“Life is a series of choices, and not all of them—or any of them—should be rushed. Take your time to prepare. You’ll want to be ready when you reach your destiny.”

Dear Universe,

I have no sense of direction.

I mean it. Just ask my husband. He’ll gladly tell you of the time I went to the gas station around the corner, took a wrong turn coming home, and had to call him to be redirected.

Like I said, no sense of direction.

So naturally, when it comes to driving someplace new (or someplace I haven’t been in a while) I need to use my GPS.

Yesterday, I was driving home from an appointment and with the help of my GPS, I suddenly found myself on back roads instead of the highway.

At first, I was a little annoyed. I was heading somewhere else and had to get there before they closed. I worried I wouldn’t make it on time.

When I noticed my aggravation, I quickly redirected my train of thought. I trusted the GPS knew this was the best way for me to go. I didn’t question it or ask to take another route.

I took in the scenery—the plush green trees, a lake filled with swans, and beautiful homes all perfectly landscaped—and realized this was really the best way I could take.

The ride had a calming effect, and after a rather hectic day, it was exactly what I needed.

Life can be funny like that. You think you know what’s best for you, but then something happens, you end up on a different path, and it makes you reevaluate what you thought you needed. It makes you pause and check in with yourself.

But instead of trusting that we will get where we need to be, we can be quick to question everything. We think we must be lost, and that we’ll never find our way.

We wish we had a GPS for our lives, but we do. It’s called our intuition. (Tweet that!)

We all have ended up on a path we didn’t plan on, but if we are open to the possibility, we might just realize that this new road is much better suited for us.

Of course, no one likes to feel lost, misdirected or taken for a ride, but those moments can be valuable opportunities if we are open to them.

If we could be in less of a hurry, we might find that the new path is really what we need.

This is true in all areas of our lives. We often want to rush or jump to the finish line, instead of taking a slower pace.

We go on a few dates and start envisioning a marriage.

We receive a job offer and we already promote ourselves to another position.

We imagine a vision and before we start working towards it, we are already planning the next dream.

In an instant, we can skip years into our future. We forget about all the moments that come between now and then, between today and tomorrow.

The in between is important though.

The in between is where the learning and the discoveries happen. It’s where we grow and where we prepare. It’s where we elevate and become who we need to be to excel at what comes next.

It’s where the magic is.

We rarely see it that way at the time. We see our lives in terms of minutes and hours and because of that our progress and growth feels impossible to track.

We think we are stuck, but we are actually moving mountains.

We just can’t see it yet.

Whenever I get lost while I’m driving, I try to pay attention. I try to see if I’m actually finding a quicker way or just learning the best way to get where I’m going.

I try to notice what I’m doing so I don’t repeat the same mistake again. I try to laugh along the way. I try to remind myself I will get there eventually.

Can it be frustrating when we find ourselves off track or sidetracked? Sure. We know there is a more direct way to get to our intended destination. But, deep down we also know the quicker path isn’t always the answer.

Don’t be so quick to rush into your future, to your destination. Be here now.

Take the long road. Notice the scenery—the signs. Pay attention and pick up what you need as you go.

Be patient with your journey and trust the way you’re being lead—even if it’s off the beaten path or not what you were expecting—especially then.

Trust you’ll thank yourself later.

Don’t worry if you’ll get to your destination, to your destiny. Don’t worry about how it’s going to happen or when it’s all going to come together the way you’re dreaming of.

What’s meant to be always finds a way.

Always, sweet souls. Always.

With Gratitude,