The importance of signposts

When I feel like I have lost my way, signposts help point me in the right direction. But they rarely look like I would expect, and often that direction is one I wouldn't have imagined.The first time I read about the idea of signposts I got lost in the image of a For Sale sign outside a house, that was quickly followed by another image - a street sign -- Main Street. I can be so literal at times.But reading more, I soon understood: they were referencing the more elusive sort of signposts, the kind that do point the way and show us a direction, but not necessarily in the outer way of literal, visual signage. These signposts are the type that suggest a path or offer a different point of view...inwardly.And I wondered, why do I need signposts?I think the answer to this question is that at some point we all get lost and at some time we all lose perspective. Signposts help by pointing us in the right direction. They can give us a nudge, sometimes a push, often when we need it most. When we're feeling unsure, they can show us the way. And they've been known to shock us into a whole new way of thinking.Signposts recalibrate us. They're like a compass...for our souls.Once I knew they were out there, I starting recognizing them everywhere.

• In the guileless questions my children asked that caused me to take a deeper look at myself and my life
• In a book I picked up off a shelf in a bookstore and spontaneously began reading -- until suddenly I realized I needed the exact insights it was providing.
• In a course I signed up for simply because it seemed interesting -- and then noticing that it was teaching me exactly what I needed to learn at that point in my life.
• In the people showing up in my life -- for example my incredible business coach who was a coach and yet so much more.

My intuition was guiding me to what I needed, and I was learning to trust it.Soon, not seeing signposts proved to be its own type of signpost -- one telling me to slow down and not rush through my life at breakneck speed. The signpost was a constant reminder that if I wasn't noticing things at my pace, then I needed to put on the brakes and move a little more slowly. And what a luxury moving at a more leisurely pace proved to be. What beauty I saw when I did.Nothing dilutes the quality of a powerful signpost. Understanding that, I started subscribing to daily email services that send me inspirational sayings and quotes. And while there are many days I see them in my inbox, scan them quickly and move on, every once in awhile I'll read one that really hits home and changes my perspective or touches on something that's been weighing on my mind. It feels like it was meant for me to read at that moment. And who knows, perhaps it was. Sometimes I think these messages are more like dispatches from the Divine. That was definitely the case when I read a quote about the importance of letting go just when I had been struggling with burgeoning independence issues and my 19 year old son. Reading it made me feel like a cool breeze blew through a hot room. I felt better instantly. Truth and clarity. SIGNPOST!So what signposts have YOU seen? What truths have you learned just at the moment you needed them?It's almost like the universe is conspiring to help you along your journey...and it so is.A short list of signposts in my life:

1. My business coach, Gail Doby. A human signpost, she has turned me on to amazing books like The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday. She has pushed me to structure my life and my work in a way that is congruent with my beliefs and values.
2. My favorite "cathedral," which is outside, under the canopy of big trees. Trees are magnificent signposts, and are ongoing sources of inspiration and healing.
3. Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way. A signpost that helped me rediscover and set free my inner creative spirit. It also reminded me that caring for myself is the most important gift I can give not only myself, but also my family and friends.
4. An online class called Sage School with Maia Toll. This signpost pointed me back to what is sacred and reminded me the beautiful, nurturing circle that exists between the Earth, plants, the Divine and human beings.
5. Music like The Garden of Trees, by Philip Stephen Allen. Hearing this piece of music touched me deeply and reminded me that I am a part of something much greater than myself.
6. Meditation. A daily signpost reminding me that I can always manage my stress more effectively. It also shows me that I can be more mindful in the way I live my life every day.

Here are three things I've learned about signposts: they are BIG truths, they're everywhere and they're waiting to reveal themselves to you. So, trust your intuition. Trust that wild, unknown-in-origin notion you have to buy a specific book, work with a particular person, sign up for a precise class, or take on a certain project. Really, you never know what signpost is out there waiting for the chance possibly to guide you, maybe delight you, and always surprise you.With appreciation,Lisa