Soulful Living: Deciding What You Really Want

By Susan Ann Darley | Posted 5/21/07 | Updated 4/16/24

As a creative person do you find your head often filled with an abundance of ideas or your studio filled with too many uncompleted projects?

Do you get excited about one thing until the next brilliant idea bumps it from view?

When a person has an expansive imagination and/or a multitude of talents, it's easy to live on overload, be it in your head or on your desk. From this scattered environment your energy becomes depleted and often a "why try" attitude takes over. Or the opposite effect of panic ensues and you work faster and harder to "make it happen."

This fragmented approach to living is emotionally and physically draining. The antidote lies in deciding what you really want.

What you want is basically determined from two levels. From the personality — you know that aspect of yourself that is ego driven, loveable one minute and neurotic the next. Or from your soul — the deeper aspect of yourself that "knows" the right choice for you to make in any situation.

Taking the time to connect with your soul — your inner wisdom is the key to deciding and creating what you really want. This is where you move from child to adult with your vision.

5 Characteristics of Soulful Living

1. Inner Knowing

In order to arrive at your truth it takes practice. It requires becoming quiet. When your emotional state prevents you from doing that, it is your responsibility to apply techniques to calm down. Breathe deeply, take a walk, meditate, journal, visualize, etc. You will recognize your soul through inner peace.

2. Integrity

When you are aligned with your inner wisdom you will automatically take good care of yourself and your talents. No more paintings piled in the corner collecting dust. No more acting parts you're ashamed of. No more hiding behind clutter. Now you move from a solid foundation based armed with a strong sense of self, which honors your "truth" and expresses it openly.

3. Harmlessness

When living from your soul, your thoughts, words and actions support and benefit you and others. This is where your inner critic bites the dust. This is where competition is no longer seen as a threat. This is the place of love.

4. Ownership

This is not possessiveness, but having a sense of pride and accomplishment in your projects. Responsibility and maintenance accompanies ownership. Good performance relies on it. Old, out-dated projects can be tossed. Uncompleted cherished ones are now maintained on a regular basis until completion.

5. Stewardship

This is having the willingness to protect your vision and guide it to fruition no matter how many obstacles appear and how long and difficult the journey. This is where you exercise the muscle of patience, tenacity and faith — characteristics needed for anything worthwhile.

The critical ingredient you need in order to be guided by your inner wisdom is willingness. The willingness to learn how to become quiet, to trust, discern, communicate, let go, assert, collaborate, cooperate, act responsibly and value yourself and others.

Too tall of an order? Then ask yourself — what do you really want?

Next: The Courage to Live Your Vision

Susan Ann Darley is the founder of Alzati Leadership Coaching. …