I read a new book by Casey Gerald, a successful and talented professional who closed a thriving nonprofit organization to discover the path of his heart. The Great Refusal chronicles his journey from entrepreneur and media darling to a guy taking a walk every day as he figures out what is true for him.
To refuse what we are supposed to be doing is to embrace what we really want. On the other side of No is a tantalizing YES.
- Yes to what is not practical.
- Yes to what might be useless, stupid, not feasible.
- And Yes to the object of our desire.
When Casey said, refusal is devotion to the vision of your good, I sat up and paid attention.
My vision of the good. Not yours. Not anyone’s. Is this a selfish thought? Or the only rational response to a culture disintegrating right in front of us? One that is happy to tell us that black is white, up is down, and wonders why we don’t see it their way?
The artists know why. The writers know. The dreamers of all persuasions know that to follow the heart is to live a worthwhile life, even if it doesn’t bring riches or recognition.
One of my literary mentors, Ursula Le Guin, said,
“To make something well is to give yourself to it, to seek wholeness, to follow spirit. To learn to make something well can take your whole life. It’s worth it.”
Along with opting for a life lived with spirit comes the next obvious step, one that is hard to reconcile with our faster than ever lifestyles.
Slow down. Make time. Make space. Discriminate. What is important for the work of my soul? What is simply busywork? Or tasks accepted so I will be accepted?
What part of me am I not expressing?
I’m one of the lucky ones. I know what I’m supposed to be doing. My challenge is time, commitments, making choices, saying no.
I’m making progress. Step by step, I change my outer life so it can support the inner life waiting to be expressed.
I do my work. Every day. Doing a little is better than doing nothing. The results may not be measurable, but they are clear. I feel better. Happier. More content with small victories. I like myself more. I judge less.
The advantages of stepping off the merry-go-round of over-committed calendars to put in regular time on our creative pursuits are well-documented. With so many positive reasons to say no to the demands of the outer and yes to the whispers of the inner, I have no rational reason to refuse the inner call. I want and deserve:
- Less stress
- More ability to experience the timelessness of “flow”
- Mental flexibility
- Better problem-solving
- More confidence and self-esteem
- Less judgment and comparison
- More satisfaction with my quality of life
The Great Refusal chronicles how Casey Gerald answered the call of spirit. I learned a lot from his words.