I first got a real lesson in pre-birth agreements right before my birthday in 2010. I had this weird urge to pray to live. I was healthy, happy, and had nothing at all going on in my life that would make me feel this way, but the urge was so strong, so I prayed daily to have a long life of contribution and joy. “Coincidentally” (or not!), friends and clients started writing. “Are you OK? Are you healthy?” I reassured them I was fine. However, when a friend who knew about cars kept checking my tires and told me to get new ones, something clicked and said, “Listen.” I did.

Good thing. In a short space of time I had two very near miss car accidents that could have claimed my life. In both I felt angelic intervention. It shook me so much I got an angel reading from another psychic. The angels came strongly through, even though I’d not said a word to the reader. “Congratulations! Before you were born you planned to die before your 46th birthday but you have a strong desire to remain here and we’re thrilled about that!” I burst into tears. My soul knew it was true.

There have also been times also when I had an opportunity to grow more kindly than pre-birth planning would dictate, but I had not yet grown enough to choose otherwise. I met a man in my early thirties who hounded me to date him. He chased me and pressured me. I hid from him, and yet he kept finding me and proclaiming his love. I was not then who I am now. I thought at the time, “He’s nice, maybe God wants me to give him a chance.”

Disastrously tough growth ensued. He was abused and abusive. He threw things, yelled often, cut me down, and told me he’d be nicer to me if I’d sleep with him more often. I begged him to be kinder. I was a people pleaser at the time, but this dance drew up every drop of my own righteous anger and forced me into a greater level of self-love. It wasn’t pretty, but we both grew tremendously –  so much so, that we’ve long since hugged, laughed at the crazy dance, and wished each other well. When we run into each other, there is nothing but love and respect for the journey, and a sense of brilliant accomplishment.

In retrospect, I realized the growth didn’t have to be that hard. Years later I asked the angels “Do you mean if I had honored my heart and not dated him, I would have learned, in one choice, what took me three years?” “Absolutely,” they replied! “He could have spared himself the agony too if he had paid attention and realized that chasing you was a chore and something he was doing because he wanted the validation (just as you did!), rather than something that felt easy, natural, and right.” Their words sure didn’t stroke my ego, but they resonated with my soul!

The angels continued to enlighten me! “In truth, this relationship was never a perfectly easy and joyful match for either one of you. You were drawn to each other spiritually, but in the human sense, you did not come together naturally and easily. You did not stay together naturally. You were never truly compatible and you both knew it, but you had a hard time admitting it because you loved each other in the past, and you wanted to get back to the love. You hurt each other in the past, but you’ve both grown, and in this this life, in the present, you have different paths. You both succeeded! Celebrate the growth!” Honestly, it took a while to celebrate, but I got there!

No matter what our “travel plans,” we are not fated. If we listen to our guidance and feelings, without worrying so much why we are guided a certain way, and without a need to change anyone else, we will all grow along a path of purpose and joy.


Here are some pointers to help you choose joy even when tempted by feelings of “should” or “supposed to.”

1. Make Choices based on how you feel in the Present

Perhaps you want to see a movie but not tonight. Listen to that. Perhaps you want a relationship but not now. Honor that. Perhaps you find a house that might work but you’re not 100% sure. Wait for clarity. Perhaps you want to lose weight, but right now a dish of ice cream would delight you. Listen to yourself. Try it out. Enjoy it. We only learn what we really love, and what our priorities truly are by living out various choices.

When you listen to your heart in the present moment, you will always make the right choice in the present moment for your soul’s growth into light. When you make a joyful choice in the moment, you will have a joyful moment.

2. Be flexible moving forward

Today you might not be sure about that house, but tomorrow you may wake up knowing you want it. Today you might not want a relationship but then when someone shows up in front of you suddenly things change. Today you might want to date someone. Tomorrow you might realize (as a result of following your heart today) that this person isn’t exactly what you thought.

Guidance is dynamic, up to the moment, and changing as we, and the world around us, changes. Trust the moment.

3. Shift your Shoulds…

Whenever you say, “I should,” you are repeating programming, not your truth. Your soul’s truth in a given moment is joyous, happy to be alive, and experiencing life in physical form. Your shoulds can feel like anything from a mild sense of duty to abject hell at times. When you feel you “should” do something, question it. Does it light up your soul? Will it really give you, in this moment, the feeling you want?

We live now, love now, grow now. Should’ing now for a feeling we hope to enjoy later is a bad investment! Better to grow in joy now, glow in joy now and attract more joy later. As Abraham says often through Esther Hicks, “You can’t have a happy ending to an unhappy journey.”


I wish you all joyful journeys! Trash the shoulds, welcome the “wants” and live a life that happens now… in that reality, pre-birth plans don’t matter so much at all. In that reality there is no karma because you are too present to be tied into the past! In that reality, life becomes a joyful and purposeful adventure!

Love you all!
Ann

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