How do you know if the Path You’re On will lead you to your heart’s desire?
“Desire Path” is a term used in landscaping. It refers to a path created by people or animals walking regularly through an area. It’s a different path from the one that was planned and laid out. In this photo the planned path is off to the right. The Desire Path is roped off to try to give the newly planted grass a chance to grow.
Can you guess what’s gonna happen as soon as those ropes are removed? You got it – people are gonna walk that path again – because that’s the path they desire.
Why do people leave the nice, smooth, planned path and create a new one? Why not follow the plan and walk the path that experts spend time and money building?
The main reason is that the desire path is more direct. It will get you where you want to go faster.
Often the desire path is easier. It may not look that way from the outside, but it feels easier when you’re on it because it’s aligned with who you are.
A few common features of Desire Paths:
- They aren’t planned in advance.
- They’re created over time through repetition.
- It’s a natural instinct (intuition, desire) that drives people and animals to walk this way.
- Nobody is telling anyone they should do it.
- They’re not as fancy or proper as the planned path.
- They’re natural, organic and may change over time.
What has any of this got to do with you if you’re not a city planner or landscaper?
Most of us find ourselves walking the planned path for much of our lives. We get the education, the job, the house, the car, the clothes, the vacations, the partner, the life that others have determined to be the path. Usually, we’re not even aware that we’re doing it.
You and I have picked up messages over the years about how life should be lived. Those messages come from parents, relatives, neighbors, friends, religious leaders, companies and most definitely from social media. These messages have formed unconscious patterns that drive our thinking and actions.
Carl Jung wrote, “Until you make the unconscious conscious it will direct your life and you will call if fate.”
Okay, cool. But how do you make the unconscious conscious?
Try this simple practice:
Notice any time you’re thinking, “I’ll be [fill in the blank] when…” For you, that blank could be, “happy, peaceful, lovable, successful…” Whatever fills your blank is your Desired State, and that acts as a carrot out in front of you, keeping you on the planned path. The path you think you should be on. You stay on the path to get to the desired state… one day.
Maybe you’re getting an education in the field you think will pay the best because then you’ll feel secure. You’re working your ass off, always on the verge of burnout because once your business has reached a certain level, then you can relax. You’re looking for a mate who will make you feel lovable. If you’re on the planned path to feel secure, comfortable, peaceful, loved…
Then consider:
What might be a more direct path?
Like the Desire Paths created in cities and parks, your desire path can be found by listening to your intuition and taking a direct step towards what you most desire. Don’t wait to have the money, success, or mate that you think will give you what you want.
I’m not saying you should drop out of school, quit your job, empty your retirement investments or stop dating. Just stop expecting any of those things to truly satisfy you.
If you’re not even sure what it is you desire, this post can help you get clear.
I help clients get clear on their desires and then achieve them in direct ways that are authentic to them. From my years of experience with people from all different walks of life, I can assure you that what you really desire is already inside you. Let that desire guide your next step. It will lead you to your true self and your true path.
Feel free to share this with anyone who could use a nudge onto their own desire path.