WHAT ARE YOU GIVING BIRTH TO?

You’re not pregnant you say? Simply can’t be! You’re a male? Celibate? A virgin? Self-satisfying? Married?

Ok, I could go on but won’t, maybe I’ve gone too far already!   The point is... ‘We are all giving birth to something!’  Each new day we are unfolding something of ourselves.  A warm smile, a sincere ‘know you’re there’ hug (vs. the kind of hugs you get and wonder where the other person is because they’re afraid to wrinkle their shirt).  Perhaps you’ve incubated a really great idea and now is the time to bring it to the world, or possibly its an ‘in your face’ challenge to someone (maybe to yourself), a new you, a new idea, a new perspective, an old perspective that’s one day dustier than before, a hope, wish, dream, or DESIRE!  What are you giving birth to... today? 

In the spirit of full disclosure, my wife’s a labor and delivery nurse and I’ve experienced the delivery of my own two children (albeit from a different perspective than her - thank God!). 

While my language is somewhat real life, my challenge to you is to take the figurative equivalent to what you’re giving birth to and ask yourself these questions:

1. Where are you in the birthing process?
2. How serious are the contractions?
3. Are you committed to going the distance and really bring this ‘thing’ into the world?  Or, are you all too comfortable in your current surroundings?  Does the status quo have a controlling hold of you and what’s possible?
4. Fearful of the impending pain and fear of not knowing how the world will respond?
5. Do you feel the pain?  Are you going to fight the pain, or succumb/surrender to the pain and let it work its magic?
6. Do you want an epidural or is it too late?
7. Do you have help or are you going it alone?
8. How’s your breathing? (Don’t forget to breath!)
9. Too tired to push or can you give it one more go?
10. Is what’s on the other side compelling enough for you to fight the fight?

Let me share my Birthing Process with you:
 I’m giving birth... to a really cool ‘Inspired Action Journal’ - it’s an idea I’ve been incubating for quite some time and it has officially gone to print and ships on December 17th!  I am thrilled! And nervous!  And inspired!  What will others think?  How it will it be received?  Will it have the kind of impact I hope for?  Will it make a difference in someone’s life?   I know the answer to that already - it makes a world of difference to me, in MY life.   I’m ‘delivering’ on a dream, desire, and aspiration of my own.  I’m embracing my own authenticity of who I am and the difference I want to make in this world.  I’ve had my moments of doubt, I’ve felt at times that I was all on my own, that it would be easier to just ‘give up’ and park this  idea back in the virtual garage of good ideas.  I’m am SOOOO glad I didn’t.  The feeling I have of accomplishment is amazing (I love those words - amazing accomplishment!).  The journal really embodies my love of great quotes and asking powerful questions as a life coach.  This journey of giving birth to an Inspired Action Journal has and continues to presence myself in an incredible place of truly knowing AND not knowing all at the same time!  (I’ll Write 4 Life about that idea another day).  Enough of me, let’s get back to you.

So, I assert we’re all pregnant in one way or another, we all have something we want to let out, to unfold and introduce into the world, to manifest as our own amazing accomplishment.  What is it for you?  What are you giving birth to?

May your labor be blessed in amazing accomplishment!

- Todd

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