Divine Timing

Recently, I've been playing with the notion of "divine timing." It's the idea that everything happens at the exact right time, that nothing has to be forced or rushed. Divine timing doesn't necessarily mean slower,  unless that's where my energy is naturally taking me. Just as often, things happen faster, like when I pick my spots to write a blog post and it comes pouring out of me. Divine timing is knowing when that exact right time is, not from looking at a clock, but by feeling it.  Photo by fdecomite

I was first made aware of this special relationship with time when I was working with a client in front of another coach, to get feedback on my coaching. I was to coach my client for no more than fifteen minutes and was given the opportunity for a "two-minute" warning when my time would be up. I declined that option, relying on my own internal clock. No sooner had I wrapped up the coaching then I heard, "That was exactly 15 minutes!" This has happened more than once.

Divine timing is waking up in the morning or after a cat nap, at exactly the time I wanted to wake up, without an alarm clock. Photo by Michael Fillion

Divine timing is meeting strangers at just the right time. Often they are able to help me with an issue I'm struggling with at the moment. Last week, I asked for advice on Twitter, about choosing a webinar service. A partner in a start-up, specializing in support for webinars, saw my tweet and responded immediately.  We scheduled time to talk the next day and 90 minutes into the call, we still had more to talk about. It was only by coincidence that he had searched on Twitter with keywords that matched my tweet, just a few moments after I posted my request. He joked that if there had been something good on television that night, he never would have seen my tweet!

Divine timing is re-connecting with friends at the most opportune times, for me and for them. A friend emailed me about getting together, after I delayed getting together last month. On the day her email arrived,  I noticed that I was attending a networking meeting that evening and invited her to attend as well. Later, I found out it was exactly what she needed in the moment, to get her bearings again after a hard week.  Photo by glennharper

Diving timing is when a client calls a few minutes late, just enough time for me to grab lunch or get settled in after coming home from a business appointment.

Divine timing is delaying working on a project until just the right moment, not because I'm procrastinating, but because it hasn't yet been "fully cooked."  This could be working with an attorney on a trademark, or with a graphic designer on a logo, or working with a possible collaborator for a speaking engagement.  In all of those cases, I knew when the time was right to dig in and when I could allow things to develop further before spending time and energy.  Photo by thunderchild tm

Divine timing is contacting a prospective client about a proposal, getting to the root of why it's been taking so long to get a decision made, and then offering up as a reference a repeat customer who had just contacted me that morning and had all the right credentials  to address the prospective client's concerns.

Diving timing means I no longer worry about being late or behind. I pay attention to when my energy is right for tackling the task at hand and go with it. I trust my sense of timing, knowing when it's time to work on each item on my to-do list, because it becomes present for me.

Divine timing is all about trusting the moment, whatever that looks like, and letting my energy guide me. Life is a lot easier since I've become aware of divine timing. Delays and reschedules don't bother me when I know there's a better time for whatever I was going to do. Photo by R'eyes

Do you experience divine timing? If so, what does it look like for you?

Comments

[Cindy Hood]

I love this! Recently I have been noticing it more and more and it is so true.

[Carol Ross]

What I notice is that it's hard for me to stay in the mindset of divine timing if I am attached to outcome. In general, I find myself coming back to the idea of trusting in the Divine, as a partner in life. Hard for me to give up control and remember that I don't have to walk this path alone.

[Francine Watkins]

I have experienced divine timing many times. When struggling with a difficult decision, when searching for a powerful example,when wondering what door will open next,in both my professional and business life -- if I trust and wait, the answer will arrive in time. (Often it comes with the start of a new day.)

As I look back, I candidly admit that when I have simply wanted to act and get it over with or when I have allowed the emotion of the moment to drive my actions -- I have often made the wrong decision.

[Carol Ross]

Thanks, Francine, for the insight into what happens when we go against our natural instincts around timing. A good lesson to keep in mind!