There is a long belove quote by Rumi – “What you seek is seeking you.”
There is also a far lesser-known quote that was once said to me that is just as beloved; “Find your North Star and be your own guiding light.”
Seek and You Shall Find
It took many years to understand how simple and powerful that statement was but it took just as long to figure out how that worked for me. Each of us has our tragedies and traumas.
Each of us takes on things we should never have to. Some things take a greater toll and longer time to find reasoning, understanding, and acceptance within them. Hence, searching for one’s North Star can be crucial and life-changing.
If you have ever questioned how you can keep pushing through a struggle or defined what it means to feel lost and alone, then you understand enough.
If you have ever carried the weight of the world and grew tired and bitter over time, then you too understand enough. You understand what it means to keep going with no light to guide you other than your personal North Star.
You may have become your own North Star without even realizing it or you may be on the path to finding it now.
In my experience, I found that once I could identify my struggles and question everything good or bad, I was closer to understanding where my North Star was and closer to understanding the direction in which I would like to be heading.
I spent a lot of time walking East, West, South, over and under until I found North. Each person will take their own time however short or long to find this for themselves. However, I have also found a few tools and tricks along the way that have helped the process.
Ask and You Shall Find
Wherever you are in your life journey, your process, or literally wherever you may be on this planet; permission is your first step to finding the North Star. Give yourself permission to look, to ask, and to wonder daily.
You may not always understand. you may not always want to. Giving yourself permission will allow what comes next to penetrate and find you better, clearer, and open. You will use this permission in making daily decisions in your life.
Next, allow yourself to ask for what you need or even ask for what you do not know. I mean that literally as well. Ask yourself for that thing in which you seek that you cannot name to help guide you, find you, and heal you.
That in and of itself is the definition of your North Star. I assure you, it will grow brighter by the day without false optimism, only that it does, in time it always will.
Finding Your North Star?
I have experienced this practice of asking, of questioning in any way that feels right at the time to be another key method in my toolbox. Here are but a few to carry along with you daily.
You may already have your own thoughts and questions to take from and create that guidance system that is innately yours. I hope some of these thoughts and examples of permission and asking of your North Star will eventually show how close you’ve been all along and become your North Star.
-
I ask my North Star to guide me
-
I see and know my struggles.
-
The world is overwhelming and I am asking permission of myself to be open in seeking my North Star.
-
I know that my experiences and needs are unique and special.
-
I know that my experiences and needs are shared by others.
-
I ask to be guided towards others that share my experiences and needs.
-
I am giving myself permission to feel all emotions without questioning them. They are mine and are as unique and valid as the other parts of me.
-
I ask to be guided towards a direction of empowerment.
-
I will seek ways in which to find that empowerment.
-
I will embrace practical tools to guide me in the direction I would like to see myself.
-
I will practice daily any and all tools I have.
-
I will not be afraid to ask for help or be deterred by rejection.
-
I ask for guidance when I am struggling and in doubt.
-
When I am struggling and in doubt, I will seek with excitement and wonder of the unknown.
-
When I struggle most is when my North Star is showing me what matters most and I will be open to those feelings and emotions.
-
I will be creative and adventurous in developing my own tools to help guide me.
-
I will ask for guidance in relying on my inner strengths even if I do not know what they are.
-
I will name my inner strengths as I find them.
-
I will remind myself daily: “I am my North Star”