Chique Writer’s Life: Should Success Be Easy?

Every Monday I share with you tips and thoughts
on expanding your creativity
and finding joy in your Chique Writer’s Life.
Let’s be bold, brilliant and fearless together!

Okay, I admit, I have a personal pet peeve when it comes to many motivational speakers, ministers, coaches, New Age gurus and Law of Attraction experts. In their books, seminars and speeches, they try to tell you that if it’s meant to be, it must be easy. That if it’s your purpose, it must be smooth, comfortable, fun and downstream.

If you struggle, fail and have to give up something in order to live your dream, it’s not the right dream for you. If you don’t find a neat package labeled “Daily Dose of Miracles” on your doorstep every morning, something’s seriously wrong with you.

If you’re tired, exhausted, at a loss, disappointed, afraid or angry, you’re not spiritual enough, or you haven’t found your true calling. Hard work is a myth. If you want to succeed “the right way”, you should work 2 hours a day, be always rested, relaxed and happy-go-lucky, have millions of dollars flowing into your life continuously and effortlessly, be tanned and live in Hawaii.

Interestingly enough, this would mean that most great women and men in the history of mankind were non-spiritual nitwits. Their life stories are tales of pain, struggle, perseverance, strong will and visions. And yes, lots of fun along the way, lots of curiosity, pride, celebrations, big and small successes, sharing, loving, and feeling incredibly alive.

I believe that before you reach your destination, or better said, your next stop on this wonderful journey called life, you must, first, make it clear to the Universe that this is what you want and you’re not giving up no matter how hard it gets, and second, become the person you’re meant to be in order to get where you’re heading. Then, the Universe will cooperate, support you and send you those miracles you long for – people, circumstances, serendipities, coincidences, signs, and lots of chocolate.

In my journal for 2012, I have written down the following words from Martha Beck’s book Steering by Starlight:

“The “easy and comfortable” clause seems to have been omitted from God’s contracts with anyone who’s ever made any significant contribution to the world. You’d think the Almighty would’ve smoothed the path for Moses or Joan of Arc or Winston Churchill or even Tina Turner, but no. To paraphrase Churchill himself, the destiny of world-changers tends to be “just one damn thing after another”.

I compare this phase of living your destiny with the struggle a butterfly encounters once it’s fully formed and ready to leave its chrysalis. This is a difficult, dangerous process; the butterfly is a damp, shriveled little thing, soft and vulnerable as it cuts the top off the cocoon and pulls itself into the air. Often, a butterfly will stop and pant for hours, apparently exhausted, before it continues its daring escape. However, if you “help” the butterfly by cutting open the cocoon, the creature will die. In fact, the long it struggles to be free, the stronger it becomes and the longer it lives.”

If your writer’s life’s not just gumdrops and unicorns today, know that it’s okay and well worth it. You’re another butterfly world-changer on her path to greatness. (You’re a happy camper after all, and Winston and Tina are pretty good company, aren’t they?)

♥ You can read previous articles about Chique Writer’s Life here

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