Have you ever had the feeling that there is something else for you to do in this life?   How about the incessant need to be challenged and learn new things in order to feel inspired each day?  If so, I suspect that you are a part of a large group of intrepid life travelers that have restless spirits.  This affliction runs deeply in my family and as such I have been witness to a long line of renaissance men and women who have stepped into multiple arenas in life.  Some may see this as an inability to focus or a lack of mettle.  I find it wondrous and cannot imagine living life any other way.

 

I’m restless. Things are calling me away. My hair is being pulled by the stars again.”

Anaïs Nin

 

When I was young I remember vividly daydreaming about running away with the gypsies.  Their dress, music and wild streak all spoke to me. I am part Hungarian and always attributed this to my heritage.  I spoke to my grandmother about this and she at once knew what I was talking about stating, “oh yes, we are all like that in this family! Life is meant to be lived.” She shared with me her dreams as a young women and how the constant pull of the new had played out in her life.  At 90 years old, she is still a unique, loving, gregarious and stubborn woman that has always danced to the beat of her own drum.  If my life can be half as full as hers, it will have been a life well lived.

 

I salute the light within your eyes where the whole universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am that place within me, we shall be as one.”  –

Crazy Horse

 

A restless spirit has certain qualities that are quite remarkable.  The willingness to feel fear and move forward at the same time is one such quality.  No one is immune to doubts when making major life changes. These same doubts that paralyze are a motivational force for restless spirits. I would argue that if one does not feel some level of fear on a daily basis in regards to work or creative exploration, one is not fully living. Fear can be a wonderful catalyst for action if honored and acted upon.  I know I am challenging myself when I do a fear check and note that I have some things on my schedule that are new, unexplored and scary.  It is at the same time exhilarating and terrifying.

 

“I cannot be still for long. There is a riot in me all the time. A needy, restless voice in my heart endlessly urging me onward. I ache for new experiences and my hunger for adventure is boundless. My entire life is a perpetual loop of longing for something else.”

Beau Taplin

 

Another quality restless spirits possess is childlike curiosity.  When we are young, the entire learning process is based on curiosity and the desire to learn new things. Learning how to walk is no easy task, yet we all do. The pull of a new landscape is too great of an adventure to pass up. Why then do we let that childlike enthusiasm fade as we age? Where does all of that creative power of curiosity go? I do not believe that is goes anywhere. It remains within, allowing a disillusioned and uninspired feeling to permeate our daily lives. There are many ways to free this creative energy with artistic endeavors being just one. Creativity can be nurtured in business, home life and personal relationships.  The key is to continue to honor the creative energy, constantly exploring new avenues and ideas with a questioning and curious heart.

 

“Dreams and restless thoughts came flowing to him from the river, from the twinkling stars at night, from the sun’s melting rays. Dreams and a restlessness of the soul came to him.”

Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

Those that choose to listen to the call of something greater are often seen as flighty and unreliable. It is a label given by others that have never taken an opportunity to express their restless creativity and have instead chosen to remain stoic and unchanging. I would offer that the gypsy spirit in all of us should be set free and allowed to roam. Go against the grain, make the unpopular decision, love even when others tell you not to. Live boldly and love deeply.  In this way we honor that spark that exists in each and every one of us.