“There is no stagnation in Spirit, nor should there be any in our idea of spirituality. To be spiritual is to create. The Spirit is alive, conscious, aware and active.”
— Ernest Holmes

Why do we hesitate in any given situation? We know we want to move forward with a project, a long-overdue conversation, the end of a relationship—or the beginning of one; and yet, we hesitate.

• Hesitation can be neutral (a thoughtful pause).
• It can also signal fear, insecurity, or lack of confidence.
• In positive contexts, it suggests careful consideration before acting.

I’m grateful for thoughtful pauses before speaking or responding. I also have a policy of waiting 24 hours before I give anyone an answer on a project or a difficult question. Pausing is good when it allows us to consider all aspects of an encounter or situation. However, I am speaking here about the kind of hesitation that comes from fear, insecurity, or lack of confidence. Why?

Whenever I have wanted to complete a project, the first thing I do is set a date. For example, when my husband and I performed cabaret together, we set the performance date first—knowing that once we did, discipline and preparation would follow.

There are other times I’ve hesitated because I wasn’t sure about a project; yet, didn’t want to say no. I had to check in with my reasons for hesitation. I remember many times lunging into an experience while ignoring a nagging doubt I didn’t want to face. In the long run, those decisions rarely worked out. The initial hesitation was correct—it should have been a no, but I relented, whether from discomfort in saying no, feeling obliged, or not wanting to disappoint someone.

Let’s get down to this little devil called hesitation and really tackle it. As Ernest Holmes said, Spirit isn’t stagnant—we are meant to be creative. There is a creative flow within us which longs to be expressed. If we hesitate too long, the time for a particular idea may pass.

I recall two stories that illustrate this. Gregg Braden once shared a story about a friend who had a song he was perfecting but never published. One day, as he and Gregg drove along, the very song came on the radio—written and released by someone else. Why does this happen? Because of entanglement. We are all alive in one field of energy, along with all our ideas and creativity. If “Spirit is alive, conscious, aware and active,” then it makes perfect sense. Another person I know wrote a TV premise that he never acted on. A few years later, an almost identical series appeared on television.

So why do we hesitate? Are we afraid of feeling foolish? Afraid of imperfection? Is it okay to move forward with something unfinished or not quite polished? We can be our own worst critics. But what’s the alternative?

The Science of Action

Did you know that when you act on an intention, waves collapse into form and a whole new realm of possibility erupts? Action is the motivating force that puts the universe itself into motion. My husband and I once spent weeks hemming and hawing about starting a project. In the meantime, we were stuck—stagnant in thought and energy. But when we finally sat down to plan, ideas flowed almost miraculously.

The Threshold of Dreams

When we stand at the threshold of our dreams, hesitation whispers: “Not yet. Not you. Not now.” But wisdom tells us otherwise. Thoreau urged: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” Confidence is not the absence of fear, but the choice to move forward despite it.

Joseph Campbell echoed this: “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” Life itself rises to meet us when we take even the smallest step toward our calling. I’m reminded of Indiana Jones stepping into the unknown, not knowing if he would fall to his death or safely cross to save his father. He steps out—and a pathway appears mid-air. A perfect metaphor for the leap of faith. Martin Luther King, Jr. put it simply: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Living in Uncertainty

Quantum principles tell us that uncertainty is built into the universe. Everything is waves and particles at once. Toss a coin—it is both heads and tails until it lands.

What dream of yours is still midair, waiting for you to catch it? Bob Proctor once said: “If it doesn’t scare you, it isn’t worthy of your efforts.” The unknown is scary. Uncertainty can stop us in our tracks. But both are necessary for creation.

Just Begin

I often sit in front of a blank screen, paralyzed by hesitation. But when I close my eyes, take a breath, and simply begin, something takes over. I believe that is the creative Spirit within me—expressing itself in the unique way only I, Rita, can express. We all carry that spark. We simply must begin.

With so much darkness in the world, I often wonder what I can do to help. The creative Spirit within tells me: begin the projects that bring you joy. That is my way of serving. As one 83-year-old creative put it when asked about retiring: “Creatives never retire.”

Even writing this shifted my energy. Just twenty minutes ago, I was in a dark place, thinking I had nothing to offer. I hesitated. Then I wrote. Now, I feel like a new person. That’s how quickly energy shifts when we move into action.

I’m beginning my labyrinth ministry. For a while, I waited for everyone else’s approval—and ended up alone with my labyrinth. But when I began networking and creating programs, the Universe responded: yes. I had to go first. Edwene Gaines, the prosperity teacher, once said: “The Red Sea never parted until every Israelite’s feet were in the water.” Whether she invented it or not, the point is clear: the Universe moves when we move.

So, if something is stirring within you and you’re hesitating—remember this: nothing outside you is coming to save you. You must begin. When you do, doors will open where there were only walls. That’s not just possibility—it’s a universal guarantee.

 Rev. Dr. Rita, Author, Founding Spiritual Director CSL Kaua’i, Founder of the Red Dress Movement