“When you start seeking your blue flame, you’ll find that it’s sitting right there, waiting for you to encounter it. But you might need to do some digging to unearth it. For many of us, our blue flames end up smothered under a lifetime of fears and doubts and hang-ups.”- Jennifer Fulwiler
In Chapter 3 (“You Can Find Your Blue Flame Quickly”) of Your Blue Flame, Jennifer Fulwiler presents a series of seven questions designed to help you discover your blue flame. However, in respect to the author, I believe it’s efficacious to dig into these questions within the context of the entire book. Thus, I encourage you to read Jennifer’s words for yourself to give her questions a proper framework.
However, Jennifer exhorts, before you address her questions, leave all negativity behind. Because doing so sets you free. Furthermore, the author provides some examples of such nay-saying thoughts:
- The whole concept sounds too happy-clappy.
- Even if I did have a blue flame, it’d probably be a lame one.
- With or without a blue flame, my life isn’t going to change.
Certainly, the author admits, it’s scary to let go of negative thoughts. It’s a shield we hide behind. In addition, Jennifer asserts, there’s one thing even to scary to consider: taking down our defensive shield. For that opens us to hope and therefore to disappointment.
So, in sorting things out to the seven questions, look for patterns. Note skills or contributions you see more than once.
Years ago, after my downsizing, a senior job counselor asked me to read The Job-Hunter’s Survival Guide. Once of the exercises involved writing seven stories of something you did where you really enjoyed yourself. After completing the stories, I plotted each story on the Transferable Skills Inventory. In essence, I searched for my blue flame.
Above all, in time those stories morphed into Short Meditations on the Crown of Compassion website. Finally, Jennifer stresses:
“The key is to follow whatever small sparks are present in your life right now and to be fearlessly open to wherever they lead you.”
Today’s question: What most sparks you to start seeking your blue flame? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “”Handle the pain of work”
