Finding freedom in commitments

Among other things I am a marriage celebrant, so I regularly see couples who are committing to each other for the rest of their lives. For many people, just thinking of the word “commitment” can evoke a wide range of emotions. Some people greatly desire commitment, some fear it and other find them self constantly fighting against it.

I know for many people the word ‘commitment’ can evoke all sorts of emotions.  Whether you fear it, desire more of it or continually find yourself in some sort of battle with it, commitments have a unique way of stirring things up. No matter what it is for you, thinking about it stirs things up.

When we commit, we are making a declaration or a pact, an agreement to behave in a certain way, to achieve something in particular at a certain time. Commitments are your way of making agreements about a future that we have no way of prediction. Committing to something today, when I don’t know what tomorrow will bring can be mighty scary.

Just writing this, I can feel the weight of the of ‘commitments’. Heavy.

How do we get around the weight of commitments, how do we find the bounce and the light-heartedness of commitment? How do we empower ourselves to make commitments that propel us forward and aid us in moving forward? How do we make use of those empowered commitments to lovingly support the growth of our higher self?

One thing I have found that helps me to drop the oppressive weight while still keeping the good stuff is to commit to the now. Yes, the NOW.

The thing is, life changes constantly, our environment changes constantly. In one moment your job could change, your relationships change, you could lose someone you love, or meet someone new that you will love soon. Committing to NOW, is also a commitment to yourself. It’s a commitment to your ever-knowing self, the part of you that is resilient, and joy filled, along with the parts of you that are tired, worn down and dis-empowering.

Making bite sized commitments to now, to whatever is right for us right now is a powerful way to embrace this ever-changing life and enables us to move wile staying aligned with or most current truths. As we change our mind, or our focus redirects, or our environments change we have the freedom to recommit. When we commit to ourselves, to the now, to what ever is our current state or truth, we are accessing all of who we are, all of what we know. It is this gathering of wisdom, this collection of intuitive knowing into a commitment that allows us to stand in complete integrity in our life. Being free and empowered to be honest in each moment as changes occur gives us freedom form the oppressive weight of a commitment to an unpredictable outcome

I also believe that this aide us in our creative process. That freedom to change our mind, the freedom to explore something different and the freedom to keep moving forward feeds our creativity. This enables our curiosity and guides us on a path to passionate discovery. Every time we choose a color, add an image, make a bold mark or turn our canvas upside down, we are essentially making a commitment to now. Every time we make a mark on our canvas, we are committing, over and over again.

If you have seen my art, you know I paint in layers, many layers and these layers let me move freely thorough my moment by moment commitments without being oppressed with the weight of permanency can keep going until I see something I like, until I find that place of beauty I want to settle into for a while.

What about you? What are your commitments to now? Are you using this in your art, are you making marks over and over on your canvas? I would love to hear about how you do it. Tell me about it here or on Facebook.