It was Spring 2015, and I was living in Johannesburg, building a network of universities across Africa.

I had just talked to my mom and she was nagging me again, encouraging me to invest in my spiritual growth.

"Tiffany, have you found a church yet? Have you found a place that you can call home?"

I rolled my eyes, "Not this again," I thought.

Didn't she understand who I was, or what I was doing? I was up to important stuff, doing GOOD in the world.

"I don't have time for God,” I said to myself.

And yet, inside I was yearning for something more. Something status, money, and good works couldn't buy.

I wanted a relationship with the Divine.

My heart was aching.

And I was searching for relief. From the outside, things looked great but I knew something was off. I sensed my spiritual foundation was unformed and contributing to my unease.

I wanted to deepen spiritually.

But I wanted it on my terms.

I wanted to know Spirit just enough, but not go too far into the void. I viewed Spirit as a convenient resource, like calling an Uber, and didn't want to buy the car and get stuck with the maintenance. I wanted all of the benefit with none of the hassle.

So I used my busyness as an excuse for inaction.

Here's what I didn't understand:

That which you seek, is actually seeking you.

Spirit never wanted anything from me.

Spirit just wanted me to be myself. And to know that I was myself already.

In fact, Spirit was beckoning me toward my true self all along.

Our desires are co-created by Spirit. We're not just looking for our desires, they're looking for us too. My desire to deepen spirituality wouldn't have existed if it weren't part of my divine blueprint. As someone so accustomed to taking charge by planning and doing, this concept felt incredibly foreign.

And yet there was relief.

There's nothing I had to do.

By being neutral and open, Spirit would naturally meet me. While my mom's insistence was annoying, it also felt affirming. I had been putting spirituality on the back burner, and yet it would always come around patiently, tapping me on the shoulder, offering itself to me.

Spirit is always working towards my highest good.

Resting in this simple truth helps take the pressure off life. Because I know Spirit always wants the best for me, it depressurizes any one person or event. As a result, I walk confidently with the truth that:

• I don't need to know everything.

• I don't need to do everything.

• I don't need to prove anything to anyone.

By allowing Spirit to meet me, I shift from an exhausted hustler to a peaceful co-creator. I rest in the present, knowing that Spirit is here to collaborate with me in the now.

Next time you're searching for the answer, know that the answer is reaching for you.

Even if it comes from your own, “annoying” mom.