To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds. William James (1842-1910)

Recently I realized that an old belief based on a mindset of self-protection must change. Stirred up by the stresses of promoting a story rooted in truth, I find myself asking for more help and being asked to give more of myself. Simply shaping an email list sends shivers down my spine. It locks up. Sharing details about the inspiration behind my novel, as well as my personal recovery journey, feels like peeling off my clothes and streaking down the street.
Yet I understand the value of transparency and the gift of commonality it offers. People respond with their own experience. We form an immediate bond of intimacy. Maybe this is the point!
I grew up thinking the less I ask for, the less I’d be required to give. Not that I didn’t ask and give, but what a neat way of setting boundaries!
Now this formula seems dated. My perception of myself in relation to others is expanding. Can a better way of living be had by a bigger presence of Lisa? For years I’ve lived by the mantra – Less of me is better. I wonder if more of me is what the world is asking for today. More asking for help and more giving of myself. My experience, my strength, and my hope. Hmm. I’ve heard this in the rooms.
Asking and giving.
Asking and giving.
Asking and giving.
There is a word in Sanskrit – Spanda – and ever-evolving pulsation of expansion. May I step into the flow and meet the moment free of fear and fully present!