Our word is fear. Have you noticed how fear permeates our lives? It’s everywhere isn’t it? It’s in our media, our bedrooms, and our politics. Fear is behind the admonishment to not cross the street except at the corner and it’s in our motivation behind purchasing the right deodorant. It’s the reason behind our choices like immunizing our children or institutionalizing our elderly.
So, that’s all good, but I need to know how this affects me personally. How does our country’s fear show up in our everyday lives? How does this fear infiltrate our thinking and our choices. How does fear stand between me and my ability to live my purpose?
Fear is the reason we hold ourselves back.
Have you ever thought about this? You would never say something like, “I can’t take this new job because it will make my heart sing and give me an outlet to share my soul’s purpose with the world.” Here are some other things I can’t imagine you saying:
- I can’t pursue my dreams because I have too much time on my hands.
- I can’t move to a new city because I’m afraid of all the opportunities that await me.
- I’d better not get this divorce, because I know we’ll all be happier.
- I’m so afraid of how completely the universe supports my vision, so I’d better not have one.
- I have way too much money, I’m so bummed at how blissfully abundant my life is.
Do you get what I’m saying? Take a moment to contemplate your life. What are the choices you’re making out of fear? Here are some questions to help you explore:
- What is one thing you would do right now if you were absolutely assured of success? No-one would be hurt by your choice and everything would turn out exactly as you desire.
- If you were to follow your heart, what would you be doing with your life?
- What is something you don’t do because you don’t have the time for it?
- What is one lie you tell yourself that you know keeps you from fully living your life?
- What are the choices you are making out of fear?
What’s your word?
I believe our collective word is fear, but we don’t have to live that word out. Like Elizabeth, we can choose our own word. I believe that our own word embodies our Divine Purpose. It is why we are here. Our special word, when manifested is our soul’s purpose. It’s the one word (okay, I have more than one) that when spoken out loud rings true to our soul and enlivens our spirit. When we hear this word we intuitively know, “That’s me. That’s me!”
Let go of your fear and embody your word!
Living your purpose requires that you step out of the collective fear that lingers all around us and step into your own divine word. Fear hasn’t enveloped you in one huge swoop; it came upon you slowly. Don’t expect your word to just pop up to the surface in a moment. It can happen, but it might not happen over night. But with the hundreds and thousands of little choices you make on a daily basis, you can direct your life toward your word–toward your purpose. It will take you being conscious of your choices and consistently choosing your word over the fear–your fear or our country’s fear. Choose your word over your fear or your neighbors fear or your spouses fear or your friends fear. Just choose. Don’t buy into the fear, just choose your word. One little choice at a time and watch… no… marvel at the way your life changes over the course of the next few weeks and months and years.
My journey of embodying my word, empower, started a long, long time ago. Even at five years old I can remember this word wanting to be expressed. Even in an abusive situation with a parent this word yearned for expression. As I have empowered myself throughout my life, I find it easier and easier to use my voice and stand in my power. As I embrace my own power, I find it easier to empower those around me. As I empower myself to make my own choices and listen to my own heart, I find it easier to invite others into their power. As I step out of my fear of being dis-empowered, I grow closer to the manifestation of my purpose into all areas of my life.
Will you step into your power and live your word? Will you do that for the desire your soul has to express itself? Will you do that for the impact your expression of this sacred word will have on our collective word? On the world? What is your word? Tell me…and let me empower you to live it!
Written by CK Reyes - Life Coach, Facilitator and Cheerleader of your Wildest Dreams! Contact Leila using the tab above.
Divine Purpose Unleashed, Live Your Life Purpose is a division of Divine Purpose Unleashed, LLC. co founded by Michelle Vandepas and CK Reyes. Divine Purpose Unleashed works with Professionals, Therapists Coaches and other service professionals to Unveil their Divine Life Purpose, Unleash their Contribution to the world and Manifest their Conscious Livelihood®. No matter where you are in your journey, the DPU staff of coaches and professionals will guide you to live your purpose with clarity and align your your authentic expression with your marketing efforts. For more information about how you can work with us, please click on the 
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Your perception of our current situation is brilliant and your article is delightfully written. I would add that the nature of things is to have opposing forces to balance things out. So if we have fear as our word, there stands to reason that there would also be a polar opposite dominating as well. To me if feels like the dominant positive force word is either hope or faith.
For me personally my word is purpose. I am currently using my purpose to do the things I need to do to face my fears. So, if we can focus on whatever our strength is, instead of our fears, then we can deal with our fears with grace.
I agree with you that working with our purpose in mind can do wonders for us. Our purpose comes from a place of strength. We can’t go wrong with that.
Blessings,
Irene
We are surround by fear, aren’t we CK? I turn on the news, and I hear about crimes committed, a struggling economy, the effects of war, etc. And it’s easy to let these fears permeate our souls. The idea of a word that relates to our divine purpose – that is a very powerful idea! Our divine purpose – why we are here – can be scary itself – trying to really determine what that is! But getting there has to be a liberating and freeing experience…I’m working at getting to that place, and finding a word to go along with it…
Irene, I think the polar opposite is hope. Last night I felt an energetic shift from the fear word and went straight to hope. It was a tangible experience for me of how these opposing forces move through my body. Thank you….
Lance, if we are conscious of our fears, we can be conscious of our faith. There lies our conscious choices the lead us toward our vision or purpose in life or away from it. To find your word, explore some of the activities you engage in and look for common feelings you experience. See if there is a common thread that runs through everything you do that excites you…don’t look at what bores you when finding your word…just the exciting part. I think the reason this is so scary for us is that once we know why we are here we have to do something about it.
Back in July 2008 when I read this book, I couldn’t condense my thoughts down to just one word. When I wrote my own article, I came down to 4 words to describe who I am—Seeking, Truth, Spiritual and Warrior. Seeking should probably be Seeker. I love looking for knowledge in all of its forms.
Patricia, How do you use these words to express yourself? Share the link to the article…. I want to read it! Yeah!
CK, the link is here http://patriciasingleton.blogspot.com/2008/07/seeking-truth-spiritual-warrior-words.html . The article explains why those words are a description to fit me.