What does it mean to be like a child?
Children are less self-conscious, they are more spontaneous, they are in the present moment. They approach things with wonder and awe. They are trusting. They have fun. They are not in a hurry. They are humble.
They try new things.
When we are kids, the whole world is our playground. We will try anything.
As we get older, we get stuck in our ways, we get comfortable. Trying new things seems like a lot of work, we fear rejection, disappointment. We doubt our abilities. We stall, we make up excuses, we sabotage ourselves before we even start something new.
As we get older, we like to know what we are doing, we like to be able to predict the outcome. We don’t like surprises. We don’t want to go out on a limb.
We like to be experts at things. We like to be experienced. We have pride in our accomplishments and our successes.
When we start something new we have to admit we don’t know what we are doing, we have to humble ourselves.
Before I started my Holy Yoga training, I was discerning if this was the right path for me and one of the questions they asked was, “Are you ready to be a beginner?”
I think that’s what God is asking us every day.
Are you ready to begin again?
Are you ready to do a new thing?
Are you teachable?
Are you available?
Are you open for transformation?
Are you willing to say “yes” when saying “no” is easier and safer?
Are you willing to be uncomfortable?
Can you put aside your ego?
Can you humble yourself?
Can you stop defining yourself by all the things you think you know and all the things you’ve done and all the labels you wear?
God is asking, “Can you show up for me? Can you let me in?”
I actually know a lot of people in my life who are not afraid of starting something new and who love to say “yes”…especially to showing up for God. What a blessing! When I’m around people who are not afraid, it’s contagious! You end up thinking, “I want to be like that!”
I met a bunch of them the other night at a Holy Yoga event I was leading. It was breathtaking really. All these beautiful women showing up to something new, with open hearts and willing spirits…ready to be beginners.
This is community friends.
We were like children. Laughing, playing, moving, praying, making new friends and saying “yes” to God.
Sometimes when I’m teaching, I say, “Amen?” like a question. I don’t really expect everyone to answer me, it’s sort of rhetorical but on that night, at Holy Yoga, people started answering “Amen!”.
Amen sounds a lot like “I’m In!” and it means the same thing really.
What about you…are you in?
Are you ready to be a beginner?
© 2013 Sue Bidstrup, Great Big Yes™ All Rights Reserved