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Posts Tagged Awareness
Let’s talk a bit more about stories today, and how they can keep us from moving forward.
Think about your average day. It’s probably filled to the brim with lots of activities.
Most of these activities, while necessary, are not, in themselves, extremely valuable in the long term. They are the small steps that all contribute to the vision that you have for your future.
Take this blog post, for example. It’s on my list of things to do today. In and of itself, I rank it’s value as pretty small. It’s primary value, at least to me, is that its a small contribution to the body of work that I am creating to accomplish my big goals. And, my day will be filled with similar activities.
At the end of the day, all the activities I’ve done will have moved me a bit further towards my goals.
Another way to look at it is that all of the activities I have done in the past have resulted in where I am and what I have achieved as of today.
Stories are much like that. They are really just the details of life. They are comprised of many small things that continue to fill our days, and the result is who we are today.
Here’s my point.
When I allow myself to be totally focused on the activities and the story (the details), of each day, I can very easily lose sight of my big goals - the reason I’m doing the activities in the first place. In the past, I have done just that (more than once), with the result that I seemed to be moving very quickly in a big circle. Which, of course, wasn’t getting me where I wanted to go very fast.
What I have learned from that is this: The activities are important. (Dreams without action don’t usually produce the results I want.)
Their importance, however, just like my story, lies in the moment of doing them, or experiencing them. Once they are past, they are only important in the results they bring, the lessons they teach, and their contribution to the whole.
The way I have learned to keep this perspective is two-fold ~ and I do this most days.
First, I let go of my story from yesterday. I write down all the parts of it that I’m still thinking about. (See Just Dump It! for more detail on this.) This helps me to let them go.
Then, I spend a little time reflecting on what I learned from yesterday, how it contributed to the overall goal, and what’s important for me to remember. I write that down as well.
So, by letting go of the details - we can make mental space and time for the important stuff - like making progress. . .
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Perspective
Stories…we all have one.
All the things you have done. All the things that have happened in your life. All the things you’ve witnessed, or heard about. This is your story.
And every day we add to our story.
Many of us think of ourselves as being defined by our story. We’ve spent most of our time there, and it’s how we’re used to interacting.
Let me explain what I mean by that.
Here’s my story from yesterday:
I got up early, after not having enough sleep, and drove to my niece Sandra’s house. I spent most of the day with her and my sister Denise. We had a yard sale which was very successful. We sat under a large shade tree for most of the time, and talked and met some interesting people who stopped by. We sold the majority of what we had. About 4:00 I left there and met Mitch at Barrett Commons AMC. We saw a new release called “Moon”, which we enjoyed. Then we went home, had dinner, and relaxed for the evening.
That’s my story (the very short version) from just yesterday.
Was there anything there that was interesting to you? Was there anything there that remains relevant for me today? Answering for myself, I’d say “no.”
The facts about what I did are a part of my story, but they were only relevant in the moment.
What might be still relevant to me are the less tangible things about yesterday. How the experience(s) made me feel. Any insights or knowledge that I gained. Anything that might be useful to me - or to other people - today or in the future.
So, here’s another version of my yesterday - without the story:
 I enjoy times when I relax and become fully engaged in where I am, who I’m with, and just “go with the flow.” It’s a refreshing change to most of my days. I think I’d like to create more time in my life for just “being.” I’d be happier if I took some of pressure of always “doing” off of myself. I laugh more and generally feel better when I do that. I also liked the movie - it was an interesting concept.
Those two things I choose to hold on to. They are relevant to me today, and perhaps even to you. (There were some other little pieces of information and insights that I think might be interesting to certain other people, but you get the idea.)
The point of all this is that if I spend part of today either thinking or talking about my story from yesterday, I’m not present today - I’m living in my past. (And, I just may be boring other people in the process.)
Rather than that, if I spend some time today thinking and talking about the insights I gained, I can perhaps inspire myself - and someone else - to act on them.
So, when someone asks me, “How was your weekend?”, my response will generally be the latter description, or at least the part of it that I think might be relevant to them.
And, when I reflect on my weekend, I choose to think of it in those terms. It just seems more productive to do it that way, because I choose to be - and share - something other than my story…
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Perspective, Relationship
This week we have been increasing our awareness about our long-standing beliefs and how they influence the way we live our lives.
To recap - many of our beliefs became a part of who we are at a very young age. They usually operate behind the scenes at a subconscious level and show up as things we feel we should or should not do. These Shoulds become very strong influences when we decide to step out and try new things and behaviors.
We initially adopted our Shoulds because they were accepted guidelines that were supposed to help us live a “good life.” This was all well and good for “then.”
But, what about now?
As you have grown and changed – and as the world around you has changed (dramatically, I might add!)– some of those beliefs have become roadblocks that can stop you from creating the success and life that you want.
In fact, when you are very determined that you want to accomplish something – and you just can’t quite seem to make headway in that direction, this is a clue that a Should is operating in the background!
Now, if you see a Should as an immovable force in your life…it actually becomes an excuse that you use to hold yourself back.
Here’s another way to look at this…Is it possible that believing that you will always be a certain way because you have always been that way, has become an excuse for not going for what you want?
If you feel this is possible, and if you want to make quicker and easier progress in creating success, it is important that you change your thinking so that you can let go of your excuses. One way to do this is to modify your beliefs and your Shoulds so that they serve you better right now.
We began to work on this yesterday by suggesting you take a conscious look at some of the Shoulds you have become aware of this week and asking, “Is this belief still true for me and who I am now?”
Did you find that some of your Shoulds no longer make logical sense when you consider who you are and what you want to do now? If you did, you can begin to loosen your grip on this belief by restating it in a way that puts some space between the past – when you adopted this belief – and the present.
Here’s an example that will show you how to do this.
Say you have the following belief: “I am not good at math.”
Now see how this next statement feels: “Until recently, I was not good at math.”
Doesn’t that feel tons better? By adding “Until recently…” to the beginning of any belief that no longer serves you, you move that old belief into the past, opening the door to experiencing it’s opposite in the present! Pretty cool, huh?
Give this a try whenever you think or say a negative statement about yourself. Just say or think it again adding until recently to the beginning of the statement.
When you approach a Should with a new “now” perspective, you create possibilities. You begin to lift the weight off that belief and feel energized by the possibility that you can now do something to move forward!
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Perspective, Possibility Exercise
Many of us grew up with an ideal that we labeled “The American Dream.” It signified a whole group of Shoulds that promised to bring us great rewards.
In essence, it said we all should:
- Find a good job and work hard.
- Get married, buy a house and have 2.4 children.
- Play by the rules.
- Don’t take risks.
- Save and invest for the future.
- Be serious, be responsible, and stay focused on getting ahead.
The promised reward, after many years of diligent work, was a secure, carefree, and fun retirement. Travel, fishing, freedom, grandchildren, and lots of time to enjoy all the things we missed while being responsible.
Most of us now realize that, for the most part, this dream is only experienced by a lucky few. We’ve learned that waiting until we retire to enjoy the “good life” is no longer satisfying. And we are beginning to incorporate the things we enjoy into our daily lives - including our work - instead of waiting and hoping we will get to enjoy those things later.
The American Dream is an example of beliefs that we, as a culture, have been taught to accept as truth, even though they really don’t apply to - or work for - most people. Yet, we continue to believe in them, and follow the rules mandated by them.
What about you? Are there Shoulds you are working toward and using as a basis for making decisions that may not be true - or right - for you? Have your Shoulds become long-standing habits that are hindering you rather than helping you?
With this in mind, let’s go back to the list of Shoulds you made on Monday (click here if you missed that one).
For each of these Shoulds, ask yourself, “Is that really true for me?” or “Is that still true for me?”
If not, is this a belief that you want to hold on to? Does it help you move forward, or does it limit your choices? Are the pros of holding on to it greater than the cons?
Whittle your list down to include only those beliefs that are probably hindering you more than helping you.
Now, is there some way you can modify these beliefs so that they will serve you better right now?
We’ll go a little further with this tomorrow…
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Awareness Exercise, Perspective
This past weekend served as a reminder to many of us of where we started, and how far we’ve come. Not just as a nation, but also as individuals.
We’ve come a long way - especially these past few years!
We’ve overcome many obstacles, streamlined our perspectives and priorities, and gained a clearer picture of what we intend to accomplish in our lifetime.
We’ve created amazing tools to help us be more productive, and learned how to use old ones in new ways.
We are nothing if not adaptable and innovative!
And, for many of us, we’ve come to a point where we’ve done most of the obvious things, acquired most of the necessary skills, and created most of the required habits for success.
Yet it hasn’t become as easy as we’d like.
We’re just not quite there yet.
So what’s left to do - or to learn?
Perhaps it’s time to look a little closer at some of the beliefs and habits that are the basis from which we operate.
We call these the “Shoulds.” We learn them from the time we can talk - from the people we respect. And they learned them the same way.
We should work hard…
We should be responsible…
We should not rock the boat…
We should act our age…
We should set a good example…
The list could go on for volumes, and get very specific. These beliefs are ingrained in us, and they play a part in every decision we make.
Many of them are very helpful to us, and truly reflect how we want to be.
There are some, however, that we accept without question and continue to operate from even when they become hindrances.
We’ve been reading Dr. Wayne Dyer’s new book, Excuses Begone!, which explains with great clarity how and why we adopt these beliefs, and how they can hold us back.
His methodology for examining and potentially changing them is very closely aligned with the Just Imagine That program.
In order to take a new, imaginative idea from inspiration to practical reality, we necessarily pass it through our Shoulds to make sure it aligns with them.
It only makes sense, then, that if we’re holding on to Shoulds that are not really in line with us as individuals, we will not get the results that work best for us.
Take just a few minutes to think about some of your Shoulds. Make a list of some of them that might not be true for you right now, even though they may have been in the past - and they may be for other people you know.
Just list some possibilities. We’re not suggesting you throw them out just yet…just consider if they are really in line with who you want to be, and what you want to accomplish.
We’ll look at the some ways to evaluate them later in the week.
Perhaps you Should. 
Just Imagine That!
P.S. If you’re in the Atlanta area, Diana is co-facilitating an interactive workshop based on Wayne Dyer’s book each Tuesday this month at the InterFaith Truth Center. Please consider joining us as we use his principles and methodology in working through our interference!
Tags: Awareness, Perspective, Preference
We’ve been talking about Noise this week - external and internal noise.
We talked about the challenges of being heard by your prospective clients above the noise.
Today, let’s talk about the challenges of hearing yourself above the noise.
In this noisy and busy world, we have become almost constant communicators. We spend much of our time either speaking, writing, listening and reading. We are surrounded by words from many sources.
Let me say here that I LOVE words! I love finding just the right ones to express exactly what I feel. I love word games…well, you get the point.
Words are wonderful!
However.
Sometimes they get in the way.
Since they are really symbols of things, they require translation. The word “happy” is not happiness, but just a symbol of that state of mind. When you hear someone say “I’m happy,” you must translate that into your understanding of the feeling they are expressing. Of course this happens automatically, and very quickly, and you don’t really notice the effort it takes.
It does take mental effort, however.
If, on the other hand, someone looks at you with a huge smile, you get the same information - and probably more - in a much more direct way. You immediately understand, and even feel, their emotion without translation.
When we take words out of the communication, we recieve it more directly - and with less effort.
You may know this, and can probably think of examples very easily.
What you may not know, is what we have discovered in our Imagination Lab. Many of our exercises are done in silence. And the result is a truly amazing increase in the creativity and clarity that partipants experience.
Even in group activities which require the participants to communicate with each other, such as preparing a meal together, become totally new experiences when words are not allowed.
Creativity increases dramatically - and, almost as a bonus, it’s also more fun!
The next time you are playing with your imagination, or looking to inspire creativity (especially with someone else or a group), try it without words. You might be surprised at the results!
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Awareness Exercise, Imagination
Here in the US we are getting ready to celebrate the Fourth of July - Independence Day - the noisiest of all of our holidays. July Fourth is all about celebrating with loud marching music, firecrackers and fireworks as from coast to coast people gather together and honor the “founding” of the United State of America.
July Fourth is a great example of what can happen when a group of people is committed to an innovative idea. Back in 1776, the founding fathers were willing to be different. They were willing to take an idea and turn it into something real. And, most important, they were willing to take a stand for something they believed in.
And, because of this, they stood out from the crowd. They are remembered for their courage, determination and dedication. And they began a movement that changed the world as they knew it at the time.
So, how does this apply to you and rising above the Noise Factor? Well, I believe one of the keys to the founding fathers’ success is that they not only took actions, they took those actions based on a strong foundation made of bottom-line beliefs, like freedom, independence and basic human rights.
And when you have a solid foundation to stand on, choices about directions, priorities, and actions are easier to make.
So, what do you take a stand for? What is the foundation on which you have built your business? As you think about how your business offer is unique and how you can express that uniqueness, is there a basic ideal or vision that guides you?
Today, let’s take a look at your business foundation. Instead of thinking of actions you can take to stand out from the Noise Factor, let’s look at what you are actually taking a stand for.
First, read the following sentence and fill in the blank with the first thing that pops into your head.
Through my business, I _________________________________________.
Is what you put in the blank something that you believe in strongly? Is this really the foundation for your business? Or is it something you have adopted in response to today’s business climate and/or because of what others are doing?
Now, think about what you really want to take a stand for. What is it that you want your clients and customers to “get” about you and your business?
Sit with this for a moment. Then fill in the blank in the following sentence.
Through my business, I take a stand for ___________________________.
Every once in a while during the next several days, read this second sentence. Does it communicate what you want to give your clients and customers? Does it feel “good” to you? Can you easily relate this statement to what you are doing in your business?
If so, then this foundation is serving you right now for where you are in your business. And, as with all things, it may change as you and your business grow and evolve.
One more really cool thing…
When you consistently focus on the foundation on which your business stands, you naturally express those values in your dealings with other people, decisions are easier to make, and you get better results.
Just Imagine That!
Tags: Awareness, Awareness Exercise, Priority
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