Pay attention when resources line up
Have you ever experienced time periods when a bunch of resources flow into your life one after the next?
You might feel too busy or too budget-strapped to leverage the opportunities that arise, but pay attention because the resources are telling you something. If you’re lucky, they’ll keep showing up until you have space to pursue them. But some only show up a few times before they vanish.
What types of resources? They generally aren’t the monetary sort, though I hope you can prove me wrong. Usually they come in the form of course offerings, blog posts, podcasts, articles, books, teachers and other guides who have information you need to reach the next stage in your personal growth.
I’m having a resource-flow year, and I’m learning to pay attention when the influx shows up. It comes in waves. Many related topics all pop up within a week or two, and I test out a few at a time to find what resonates. This is how I discovered my autism. It’s how I learned to befriend my high sensory nature. And now, it’s the reason I’m learning how to heal my nervous system.
But those are just the broad strokes. In between these bigger discoveries were myriad smaller ones — eBooks, support groups, LinkedIn posts and seemingly random mini-courses on special interests that turn out to be related. It’s almost like I’m on a treasure hunt, each small decision offering clues and opening doors to my next steps.
Thankfully, a lot of the opportunities that led me toward resources for major growth were very affordable (less than $100) or even free. The lesson? If you come across an opportunity you really can’t afford, stay open for new, more affordable resources to flow into your life.
Let’s talk mindset
Resources have a hard time trickling into lives that are constrained or closed off. Stress can cause us to close ourselves to new opportunities because our brains must protect us from overwhelm. So if you’re teetering toward overwhelm, you’re not going to stumble into an influx of growth opportunities. And that’s probably a good thing.
But if growth is what you crave, it’s time to lower your stress level to make space.
- Set boundaries.
- Take a week away with nothing scheduled.
- Hire a meal service to offload the household grocery shopping and meal decisions.
- And so forth.
Here’s the big secret: You’re most likely to find growth when you have room to be curious. I go so far as to measure my relative stress and energy levels by how much curiosity I feel. Not curious at all? It’s a huge sign I need a break. Or rest. Or change. When I’m curious, life feels purposeful and rich — exactly the kind of life I want to live most.
So here’s my advice: Start watching for what opportunities, ideas, resources, teachers and mentors are popping up in your life. Notice themes. Notice names or titles that come up multiple days or weeks in a row. Then poke around a bit:
- Google what shows up.
- Download the opening pages of an eBook.
- Search for podcasts on the topic.
- And watch some more.
- Then take action.
If you meet resistance, move on. But if the resource shows up again, it’s probably important to your future.
Feeling curious about how growth shows up? Be sure to sign up for my eNewsletter. Let’s grow together.
