A recent book that I listened to, “The Next Right Thing” by Emily P. Freeman, had lots of great takeaways, but the one that struck me most was a chapter called “Stop Collecting Gurus.” She started the chapter explaining how she was cleaning out her email and had a sudden realization about what was bogging down both her email and her brain: too many other people’s thoughts and opinions. She was drowning in self-help and improvement experts’ advice on what she needed to do next with her life. All of that noise was making it impossible to hear her own voice.

I was driving by myself when I heard this, and I remember saying out loud, “Holy crap! I have too many gurus in my life right now!” My most recent “guru,” my church mentor, had just a few days before jotted down all of the people in my life that I had been seeking guidance from — it was quite the list. And it didn’t even include all of the experts from books or emails with advice.

I have been feeling overwhelmed, crazy stressed, run ragged, uncertain and anxious, and I finally said, “Enough. I need a change.” Through the guidance of the local Aspire Success Club headed by Christi Hegstad, I decided to make my 2019 bold intention the pursuit of peace. With this intention in mind, I started seeking help in all sorts of wonderful, positive places, but what dawned on me at that moment in the car is that even positive advice can be an impediment. As Freeman said, “When we feel unsure, indecisive or doubtful, sometimes we’re tempted to look around and call it ‘research.’”

I will say I am an expert at research. But research for simply the sake of research, without any bigger purpose or end goal, is frankly futile. I was seeking advice, but I hadn’t actually taken the time and done the hard work of asking myself where I really wanted to go. Freeman nailed my dilemma on the head, saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, specific directions won’t really help. … Maybe what you really need is to quiet down inside yourself and listen for a vision.”

Spurred by my pursuit of peace, I have been working on this quieting down and being present by reading the Bible, making intentional time for meditation and prayer, and doing a lot more yoga. But fighting a lifetime of never slowing down and fearing boredom is not easily corrected in one year — especially if I am still allowing too many other voices to drown out my own.

I am still a work in progress, as is, therefore, my business. 2020 is the year to shift the focus of my business, and this time I am taking it slow and saying a lot of noes. It’s going to be uncomfortable. But it’s time to get real and intentional about where I am going, and the only person who knows the way is my own inner guru, guided by my faith in God. I hope that you will take some time to be still and listen to what your guru is trying to tell you as well.