“Ignite” is a powerful word. One that can mean different things to different people.
Most regard it as lighting a fire – a literal or symbolic fire – igniting your motivation or desire to do or achieve something.
But when I speak of igniting your spirit, I’m referring to something deeper: a blend of all of these.
When you ignite a fire, you need a medium — something to keep the fire burning. After the fuel is exhausted, the fire goes out. You have to re-ignite the medium again.
But if you truly ignite your spirit, the flame never burns out. Yes, the level of the flame may change from day to day, but the flame is never extinguished.
Your spiritual flame is the eternal light within you. It starts as a small flame that continues to burn and grow. It’s a feeling of hope, even the smallest glimmer, that it’s possible for things to be different:
I hope my circumstances can change.
I want to show up differently to myself and to others.
I want to have a different outcome.
Every human being has this spark inside of them, but our past hurts and traumas obstruct our ability to see and feel that spark.
A lack of ignition can manifest in various ways. For some, it’s depression or even suicidal thoughts — the farthest extreme. But for most of us, it’s quieter — functioning in society while feeling unfulfilled, disconnected from our purpose, and going through the motions — as I once did.
At the time, I was working a stressful corporate legal job. I was traveling the world, meeting interesting people. Most of my time was spent in boardrooms, hotel rooms, and airports.
Did I enjoy it? Yes, for the first few years… but eventually, I was worn thin. Business wasn’t as exciting or, thank goodness, as cutthroat as Beth Dutton would have us believe. A new deal in a different city, a different boardroom or war room, a different hotel room. Maybe some new faces, but mostly, the same people congregating in an agreed-upon location. We were playing the vertical real estate game, negotiating deals to purchase property for cell towers and existing tower companies. But even mergers and acquisitions can become repetitive, and I didn’t have much leisure time. In one of my busiest years, I traveled so much that I spent only 42 nights in my own home.
So, I was going through the motions… I got my job done, and I was good at it, but I wasn’t truly happy. There was an emptiness inside of me that I couldn’t explain. And I certainly wasn’t living up to my potential or doing what I came into this lifetime to do. The spark inside of me, even at a low pilot-light simmer, continued whispering:
“There’s something more. You have more to do.”
So, I kept traveling. I kept working. And, I kept searching for a door to open.
My spark eventually manifested in the form of a dear co-worker suffering from some highly complicated health conditions. Bob and I had known each other for over 15 years, having worked together in the telecommunications and cell tower industries.
One morning, he was telling me he wasn’t feeling well and planned to see his doctor. As we sat talking, I suddenly began to see things inside his chest… they were as clear as if I were watching a TV screen, and I began telling him what I was seeing: his heart was beating irregularly, and one side of it was dark. One lung didn’t inflate fully as he breathed. His thyroid and pancreas were inflamed. Blood flow throughout his body was sluggish and, in some places, stopped.
I’m not sure who was more surprised by the information pouring out — Bob or me. We both sat there. Stunned and silent.
At the time, I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. All I knew was that I was once again able to see things that others could not — and what I saw, could help Bob.
A few days later, Bob returned from his medical appointments, handed me a $100 bill, and said:
“From now on, I am going to pay you! You were spot on in what is going on with me.”
I knew at that moment that it was time for me to start exploring my gift. How could I help people with what I could see and feel? I had ignored that little voice inside my head for way too long. It was time to follow it.
My spirit had been ignited. It was time for me to learn to Master my Brilliance.
