Our perspective on why we do what we do matters. Feeling like it’s a job, a profession or a business lacks awareness and understanding of our true nature. Everything we do, every decision we make is part of our calling, purpose or path. When we step back, take a deep breath, get out of our routine, we open to understanding the why behind what we do. This simple yet profound shift makes a huge difference on how we view ourselves, our work and our life. Take a deep breath and release.
I often hear from people the eternal question, “What am I meant to do?” asking as if the answer was some how out there if they could only find it. Their first solution is to change what they are doing, do something different, etc. That is never the answer.
Life is not about what we do – our occupation. It is about what we are bringing of who we are into the world, what we value and what is important to us. Our purpose, if you will, is to be who we are in the world, our lives and in our work. To do this takes inner awareness not seeking something outside ourselves. So if you find you are busy doing but feel there is more then go within.
Becoming conscious of ourselves and why we do what we do whether it is sorting widgets, manufacturing cosmetics or being a race car driver is the answer we are seeking. When we are self-aware of what part of ourselves we are being in this moment there is great enjoyment. When we unconsciously go through our day, in our routine we are not conscious and lack inspiration. It is not about our future. It is how we are being in this moment, present time.
Our life is working for us when all of who we are is reflected in what we do personally and professionally. This means being consistent across all aspects of our lives and showing integrity in each and every way. Integrity means intuitively to be your true self. Inspired success comes from this consistency. When we are not aware, consistent and congruent then we have more problems than we care to have, are frustrated, perhaps in pain and experience more failure than we need.
Take the time to meditate. Get quiet. Go within to have inner awareness of who you are at your core and let that energy flow into your life and your work.
There is no topic less interesting than time management and yet I was recently part of a discussion on this. Most of us hate the idea of time management and others seem to manage their time with no effort. What if I said there is no such thing as time? That time is simply a construct we create to organize our thinking. There is science behind this concept but that is not the point of this blog.
Choices
On a practical level one person in the conversation did not understand why people have a problem with time management. To him it is just about making the right choices each day. For him it is simple. For others they just know they do not have enough time. Still others have the time but time flies without accomplishing what they intended. I am sure there are other scenarios as well.
Intuitive Perspective
From an intuitive perspective each of us are programmed in our concepts about time. Our thoughts are often unconscious and so they become a habit. We react in the same way in relationship to time, each and every time. During the discussion the organizer polled us on various questions related to time management. Everyone answered and they summarized the poll. Intuitively I saw that we would answer those questions the same no matter when we were asked, last week, last year, next year, etc. We are each programmed to think and react to time in a particular way.
Claire
Working with my client, Claire, I saw she was overwhelmed with the idea of no time or not having enough time. Granted it is a busy season for her but I noticed that her body was tense. Her energy was tight. She seemed stressed. She was not behind in her plans for the day because it was early morning and it had not started. I asked her about her schedule for the day. It was grounded and clear. She had a well thought out plan for her day. I asked about her priorities and what she needed to get done. Claire was clear and knew exactly and in what order she needed to do certain tasks. So why the tension? This question caught her off guard. She was not aware of how stressed she felt then realized that when she thinks about her schedule and her work she reacts in this way in her body. It is automatic and without thought.
This is true for most of us. When we consider time management, prioritizing our work, creating a schedule and a plan to get things done we have an automatic and unconscious way of being. What is that for you? Is it the way that you want to be? Is it causing you not to achieve your goals or in the way you desire?
Multi-Tasking Distorts Time
I admit I am one of those people who can get tense if I am not paying attention. As a teenager and young adult I was taught that multi-tasking was a sign of being very capable so I learned to do many things at once, to have my attention divided. That way of being is very stressful on the body because it requires that you are never present with one thing.
A New Approach
Later I learned that being this way I was busy but not accomplishing my goals so I changed my approach. Now I focus intently on the most important task first to its completion then on to the next. This is a very effective approach for me. I also noticed that though my actions changed my thinking about time and how I felt in my body did not. I still felt like I was multi-tasking and not having enough time. I needed to change this as well.
Real Change
Meditation is a great tool for creating change. I knew my thoughts and reactions were unconscious, automatic ways of being. In meditation each morning I take the time to stop, get quiet and go within. From there I notice my thinking and change it. I become aware of how I am holding energy in my body and relax, release until the tension is gone. Next I decide how I want to be and feel in my body, in my work and in my life this day. The idea of present time (this day) is powerful. How do I want to feel and be right now then feeling that way in my body and changing my thinking to support how I want to be? Some days it is easier to do than others but I stay quiet until I can make these changes because if I do not then nothing changes.
Next Step
What is your relationship to time and time management? What do you want to change? Changing our time management skills happens on several levels so just deciding to change is not enough. Real change happens in body, mind and spirit. So create a time management plan to change your thinking (mind) about time then take the time to meditate to create change in body and spirit. Making these changes in some miraculous way creates time. This is not logical but it is very intuitive. So take the time to make time.
Here it is again. I know that I already wrote a blog on your annual plan but I know you have not done it so here is another perspective that I hope gets you going. It is never too late to plan. Do you have a plan? Are you committed enough that you wrote it down? Research abounds that supports the notion that those with a written plan fare better than those who don’t. From an intuitive perspective this is true as well.
Vision
It begins with having a clear vision of what you are creating in the long run. When we see that clearly in our mind’s eye we are ready to manifest it. On the other hand if we cannot see clearly what we intend to create, be or do then it is time to go within not a time of manifesting.
Make It Real
Once we know our vision it is time to make it real. That is where the plan comes in. I have worked with dozens of business owners and professional since January to write their annual plan for 2014. Some are eager because they want things to be better but don’t have a vision for 3-5 years so we start there. Others have the three-year vision but never wrote it down so it is not quite real. Still others have a written vision but are not sure how to get there. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar or perhaps your story is different?
Stop Striving
Regardless of where you are there is no need to struggle or strive when you have a clear vision, a plan to get there and it is all written down. This is the concept of body, mind and spirit. You have a vision and writing it down is a way of bringing it to the mind and the body. This is powerful and research supports this very intuitive perspective.
The Hard Part
Now the hard part. How are you getting in your own way? To begin take some time, quiet time, to reflect on last year. What goals did you have? Which were achieved and why? Which were not achieved and why? Write it down. This exercise brings to our awareness how we are with our goals. There is never a mystery why a goal is or is not achieved. What did we imagine would happen?
What Are You Willing to Change?
Armed with that information how do you want to be that is different this year? How do you want to change your approach to your goals, your thoughts and your energy? What will you stop resisting? How will you change your energy and your thinking?
What You Are Not Doing
Look at your vision, your goals and your plans to get there. Notice what you did not write down. I find that unconsciously we do not write steps that we know we need to take but we do not want to, find difficult, outside our comfort zone or simply resist. Often these are the very steps that will make the biggest impact. We tend to write the same old strategies we have used with limited success. Write the tough and scary steps that will make a real difference.
Get Real
Go back and write down the steps you can take that will have the greatest impact. You may have to stop thinking and sit quietly to reflect or meditate because we get stuck in ways of thinking that do not serve us but keep us comfortable even if it is not where we want to be. What are the big steps, the impactful steps?
In Your Own Way
How are your fears, limiting thoughts, resistance to change, etc. keeping you from creating a plan that will actually achieve your goals and move toward your vision of success.
Do It Now
Take the time to stop and work on your vision, your goals and your plan to get there. Then tell me the difference this makes.
Best wishes on your success,
Kay
If you would like help creating your annual plan just let me know. I am here to help. Click
January has passed and by all means possible it is my hope that you did it – your plan for 2014. Whether you are a business owner or a professional focused on success, a written plan is a must do activity. It is fine to have an idea or even know what you want to have happen but there is magic to writing it down, a level of commitment that most of us need. Granted there are exceptions to this rule but they are few and far between. For most of us having a grounded written plan is essential for success. You can easily tell whether you are in the “most of us” category or the “few and far between” category. Are you consistently achieving your grandest vision for yourself each year?
We all achieve some of our goals. Those are the easy ones. The goals are clear to us. We have no difficulty seeing them happen. Most importantly we don’t have any energy, thoughts or beliefs that get in our way that create doubt and so those goals manifest without a second thought.
Beyond Your Reach
Then there are the goals that always seem beyond our reach, challenging to accomplish or simply more difficult to achieve. These goals take a plan – a written plan. As an intuitive I know that everything we wish to create begins with knowing what that is then being able to imagine or seeing it happen in our mind’s eye. These are first and very important, but there is more.
Goals
For that vision to manifest takes concrete actions to bring it into the physical reality. A vision without action remains a dream or a fantasy. Translating our vision into goals (small steps) moves our reality from where we are now to where we want to be. This is where the magic happens.
Write It Down
Going through the process of writing down our vision, the goals (small steps to getting there) and the plan of how to make this happen is all about making your vision real. Writing a plan helps us take bigger steps more quickly as we focus our attention and our awareness. In this way we are not lost in thought, distracted by whomever or whatever grabs our attention.
Vision & Goals
Often people write goals though achieving only goals may not bring us the result we want. It is so much more powerful to know your vision for success first, write goals to get you there next then the plan to achieve those goals.
Not Too Late
It is not too late. You can write your plan at any time so that you can move from where you are now to where you want to be next. If you find you cannot make yourself write it down you may also find you have difficulty creating change in your life. You can change everything by sitting down and writing it all out. It does not have to be perfect. It should be a living document so that if strategies do not create the results you intended then you can create new strategies until your goals and your vision of success begins to manifest. Take the time and see how writing out your plan changes things.
I just have to ask, “What do you choose?” Every day I watch business owners and professionals make really great choices and others make the worst choice possible but they do not see it. Of course, they do not see it. Who would deliberately make a really bad choice yet it happens all the time. So today I ask you to look deeper at what is behind choice for you.
Making choices is the most powerful creative act we perform each day. The choices we make create our reality (spiritually and physically)and yet we often do this with so little regard. What do you choose to have in your life? The energy behind our choices is important in understanding the experiences we are creating. Do we make choices from fear, resistance, anger, etc.? Wow! It will manifest from there. On the other hand do we make choices from enthusiasm, compassion, love, excitement, validation? If so, it will manifest in that way.
We make choices all day long. Some are automatic responses made without a second thought. We might also chose based on the collective consciousness – go with the flow. Finally, you could choose from your inner awareness of the choices before you and make your highest choice which is not always the easy one.
Making choices to control something never turns out well because we know we do not have control – ever. We can make choices that set forth how we want to be in relation to someone or somethingbut controlling it is never a reality.
I work with business owners and professionals every day. Some take responsibility for their choices, understand what is behind them and learn about the impact of the choices they make. Others do not want to know, to be conscious of themselves or take responsibility for the result of the choices they make everyday. They just decide and move on. How well someone understands themselves and what drives their choices is reflected in their personal and professional success. No one to blame.
There is much to be learned by understanding ourselves and what is driving one choice or another, hopefully before we make it. The choice itself does not matter nearly as much as the thoughts, pictures, concepts, emotions and energy that is behind it. Why do you want to make that choice? What is behind it emotionally, conceptually, etc.? You have heard, “Be careful what you pray for” or “Be careful what you believe”. I would say even before that “Be careful what you choose”.
Your first choice here is whether to be aware of what is behind your choices. This is an important choice. What is behind this particular choice for you? To know yourself or not to know yourself. The greatest step we can take to achieve our vision is to stop acting and reacting to everyone and everything but to choose how to be. This is a choice to be conscious and aware of what we choose in each moment. This means to be present, conscious and aware of self.
If something is not as you would like it to be – do not judge it. Take a moment and remember the choice you made that brought you here. If you do not have something perhaps it is because you have not yet chosen to have itor you inadvertently chose not to have it. For example, saying that you want something then thinking that it cannot happen is a choice not to have it.
Let’s assume you are someone who understands that the choices you make create you experiences. Let’s assume that you are willing to see and know what is behind your choices (fear, grief, anger, envy, control, love, enthusiasm, creativity, etc.). Once you know thatanswer then make the highest and grandest choice even if it is at first uncomfortable.
All the choices we make come from the body, mind and spirit. The best choices use all three. From who you are as a spirit come your highest choices, your grandest vision of who you are and chose to be. What is more common is for the body to want one thing, the mind to think another way and for you to know intuitively your highest choice. What do you choose? When we are aligned in body, mind and spirit our choices create results that will amaze.
Take time to stop and be aware of what is behind the choice you are making in each moment. Make your highest and grandest choice then see what happens.
A new year and the same old routine creates nothing new. We can be so set in our ways and stuck in our own way of thinking that we lock out the possibility of real change. Sure we will make some changes in the New Year. We always do – at least for a few months.
Every January my gym is suddenly packed with people and there is no place to park. I do not stress about this because I know the numbers will go down each day and by the beginning of March everything will be back to normal.
Real change is not easy. It takes focus and determination. From an intuitive perspective it means creating a change in your energy first. Our routines and habits cause our energy to spin in a particular way and at a specific vibration. It stays this way day in and day out with occasional changes to high and low points.
How our energy is set (vibrates) creates precisely what we have in our lives at this time. What we have may be great or we may be done with it. In either case being conscious and aware of how we are being is important to creating success – personally and professionally.
This is a good time to stop, get quiet, go within and reflect on where we have been, where we are now and our vision for where we are going next. I use the word next because we are constantly growing in our understanding of ourselves and so we finish one thing then imagine the next.
Stuart, the Architect
I was working with a new client this week, Stuart, a successful architect. He was dismayed with his current work routine, feeling that everything depended too much on him. He could not see a way out. When I asked him what his vision was for his business in 3 – 5 years he had no idea.
This is a great story to illustrate the importance of having a clear vision. Without it life continues on the same. Stuart’s task was to take the time to meditate, to get out of his current thinking about things and open to his vision for where he wants to be. Once that is in place then every action he takes and decision he makes can move in that direction. In addition his energy will change from the current spin pattern and vibration to a new level that will allow and create change.
Susan, To Lead or Not to Lead
Susan is client who has a fast growing financial planning business. Things have gone well for her up to this point. She has been both a financial planner and a business owner though more of her time is spent managing her business. This past year we worked to create a new organizational plan that would support the growth of her business, adding new financial planners, a lead CPA and Office Manager. The goal is for Susan to step out of the day-to-day running of the business and move more into a leadership role guiding the values, vision and future of her company. Susan is set in her ways. She does not like managing the day-to-day operations but it is familiar to her and she has done it for a long time. Being the leader is a new role, unfamiliar and uncomfortable. To be a leader means to change her energy from the lower chakras (busy doing) to the upper, setting the tone, owning the crown chakra (leadership).
Susan is at a crossroads. She is resisting creating a business development plan, a financial plan, a marketing plan, etc. All the tasks of the leader in a business must do. It is her choice. Her business is growing but will not sustain without a strong leader. We will see if she can make this change in her space for the New Year.
Your Vision
What is your vision of 2014? How does your energy have to change? Getting out of routines, habits and becoming more self-aware are the starting points for real change. It is often the case that we cannot see where we are stuck. Working with a coach is a great way to have someone on your side who can show you what you cannot see. To work with a coach you must be willing to receive honest communication then be willing to change. It may not always be easy but it will be enormously helpful in achieving your vision of success.
What is your choice for the New Year? Same old, same old or something new?
Knowing that thoughts are creative means to be careful what you think. This past month I did a series on thinking. It included being aware of where we get lost in thought, stuck in our thinking, create negative thoughts and other possibilities. In essence I noticed that we take little control of our thinking and, in fact, are not be aware this is happening.
Why do we dwell on thoughts that invalidate our goals and our vision for ourselves? This happens all the time. We just go with it. Whatever we dwell on manifests. That may not be logical but it is very intuitive. Notice for yourself what do you dwell on. Do these thoughts support your vision of success? If so, I am going to guess that you are succeeding. Do you dwell on thoughts that bring you down, focus on what is not happening or reasons why it is not happening? I am going to guess that you are frustrated in not achieving your goals. Without deciding which came first the chicken or the egg simply change your thinking and see what happens.
This is not as easy as it sounds because we are set in our ways, have little control of our thinking and worse yet we believe our thinking as if it was right and true. There is a great deal of research that shows how our thinking can be dead wrong. Yikes!
I was giving a talk this week to a group of business owners and thoughts about their business. One young woman stated emphatically that she was going to have to work 24/7 to be successful in her real estate business. regrettably there would be no time for husband and family. I asked her, “Why do you think that way?” She looked surprised. I asked her if she really wanted to create her career in that way, working 24/7 and not having a family. I suggested that she could change her thinking after all it was only her thinking and not necessarily true. Could she imagine being successful and having a husband and family?
A physician told me that she was concerned this time of year because people don’t go to the doctor during holidays. I asked her why she thought that way. She also looked surprised as I suggested another way of thinking. How about thinking that people decide to go to the doctor during the holidays because things are slower, they have time off or it is easier to take time off. Surprised she agreed this is a possibility as well. Which way would you direct your thinking?
We have free will and free thinking so why not create thoughts that support your vision of success in your personal and professional life. How might things be different if we did not dwell on thoughts that negated this vision. Take control of your thinking. Catch yourself and change your thinking in ways that support your success.
A common fear is failure. Others don’t fear it at all and, in fact, embrace the challenges the possibility of failure presents. These are two entirely different ways of being. Success can be the result of both reactions depending on how you approach it.
I conducted a meditation with business owners and professionals on the fear of failure. Now keep in mind it was not about actually failing just the fear of it. From an intuitive perspective, thoughts and energy are creative so the fear of failure creates ….. failure. We have to get out of fear or manage our fear if we want to be successful.
Meditation is a good tool for becoming aware of the fears that we hold. From the quiet of meditation we can release the energy of fear from our space. This works because the fear of failure is not logical and cannot be processed in that way. Fear is an energy that we can let go of when we are aware of it.
When Fear Is A Good Thing
Fear is important to have in cases of illness, injury, threat, etc. Fear creates a series of physiological reactions designed to make sure that we survive. When we are in fear all our energy goes to the first chakra at the base of the spine. Logic is set aside and replaced by automatic reactions. This is all good when we are in danger.
Fear of failure does not pose a threat to our life so having our body react in survival and our logic compromised is not helpful. It can cause us to act and react in ways that do not support our success.
Working with business owners and professionals I see this all the time. Most of my clients are self-aware and freely talk about their fears knowing they are not in danger but know that fear is in their way. Where these fears originate is a long story but for most of us fear begins at a young age. When we are not aware of the nature of fear we can let it control us.
Fear of Failure
The most common fears I hear are fear of failure, not being good enough and fear of finances. Some of my most successful clients express these fears often. If we are sensitive to fear it will be re-stimulated easily and often in our space. Suddenly we are in fear but we are not in danger. We can sit in the energy of fear or we can become aware that something just re-stimulated a memory, experience, emotion, stuck picture, etc. When we realize this we can take charge of our space and come out of fear. Each time we take a step out of fear we release another layer of energy. On the other hand when we sit in fear we add a layer of energy. Which do you choose?
Kathy’s Aware of Fear
Kathy owns a steel manufacturing company and is growing each month. Her greatest fear is failure despite all evidence to the contrary. Without going into her story suffice to say that she vividly remembers her dad’s fear of failure and how uncomfortable it made her feel. As she becomes aware of her own fear she steps back from it and resets her space to certainty as a women. She finds that her fear passes (releases) and she moves on.
Not resisting fear or failure is important to our success. Placing our attention and vision on what we are creating is a way of getting out of fear. Sitting in fear is not productive and, in fact, creates many physiological reactions that are harmful to our body, mind and spirit. So Fear Not!
Frank’s Fear
When we are in fear of failure it is easy to create stories in our mind that are not based in fact. Frank was in fear that his company was failing simply because he was waiting to hear on a bid he submitted. He did not hear back for so long that he created a story in his mind that he did not get the bid, went into fear and failure then called me. I asked why he was in fear? Why was he in failure? His bid had not been turned down. I suggested he use meditation to get out of fear and failure, to refocus his attention on being awarded the bid and being successful. Frank has free will so he can choose to focus on whatever vision he wants so why not chose to imagine success? Frank did this meditation for three days and felt better. Shortly afterwards he got a call that his bid was accepted. Success! Not a mystery. Not a coincidence. Frank changed his energy from fear of failure to visualizing success and so it manifested.
Notice if you are one of those who embrace the possibility of failure as a challenge to take a step up. Or are you more inclined to go into fear first? You can still embrace the challenge to take a step up. Fear Not.
What goal is still not being achieved? What part of your vision is not manifesting? This is frustrating when we are achieving goals and manifesting our vision in all areas except here. If there was a logical solution you would have found it by now so let’s take an intuitive approach. What is it within you that’s in the way? Knowing that thoughts are creative, as are emotions, find out what you believe.
Karen, Attorney at Law
One of my clients is an attorney with a fast growing practice. Karen decided to change from having a law practice to having a law business. We worked together to make this shift. This means she is more than an attorney. She is a business owner. With the enthusiasm of this change Karen brought in many new clients and was in heaven. After the glow (high energy) of this change wore off Karen started to hit a wall. She was not meeting her financial targets and began to doubt herself.
On the face of it, she was doing all the right things so what happened? Karen is self-aware so she knew to look within. Karen found that at her core she believed that she could not run a business that she was just an attorney. There are lots of reasons for this limited belief but more importantly Karen found it was her own thinking that was putting on the brakes. Armed with this awareness she became determined to release the limiting thoughts and hold her vision to create a successful law business. And she is.
Sarah, Realtor
Sarah is a realtor. She is young and would like a family but sincerely believes that if she wants to be successful in her career it will take all her time, hard work and attention. This means she will have to put off her vision for being married. When she told this to me I asked her why she was creating her reality this way. It was precisely what she did not want to happen but believed it firmly. I asked Sarah if she could imagine being a successful realtor, having a relationship and being married. Sarah looked surprised. She had spent so much of her time struggling with her own thinking that said either/or that she did not even consider the possibility of having both. When Sarah realized it was her own thinking in her way it changed everything for her.
Max, Bakery owner
Max owns a bakery. He works 24/7 or so it feels that way. When Max called me he was at his wit’s end and about to give up his store. I asked him the same question. Why are you creating your business this way? Can you imagine another way? With that Max came up with a list of reasons: can’t find good help, can’t trust others to do it as well as he can, can’t afford to hire enough people, etc. His list was long. Knowing that thoughts are creative I asked Max why he chose to hold these thoughts as the basis for his business. These beliefs will destroy his business. Max never considered that he was the cause of his unhappiness and was not familiar with the notion that thoughts are creative.
Max was willing to try anything to save his business. He agreed to learn meditation as a way to become self-aware, clear his thinking and create a new vision of success that more aligned to what he valued. Max was able to imagine his bakery running successfully with the help of staff and soon after fired a handful of people who share his vision. His business is thriving without him being there 24/7.
What About You?
What part of your vision is not manifesting? What goals seem to elude you? Now become aware of your thoughts creating this. Clear your thinking. Imagine your vision and goals manifesting. Allow things to change and your vision to manifest.
Life happens and we act and react to what comes our way. That is an atheist view. What if every thing that happens manifests through our own thinking about things? This is truer but hard to grasp because it is not logical though it is very intuitive. The proof falls in line when we see ourselves. Let me share a story of one of my clients who learned that her thinking about things matters.
Susan – The Failed Leader
Susan is a new director of a large research laboratory. Under her is an array of doctors each a specialist in their field. Susie called me because she was trying to bring her team of doctors together for monthly department meeting. To date some doctors never came, others came and controlled the meeting with their own banter, etc. She was frustrated, felt disrespected and that her leadership was not recognized in the way that she wanted. When I met with her I could see clearly how she was creating this scenario through her own thinking.
No One To Blame
Typically we look outside ourselves for why something is not going well. In this case, Susan believed the doctors were being arrogant, had their egos in the way, etc. This was what she believed and saw the problem was with them. From an intuitive perspective I had her not focus outside herself but to be aware that she was creating this reality. I saw her thinking was in her way. Susan could not imagine bringing the doctors together under her leadership and to work collaboratively. She feared their egos were stronger than hers that they would run her over and disregard her role so that is exactly what she created and experienced. At first Susan argued that she was not creating this because it was not what she wanted.
Change Others or Go Within
Susan came up with many suggestions on how to make the doctors come to the meetings, follow her agenda, etc. These were possible solutions though intuitively I knew they would not work until she changed her thoughts and pictures about her relationship to her staff. Susan agreed to a guided meditation in which she could become aware of her thinking and vision of the lab.
A New Vision
In meditation Susan began to imagine the research lab operating in a successful, supportive and collaborative way. When she became aware of her thoughts about this person or another being in the way she cleared those thoughts and created a new perspective. Susan meditated on the monthly staff meeting imagining it in a new way. She began to see her team of doctors coming together, seeing value in collaboration, sharing expertise and generally enjoying the time together. As she meditated on this she became aware of how much energy she had in resistance to the monthly meeting herself and released that energy from her space. She was also aware of her fear that the doctors did not value her leadership and cleared those fears. We continued in this fashion until she could see clearly all the doctors being in communication and support of the success of the lab.
Everyone Is Intuitive
A couple of intuitive points helped Susan understand how she was affecting her ability to be a leader. Everyone is intuitive and the doctors simply picked up on Susan’s energy (fear and uncertainty) and reacted in kind. They intuitive read her pictures especially the one about doctors not wanting to follow her leadership and so they did not. From an intuitive perspective be aware that people pick up on the energy and pictures in our space and react more to that than what we say.
A New Reality
Once Susan cleared her thinking and released the energies in her space, I had her begin to see herself as a leader with a clear working relationship with all of her team, leading, setting the tone, being in communication and having fun.
In this meditation Susan changed her perspective and energy about the lab, her staff and specifically the monthly staff meeting. Not surprising Susan reported that everything changed immediately. She found herself approaching her communication with everyone in a new way resulting in a new response from each person. They seemed to sense her clarity and certainty. All the doctors attended the next monthly staff meeting, and she led them in a lively and productive case discussion. It was clear to Susan the change was within her. The staff sensed her clarity as a leader and the change in her perspective.
Clear Your Thinking
What surprised Susan was she did not have to make her staff change though that seemed to happen. Susan understood that she was in her own way. Her thoughts about her staff, her fears about her own abilities and how she saw herself as the leader were manifesting in her reality. That has changed. Susan committed to regularly assessing the thoughts and concepts she has in her space and on her mind and to meditate to find this clarity.
From an intuitive perspective we create our reality through our thoughts, fears and concepts. Change your thinking and watch your reality change. If there is a situation in your life or your work that is not as you would like it to be then stop to see what your thoughts are about it. It is never the other person or the situation. It is always manifesting from within us so meditate because the answer may not always be logical.
Things don’t have to be this way. They are this way because it is what we believe. I know this is hard to hear especially if you are busy in your life and don’t have the time to stop thinking, solving and working.
From an intuitive perspective I can see how we are creating what we have and what we experience now. It is not a mystery except to ask, “Why do I think that things are this way?” Or “Why do I believe this (your experiences) to be true?”
All Gone Wrong
The only way to find that answer from my perspective is to stop, get quiet and meditate because the answer is not a logical one. I was telling my daughter what a tough time I was having last week. My staff was not showing up, my clients were cancelling, etc. It felt all-wrong and there was not logical explanation so I stopped stressing and decided to mediate. In meditation I can get quiet, pull my energy out of the problem, my thoughts about it, the stories I was making up in my mind, get my space back and get back to the way I truly like to be.
Now I cannot explain to you why things got so out of whack because in my mediation I was aware that it was not one thing but a series of things that I reacted to and collectively they altered my energy and, therefore, my reality. Within an hour of that meditation (which was simply to become aware of myself in present time) everything seemed to turn around 180 degrees. This is not logical but it is very intuitive.
Use Both Sides of Your Brain
We can work mostly from our logic, work hard, solve problems, stress about what is not as we want it to be or we can use both of our abilities – logic and intuition. To benefit from our intuition we have to quiet the body (which is so loud and demanding) and clear our thinking (stop being logical for a moment). It is hard to stop our thinking, our logic< and get quiet enough to meditate but that is where the miracle happens.
FastCompany
FastCompany magazine November 2013, “Want Success? Meditate. The centuries old practice has its skeptics, but science confirms it: Meditation, advocated by an increasing number of successful business people, leads to a happier, more productive, and more creative life. This deep dive exposes how the process affects our brains, from weakening our capacity for anxiety to dramatically improving our ability to fitter out distractions and retain new facts.”
Ray Dalio on Meditation
Meditation is becoming a common tool successful business owners use and are talk about more and more. This is not surprising to me because once you create the practice you experience the change immediately but it requires taking the time to try. Ray Dalio, Hedge Fund Genius, says meditation is secret to his success.
Find Your Style
There are many forms of meditation. I use an intuitive form of meditation because I work with people who have big visions and this style works in manifesting visions. Any form of meditation has value so pick one that suits you and start.
This morning my week looked grim so I meditated and by noon my companies had two new contracts out of blue or I should say, “Out of my meditation.” My recommendation – meditate every day. It will make all the difference.
Success is not elusive. Achieving goals is not a mystery. Nothing is impossible when we can see clearly and get out of our own way.
What does that mean?
There are a few essential steps to assure success and while the basics are the same (know your vision, see it clearly in your mind’s eye and take determined action to move in that direction), I find that I add elements to this list for each person I coach. It might be to:
Clear their thinking about _______
Change routine way of doing ______
Or wherever else I see intuitively you are getting in your way.
Sometimes people can hear what I see and sometimes they cannot. It depends on how attached someone is familiar ways of being, doing or thinking. We can be unconscious to ourselves.
If we want something new or different then change is required. That change can be on a number of levels. It could be a change in our thinking, our routine, habits, pastime ways of doing things and wherever we are set in our ways.
Working with business owners and professionals we name everything they do that supports their success and what they do that gets in their way. It is fascinating to unravel this. Mostly we don’t realize that we are in our own way. Our way of being is just so much a part of our unconsciousness.
The most common way that we get in our own way (and it is becoming more prevalent) is our attachment to email and social media. A large part of our time can get lost in these two places taking our attention off our vision and our goals and placing it squarely on what others have to say, want from us or something that we find interesting.
The Keys.
Know your vision of success.
See it clearly in your mind’s eye (meditate on it because seeing is different than thinking).
Take determined action.
Then I add my suggestions specific to you. It may be getting focused because there is too much grabbing your attention.
You are multitasking and not achieving your goals.
Maybe I’ll see that you are really really busy but not achieving your vision of success. Busy does not create success.
There are others ways as well but I would have to talk with you to know what those are for you. You probably know some of them but not all because you are unconscious to them.
Most important is to know you must change! How you are now, how you think, how you spend your time and the energy level you do it from is creating precisely what you have in present time which may be fine but if you want something different then your energy and patterns have to change.
How are you getting in your own way? Know the changes you can make to support your success.
I saw two videos recently that for me show these dichotomies. One is a dancer. He reminds me to let energy move, let things change, lighten up and let go.
The other is much more serious report on how distorted our thinking can become. How we can work without awareness. Here they are. Enjoy!
I don’t like how I feel right now. Does this sound familiar? Or I don’t feel like myself today. These and other terms are used to describe how we feel when we have lost our space. Losing our space means our energy is out of whack and we are out of sync.
Most of us sigh in frustration when we feel this way then move on with our day while feeling out of sorts. This can be disastrous. Disastrous is such a strong term but I mean it. When we are out of sorts, not feeling right, etc. it means we are not being ourselves. This means we also do not have perspective or control of our energy. We may act and react in ways that are not typical for us and make decisions that we would not ordinarily make.
When our energy is disturbed in some way we are likely to do more harm than good because we are not being ourselves. We are being the effect of an energy disturbance in our space.
The causes of disruption, disturbance or changes in our energy are varied. It could be the result of an experience we had recently, a conversation, a meeting, etc. in which the energy caused a change in our energy. Most likely someone’s energy got into our space causing a change in our flow. Maybe someone whacked you meaning they threw energy at you in anger, frustration or competition. Perhaps we had an experience that greatly disturbed us personally or professionally causing our energy to react.
Energy disruptions can also be caused by changes in the body. For women it can be their cycle. For all of us it might be our diet, lack of exercise, medications, drugs, alcohol, lack of sleep, etc.
There are so many causes. It is important to realize when we are out of sorts and not just go with it. The good news is it is easy to change our energy and get our space back to being ourselves. One of my clients, Claire, left me a message yesterday. She is in the throes of a big project and she has learned working with me that her energy changes under pressure going from an otherwise pleasant business owner to a raging boss. Always in the aftermath she regrets her behavior and declares that is not who she is, trying to convince her staff of that as they stare in amazement wondering, “Who is that?”
I recall I was in a meeting representing an organization in a multi-million dollar class action suit and I could tell that two men in the room were lying. That was a trigger for me. I am all about fairness and truth so when people are being dishonest I lose my space and my awareness. I started to challenge them vehemently. Our attorney touched my arm and asked that we step outside. She pointed out how out of control I was and that I needed to get my space back. I explained to her they were lying. She understood that I was intuitive but that there was no evidence they could point out at this time so I had to bide my time. Suddenly I realized how much I had lost my space and was not being myself. What is a trigger for you?
Jim called me asking for help. He had just finished a phone call with a colleague and he felt buzzed and could not think straight. After working with me on this business he has come to realize that he needs to stop when things don’t feel right and set them straight. I saw intuitively that the person he was speaking with was trying so hard to convince him of something that he placed all his energy in Jim’s space making Jim feel not like himself. This is not logical but it is very intuitive. We all have had this experience many times.
Regardless of the cause it is important to our success personally and professionally to realize when we do not feel right or not ourselves and do something about it immediately before we create trouble for ourselves. Changing our energy or getting our space back is easy. Being aware that we have lost our space and taking the steps to stop and fix it is the tougher challenge.
Should you decide to stop and change your space it is quite simple. I suggest meditation. It could be five minutes or an hour whatever it takes. Meditation is simply stopping, quieting the body, clearing our thinking and resetting our space. These are intuitive terms that don’t mean much until you experience it so try this now even if you feel like you have your space. It will make things even better.
Meditation Exercise:
Sit in a comfortable and quiet place.
Take a deep breath, release and begin to relax the body (repeat often).
Close your eyes and focus on yourself, bringing your attention from out there somewhere back to you.
When you feel that you are beginning to relax and focus on yourself then be grounded. Imagine a connection between the base of your spine and the center of the planet. Take a deep breath, release, relax and feel that connection. Be grounded. Repeat until you feel connected and grounded.
Now be centered by bringing your attention into the center of your head. Right now your attention is probably out there somewhere so come into the center of your head. Notice how that feels and how it changes your perspective. Keep breath and release.
Now get your space back. By space I am referring to the energy field around you (your aura). Your energy is probably scattered far and wide from you so imagine calling your energy in around you within arms reach. I know this is not logical. Just try it. Imagine that energy field is all around you like a bubble. Keep calling your aura in until you get a sense of having your energy in around you. Now to make it real imagine a color on the edge of your space. A color you enjoy.
Now be present in the moment. Bring all of your attention and awareness into this moment. Keep doing this until you feel that you are present. You can imagine releasing down your grounding anyone or anything that comes to mind as you do this.
The goal is to be quiet in the body, not thinking and just being aware of yourself in present time.
Now meditate on how you want to be in this moment. You have the ability to change your space and be however you want. I suggest a high vibration (enthusiasm, inspired, amusement, joy, excitement, etc.) When you feel like you are yourself and how you want to be then take a deep breath, stretch and come out of meditation
You are ready for your day. Once you get the hang of it meditation can go easily and quickly until then it make take some time to become comfortable with it. It is well worth the time.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
If you have any difficulty with this please feel free to contact me to discuss what is in the way of you having your space. kay@insightintuitiveconsulting.com
We get up. We go to work. We work hard and don’t always meet our goals and more importantly our vision of success. Getting things done. Completing our To Do List is not important. Are you surprised? One of my clients told me that she has a To Do List that for her is everything. If she does not get that list completed every day then she does not feel that she has accomplished anything. On the other hand when she does complete her to do list she is no closer to being successful.
So what does this all mean? It means we are not focused in the correct way. Sure there are things to do but they are not your purpose, vision or intention of why we do what we do. So often we become doers and lose sight of where we are going. The rest of the title of this blog is “Don’t Start Work Until You See and are Focused on Your Vision of Success”.
Don’t Leave This Blog
As an intuitive Business Coach I recommend all my clients to begin their day with meditation. I know half of you just left this blog because I mentioned meditation but there is no other sure way to promote your success. You won’t understand this until you experience it for yourself. Meditation is simply a way to quiet the body and clear your thinking so that you can regain perspective.
Busy But Not Successful
If you run off and start doing whatever you think you should do, the body will be energized and your mind buzzing on whatever is at hand and it may not be the best choice to achieve your vision. On the other hand if you start with meditation (quieting the body and clearing your thinking) how might things be different than starting our day from thoughts left in our head from the day before that have nothing to do with achieving success or an emotional reaction to something we experienced which also has nothing to do with our success.
Reacting & Stuck Thinking
So often we are reacting to what is on our mind or in our space instead of being clear about the actions can we take to move us further in our success. Don’t just be busy. Don’t be reactive. Don’t get lost in your thinking which can take you way off target. Stop. Clear your thinking. Let go of all the energy in your space then see clearly what is the next step and what can you do today to further your success. Ask that question when you are clear and quiet. That is the most important question you can ask and from the space of clarity.
Try This Meditation
Find a comfortable and quiet place. Allow yourself the time to do this well so don’t rush. That is not to say it will take a long time. It will take the time that it takes depending on how easily you are able to get grounded and quiet in present time.
Sit in a chair in a comfortable and quiet place.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and as you exhale relax and release tension (energy). Repeat as needed until you feel relaxed in your chair.
Be grounded. Feel and see yourself connected deeply into the ground.
Be centered. Bring your attention behind your eyes into the center of your head. Notice what that feels like.
Stop thinking. Be aware of being centered.
Have your space. Imagine all of your energy in around you – within arms reach.
Don’t be scattered or distracted.
Be present in the moment. Notice yourself breathing.
Don’t let your mind wander. Be present.
(Repeat until you are grounded, centered, have your space and are present in the moment)
Now meditate (imagine) your vision of success (personally and professionally).
See it clearly in your mind’s eye.
(If you cannot see your vision of success then do this often until you can because the things that manifest are those that you can see clearly. Think of them as the blueprint.)
Once you can see your vision of success begin to notice any thoughts you have that argue with your success. Clear and let go of these thoughts. They are just your thinking. They are not true unless you decide they are.
Now in your mind’s eye see the steps you can take today to move you further along. Don’t think. Use your intuition. Meditate and know your next step.
It may be an uncomfortable step, one that you are avoiding, something you resist, etc. Decide to take it!
Take a deep breath. Stretch. Come out of meditation.
Do this everyday. Each day you will become clearer. Each day you will see the benefit of taking this time to be clear. Also observe how each day goes when you begin this way.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
Please share your experiences with meditation and success.
This week was a look at how easy it is for business owners to get in the way of their success. Here is the story of one business owner getting in his own way. Jake has owned a large heating and air conditioning installation company for 18 yr. and suddenly it is about to go under.
Jake
Jake turned over the day-to-day operations of his company two years ago to two of his key staff. In general day-to-day operations is the function of managers and so that was a good strategy. On the other hand, Jake also stepped out, and unknowingly gave them the leadership of his company and this was his mistake.
Setting The Tone
For a business to succeed someone, typically the owner or CEO, sets the vision, values and the tone of the company. Staff, vendors and customers come to know this as the company’s brand which becomes how they feel about the company and what they expect in terms of customer service and product/service quality.
Abdicated Leadership
For two years, Jake trusted these employees, thought they were doing a good job and left them to run the business while he found new projects/customers to serve. This year Jake’s intuition told him he better come back as the leader of the company. He felt compelled by his intuition to ask for financial reports. With that both men quit leaving Jake with huge debt and little knowledge of the day-to-day operations, staff, vendors, customers and current operational procedures.
Admit Mistakes
Jake made several mistakes as a business owner but the one that harmed him the most was he gave up leadership of his company.
Jake had not been providing leadership from which all work would be done. One person has to define the vision for the company, the values they hold, the products and services provided and the way everyone will interact with each other, clients, vendors, investors, etc. When Jake gave up leadership, the two lead staff took over setting their own vision, imposing their own values and setting the tone for working with everyone. This change resulted in financial mismanagement, decreased quality and delivery of their products and services as well as relationships altered.
Now What?
When these two men left Jake had a crisis on his hands. He was in enormous debt, could not service his contracts, did not have qualified staff or systems in place, all the knowledge about the operations was held by the two that left and he had lost the faith of his bankers, staff, vendors and clients.
Jake’s Fears
How did Jake get into this mess? It was simple and could easily happen to any of us. Jake is educated and smart, but like all of us he does not know what he does not know as a business owner. Two years ago he felt like he did not know enough to keep his business going so rather than admit his uncertainty and finding a way to learn how to take his business to the next level he abdicated his business to others. Jake’s greatest weakness as a business owner is his fear of not knowing. His greatest strength is his knowledge of his industry and the high values that he brings to his business. His greatest fear, stated by him, is that he is not a leader. Jake is clearly a leader in his family of 14 children and his local community where he works to inspire youth to get an education and sees his role as helping others to be employed and productive. That sense of leadership is missing in his business.
Intuitive Perspective
Jake belongs to a very conservative religion that values humility and allowing others to be senior to them. This affects his ability to set his crown at a leadership vibration. Leadership from the crown chakra is different from the control and command form of leadership which comes from the third Chakra below the sternum.
From an intuitive perspective leadership vibrates in an energy center on the top of the head called the crown Chakra. When you hold your head high and straighten your spine, you experience an energy change. Try it. Suddenly you feel more certain. The crown Chakra sets the energy for our space. We can use this energy center to set the tone in any situation. Notice for yourself. Those who hold their head high show the energy of leadership, seniority and certainty. We notice, listen and pay attention to them. Those who hold their head low, bowed or below others give off the impression of not knowing, not being important, being weaker and certainly not a leader.
Be Willing to Learn and Change
Jake created a successful company for 16 years based on the information he had available to him then he hit his limit. He did not know how to manage or grow his $6 mil. company. In his fear of not knowing, he gave up leadership.
When Jake came back into the company and realized how desperate the situation was he called to discuss business coaching. He was willing to admit that he did not know what it would take to turn things around. After working with Jake for a month I realized it would not work. Jake’s greatest weakness he was his inability to plan and prepare both of which are essential qualities of a business owner and a leader. It is, in fact, the most important ability, to work on the business rather than doing the work of the business. He was simply unwilling to spend the time to create the vision of his company, define the brand he wanted to impart, to develop a financial or organizational plan and all the other foundational components of a successful business. He admitted he hates planning and preparing.
As an intuitive, I see Jake was stuck in an old energy pattern or routine that is familiar and comfortable even if it is not serving him. He was in resistance to changing his space, energy or focus. So if nothing changes within us then nothing changes in our lives or in our creations. In the end we stopped coaching as Jake admitted he could not take the time to plan. He would try to put band aids on his problems for now.
Being willing to lead, admit what we don’t know and to change ourselves first are essential components of success.
As always, your comments and experiences are appreciated.
Meditation in business is not a new idea but it is not widely practiced. That’s not because meditation and the benefits of meditation are not valued. It is because we cannot imagine stopping just to meditate. This is true in our personal lives just as it is in our professional space.
Taking the time to stop is probably the single most important action we can take in our day. A telling sign of success is our ability to stop. The more we keep working, thinking, doing, the more we collect energy and pictures in our space the sooner we will lose our perspective. Suddenly our minds are no longer clear. We cannot think straight. We begin to react and not respond. Our perspective is impaired by past time experiences and thoughts that are restimulated. Our decision-making ability is diminished. Wow!
Meditation is a time to stop, quiet the body and clear our thinking so that we can regain our perspective and refocus. I could make a laundry list of what goes out of whack when we lose our space and our perspective but I am sure you have your own list. What happens for you
So many business owners and professionals have told me stories of bad decisions, wasted time, over reactions and lost opportunities because they were not clear thinking. When we lose our space, awareness and clarity it not only affects the decisions we make, it affects how we communicate with everyone including staff, colleagues, family, friends, vendors and our clients.
Ask staff in any business and they can readily tell if their boss has his or her space at any point. When we lose our space it is clear to everyone even if we are not aware. We are not kidding anyone even if we try. People, all people, are intuitive meaning they can read us.
I talk about using meditation to clear our space and regain perspective though meditation has other value. Meditation is a way to heal. Many use it to visualize what they intend. I was watching a major league baseball game recently and the announcers were talking about a young pitcher who meditates before each outing. The announcer who was a former pitcher validated how important meditation is for a pitcher to be focused, clear-headed and to visualize pitching. Absolutely.
Start today. Decide to meditate not because you should but because it is a time for you to stop and get things right. You will notice the benefits immediately.
Best wishes on your success,
Kay
To listen to a short guided meditation or read how to do a short meditation Login-Register then go to Free Stuff Membership Area
When I begin a coaching session I always ask my client how they are doing. If they are great we move on. If they whine or show their energy is low for one reason or another then I wonder, “Why are they sitting in that energy when they have the ability to change it?” There is little value in a coaching someone in apathy, boredom, worry, etc. so we start with changing the space (energy) they are in. They are always very grateful and relieved.
The energy level we are being determines the outcomes and experiences we have. Lower vibrations create failure, actions not producing results, problems with communication, etc. Higher vibrations produce changes, creativity, success, new ideas, new opportunities, etc.
Most often people accept their space as it is for better or for worse. If they are not feeling great they attribute it to the fight they had with their friend, how they felt after looking at their bank account or after a client called in a complaint. They accept it and live that day in this energy. Why? We can stay in our reaction to things or we can change our space (vibration, energy level). There is no value in staying at a lower vibration unless we like to suffer or we don’t realize that we can change this.
So let’s state here and now. We can change our space and how we feel. We don’t have to solve the problem at hand first. When we change our energy then the problem at hand goes away or is much easier to solve. If your energy is typically at a lower vibration then it will take determination to change that habit. For most of us our energy is great one day and we can conquer the world or low another and we want to skip out on everything.
Why stay at a lower vibration when you have the choice and the ability to be at a higher vibration (energy level, feeling)? We have free will. We get to choose. My sister sent me a plaque that reads “Choose Happy”. I like that.
We have the ability to decide how we want to be and to change where we are on an energy level to a vibration we want to be. In this way we are in charge of our creations and our life. This may not be logical and your logic may be arguing with me but give this a try and see.
Start your day with a short (or long) meditation but at the very least do this.
Sit upright in a comfortable quiet place (if possible but on the subway if necessary).
Take deep breath and relax. Grab your attention from everywhere else and place your attention on yourself.
Notice how you are feeling. Why you are feeling that way does not matter so much
Stop thinking.
Notice how you are being. You can feel an energy driving your space already, i.e. enthusiasm, anger, creativity, depression, amusement, worry. etc.
Decide if this is how you want to be in this day. If it is them really feel it and enjoy it. If not then change your space!
Begin by taking a deep breaths and as you exhale let go of and release the energy that is making you feel that way, i.e. anger, worry, depression. Don’t think about it or analyze it just imagine letting it do.
Once you feel that you have begun to let go of where you are start to imagine how you would like to be.
How would you like your day to go?
How do you want to feel in your day?
Take as much time as you need to do these steps with certainty.
Now really feel that way.
When you have reset your space to the vibration you want to be this day then really be that all day. If you find your energy slipping then stop. Take a moment and come back to feeling (energy level) you want to be. You will learn a great deal about your automatic responses to things and ways in which you get in your own way but letting your energy drop. Success (personally and professionally) only happens at higher vibrations.
The magic comes when we begin to realize we have the control of our space OR we can choose to just be the effect of what is in our space. You chose.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
Learn basic meditation or join an online meditation (no experience needed). Meditation,
Leadership seems to come naturally to some and for others it takes learning but one thing is clear, it is no place for the ego.
Ego
A strong ego is not of much use to a leader and, in fact, can get in the way. Ego is about the self. Ego is often confused with being strong. From an intuitive perspective ego is a set of pictures or concepts of our perfect self. We measure ourselves against those pictures. When we like what we see we have a strong ego and we are proud. When we do not feel that we measure up to our perfect self then we are invalidated. Either extreme of the ego does not work in the world of leadership. Leadership is not about self.
Leadership
Leadership is about the ability to lead in contrast to ego, which is about self. A leader who is ego driven may feel strong to himself/herself, likes the sound of their own voice, likes their thinking and their presence. This seems almost like a performer in a play. Leadership is about being strong of spirit, having a sense of purpose, wanting to hear the voice of others, encourages others thinking and has affinity for the people he/she leads. These are stark contrasts.
Jim, the “Leader”
I was speaking with “a leader” in a company. I do not know him well. I was seeking his counsel on a mutual client and colleague. The moment I posed the question for our discussion I saw his aura change with the energy of his ego coming strongly to the forefront. Immediately I sensed that this was not going to be a discussion, that he was going to tell me the right answer because he saw being right was his role as the leader. As you might imagine I could not hear or follow him in the conversation because his ego was so loud and occupied the entire space. In fact, there was no conversation. Jim was leading by pushing his ego into the conversation. Needless to say it did not go well. I let the conversation end quickly so that I could pursue a solution another way.
Hold Your Head High
Being a leader is a way of being on an energy level. A strong leader has a strong crown. Crown refers to an energy center or chakra on the top of the head. This energy center sets the tone for the group. How he/she sets their crown give others a sense of how it feels to work with this leader.
An ego focused person tries to lead from their third chakra, the power center at the base of the sternum. It often feels like control – not leadership – to those under him/her. To be an effective leader means knowing yourself. I love the term, “Know where you are coming from.” From an intuitive perspective this means knowing the energy center do you lead from. This makes all the difference in how people experience your leadership and their willingness to follow.
Lead from Upper Chakras
An effective leader leads from the upper chakras (energy centers). Leading from the crown makes people feel comfortable that someone is in charge and has the certainty to lead. A strong leader also uses the sixth chakra (center of head) to have perspective and experience the ability to see clearly the truth in any situation. The fifth chakra allows the leader to give and receive communication and encourages creativity. Finally the fourth energy center (in the heart) is the ability of the leader to feel affinity for the people he/she leads.
Control/React from Lower Chakras
Leaders who are not effective are those who lead from their lower energy centers (chakras). They lead through control, have their ego in the way, are in competition with others and engage in power struggles through the third chakra (below the sternum). It is not effective to use the emotions of the second chakra (the gut) or to be in fear and survival when operating from the first chakra (base of the spine).
Leadership – A Journey in Self-Awareness
Upper chakra leadership allows the leader to have neutrality and a clear perspective. Operating from the lower chakras causes a leader to be reactive to whatever he/she encounters with little awareness of what is really going on. None of this is logical but it is very intuitive. Notice the energy center from which you or the leader in your business leads. Being aware allows you to grow in your understanding of leadership. Are you a leader? Would you like to be a leader? Begin by noticing what energy center you lead from. Shift your energy to your upper chakras and experience a whole new way of being as a leader and others will allow you to lead.
So answer honestly, do you find that you react or respond in most situations? Perhaps you have not put your attention on the difference. As a leader in your business, profession or life, it makes all the difference.
We all have energy in our space. What I mean by that is literally, we all have energy in our space. This is the “charge” we hold from experiences whether positive or negative. If I have an argument with someone it creates pictures and emotions – a charge in my space. When I carry that energy with me and communicate to others I am most likely to react in a way I may not intend.
Carol
My client, Carol, told me the story of having a disagreement with her teenage daughter first thing in the morning. She left the issue unresolved and it bothered her as she drove to work. Her first appointment was with a potential client and she worried about being late. When she got to her office her secretary looked at her then seemed angry. Carol thought that was odd because her secretary was level-headed and Carol was actually on-time – barely. That surprisingly irritated her. Carol stopped before stepping into the meeting, took a deep breath to make sure she was putting on a good front with smiles and enthusiasm. The meeting started awkwardly and soon Carol sensed she was not connecting with this potential client. There seemed to be tension between them so she stopped. Carol acknowledged the tension and apologized for being distracted by an earlier argument with her daughter. The client laughed and said, “So that is why I am angry at you and I don’t even know you yet!”. Her new client intuitively picked up on the anger in Carol’s space and felt angry as well. Hmmm. Once the air was clear they started over at the energy level they both wanted in their communication. He became her client but that is not always the case.
As an intuitive business coach, I asked Carol what happened that made her angry even before her argument with her daughter. She dug deeper though for another layer to the story.
Reacting vs. Responding
This happens all the time. We carry energy in our space and it impacts our conversations, relationship, decision-making, health, state of mind, etc. When we react we are communicating through the energy in our space, the thoughts on our mind, the emotions that are stimulated, etc. That is why I suggest we take the time to stop, clear our space, release and let go of whatever is on our mind or in our space so that we are responding from a space of clarity to reality in present time. What is happening now and not how do I perceive what is happening now through the filter of the energy in my space?
Leadership
Responding is important for leadership. Being clear, without energy and baggage of other experiences clouding our thinking, makes us a better leader in our work and in our life. So take the time to clear your mind and let go of energy you are holding in your space then step into your life and your work in present time.
This past week we invited Lynne Twist, the author of “The Soul of Money”, to speak. I read her book years ago and am still reflecting on her perspective that every decision we make is based on “Will this make me money?” or “Will this cost me money?” We are so programmed by money that in the back of our mind we are always weighing these two thoughts. Yikes! Is that really what we want?
Stop Striving
On Thursday Lynne focused on other aspects of money that I want to share with you. She suggested that we let go of trying to get more to free up our creative energy so that we can simply create more. She suggested that we pay attention to what we have, be grateful, make a difference with it and see our world change. This is not at all logical but it is very intuitive.
Have Gratitude
Lynne’s primary message was one of gratitude and gratefulness. These are two energy levels that create a different outcome than being focused on the energy of scarcity and lack. We can focus on having what we need and want or we can focus on our fear of not having. It is our choice, our free will.
What do you choose?
I was working with a business owner yesterday who realizes that her company goes up and down based on where she is in her focus and her thinking. Since we started our coaching relationship a month ago her business is up 12% so now she feels empowered. Even with evidence of her ability to create a successful business she has in the back of her mind fears that it will fail. I pointed out the choice she was presenting herself. She can place her attention on gratitude for what she is creating and see herself continuing to create OR she can place her attention on her fears. Which would you choose?
Thoughts About Money
What would happen if we changed our thinking about money? Try these steps and see what happens to your reality?
Let go of striving and trying so hard to have money
Clear your thinking about money, i.e. lack, not enough
Have a clear vision of what you are creating
Be grateful for what you have already created
Have gratitude for what you have now
Have gratitude for what you are creating
Please share your thoughts about money. There is so much to say about this.
One thing is for sure. You cannot be successful alone. I have seen so many people try. Even those who promote their success as an individual are not alone. They are part of something bigger.
I learned this at a very early age. My dad was successful, and I observed that he spent time being connected and building relationships in a very genuine way. When his connections needed logistics services of one kind, or another they called Bob Robinson, Robinson & Ogilvy. He was irresistible. What does that mean?
This morning I read a blog by Deepak Chopra about how to be irresistible. As I read, his blog I thought of my dad and it is Father’s Day. The characteristics mentioned were: be present, be centered in who you are and what you value; and care. These are my words not Deepak’s, but the concepts are the same.
When you were with my dad, he made you feel like you were the center of his world at that moment. You had his full attention. Everyone who spent time with him felt aware of themselves because he was so focused on them. My dad was very confident. He was an attractive man, who loved to have fun, made connections easily, saw himself as being successful and enjoyed being successful.
Most importantly he cared about others. He made friends with everyone he felt was sincere regardless of their role in his life. His friends were people he felt were honest and genuine from truck drivers to heads of corporations. He was a generous man. He gave to those who in need on the streets, donated to organizations that served a cause that moved him and gave endlessly to his church including an anonymous donation of the altar in a church he helped to build after meeting in a fire station because we did not have a church building.
So what did I learn about being successful?
Be present so that you know who you are being in the moment.
Build real, genuine connections.
Be centered in yourself. Know who you want to be and be that.
Care about others, be sincere, give, have compassion and be part of something bigger than yourself.
In the end, I saw my dad as bigger than his business and his success. His business served his life, and he made his life have value. He was not boastful and never saw himself above, important or better. He simply enjoyed being.
Was he perfect? Not at all. He had faults and had tough times like us all. I am grateful on this Father’s Day for what I learned about success, being and caring.
We have to get out of the DO before we lose everything! Does that resonate with you?
My focus is your success so I am always watching and observing what we do that supports our success and what we do that gets in the way. In this blog we are going to look at how being busy, doing lots of things, multi-tasking and focusing on details can get in our way.
I am a details person so I am not suggesting that paying attention to details is a problem but what is a problem is paying more attention to details than the big picture.
Success is a vision of something big we want to have, be or do. It is the big picture of what we are creating, our blue print of sorts. When we have a clear vision and can see it clearly in our mind’s eye it is manifesting. Too often we lose sight of our vision and get lost in the details. I love the term “loose sight” because that is exactly what happens.
When we lose sight our success begins to diminish and we wonder what happened. Just as easily we can place our attention back on the vision and make that focus of our attention. So rather focusing on sorting widgets and doing a really good job at it we can refocus on the big picture pulling our energy out of DOING things.
Being busy and working hard do not equal success. I know lots of people who are busy everyday and work really hard but are not achieving their vision of success. For the most part this happens when they confuse a good idea with a clear vision. A good idea is a thought we have about what we want our success to be. A vision of success is our ability to see that idea manifesting clearly in our mind’s eye. We can imagine it happening and can “see” it happening.
When we get lost in doing things and being busy we lose sight of our vision, it is diminished. We find that we are just busy, working hard and getting things done. None of this will create success of itself.
The next step is to take time each day to meditate and see clearly in your mind’s eye your vision of success. Don’t think about it. See it. Imagine it. Only then will the actions your take manifest your vision.
When we can see our vision happening then it is. If we do not see our vision clearly it is not manifesting so working harder won’t make a difference. Spend time meditating, clearing your thinking until you can see your vision of success. When you see it then all the hard work you are doing and all the details will pay off.
What do you do when you cannot define what you do? Sounds confusing and for those in this dilemma it is. I have noticed an interesting trend among many small business owners. They cannot decide what they do and from my perspective that is the wrong question. The question is who am I and what do I bring forward?
Yesterday I visited a business owner at her office and noticed that she had three different businesses named on her door. Have you met a business owner who hands you two or three different business cards for what they do? I experience this quite often and have done it myself.
When I first met Dave I asked him what he did. He was hard pressed to tell me specifically. My impression was he helped with marketing your business but I was not sure how. His company did website design, made videos, took photos, helped with mobile marketing, social media, etc. I had another client who needed marketing support so I wanted to know so I could put them together.
Another client, Marcia, is struggling to define her niche. She is an artist (sells her art), an interior designer for high-end clients, web designer, stager for fund-raising house tours, develops landscape designs, etc. Her question is how to market herself. Stacy is the business owner with three business signs on her door and a long list of coaching certifications to define her business.
I work with business owners to define the business they are creating when it is not so much a brick and mortar business like my other clients, i.e., a very successful heating and air conditioning installation business. Even my client, Kim, who owns a CPA firm, which seems pretty specific, is struggling to define her services and target market. She sees herself as more than a CPA.
This same dilemma can happen with professionals. Nicole has been a CFO for years and is looking for a change. She spoke about her passion for motorcycles and teaching. To her these are all different parts of her life. Working with her I suggested that she not see them as separate but all that she is. In the end she took a job as a CFO for a company that sells motorcycles and a job description that involved teaching and mentoring financial staff in each division.
From an intuitive perspective there is a new brand of businesses and professionals emerging that cannot be placed in a box. All of these business owners have one thing in common. They are all very intuitive whether they would define it that way or not. They each have an intuitive sense about their area of focus. For example, Dave is very good at “reading” a business and a business owner to decide the best way to set up communication between the company and possible customers. Dave knows about online & mobile communications but his real talent is an intuitive sense of how to create communication. What box does that fit in? So if you ask Dave what he does, he is not a web designer, a video producers, a photographer, an apps developer, etc. though he does all those things. Dave establishes communication.
Marcia helps you make your world more beautiful in any way that you that you want. Stacy helps you know who you are and what is important in your life. Kim helps her clients get out of fear of money. This is the truth of what they do. This is not your typical business elevator pitch nor does it fit the traditional perspective that says you must fit into a box. I am sure they wish that they could and want to but that box does not fit for them.
So the first question is not “What do I do?” The trend toward out of the box businesses comes from the business owner knowing who they are, what is important to them and what they want to bring into the world then creating their business. Taking all that we are and seeing it as a whole and not apart brings us to a new place. We can get a job, do work or create a business OR we can express who we are through what we do in our work or in our business. It is a journey in self-awareness. It is a new way of thinking about what we do. It is more than the skills that we have. It is who we are.
If you are going to work in a job or create a business why not chose to create one that reflects who you are even if it is out of the box. The culture of business is changing and this is one of those ways.
All human actions are motivated at their most basic level by fear or by love. What does this have to do with money? In some instances this is obvious. In other ways it is not so obvious because fear or love may be the thought behind the thought behind the thought. It is the original thought, unconscious and subconscious, that controls our space.
From an intuitive perspective these are the pictures in our space or deeper still, the automatic programming that controls our ability to love or to fear money. Whatever terms you use and however you get there, we all have layers of thoughts, pictures, concepts energies and emotions that create automatic actions or reactions in every situation.
The goal is to become conscious and aware of how we are being, to take charge of our space and make deliberate decisions about how we want to be. In this way we override these automatic responses that were set up in us through our genetics, family programming, experiences, media, education and other subtle and not so subtle forms of influence.
Every human thought, word and deed is based on love or fear. Most of us act and communicate on our first thought. There are no answers there. Most of us believe money is the problem and we go into fear when we do not have enough of it or feel in control of it. Instead the core picture is not about money. It is fear. The energy of fear manifests around our thoughts about money because it is a problem in our mind.
Fear
So let’s talk about fear. Your task is not to think about fear but simply be aware of your fears. There are the thoughts “on the top of your head” then there are the thoughts behind that. Meditation is a way to find these layers, to see them and know them intuitively. You find your fears then release and let go of thoughts, pictures, memories, emotions and anything else that you discover during meditation. In this way you create real change. If you do not become aware, nothing changes. If you do not let it go, nothing changes.
What fears do you hold in your space? Fear stops energy from moving, closes down our awareness, makes us hide, deny, push away, lie, etc. What do you fear the most? What you fear the most is what you will experience more. It is simple. Fear is a strong energy and energy attracts. Fear attracts fearful situations. Write down your fears. This helps bring them out of the unconscious spaces within you.
Fear is also a natural and important part of your survival instinct. When we are in danger or dangerously ill, the physiology of the body changes to make us better able to react and protect ourselves (and the species) from harm. This ability lies in the first chakra at the base of the spine. Fear in the first chakra is important. It’s when fear is stimulated for other reasons and in other parts of our body that it starts to control and distort our reality.
Fear and Money
Fear manifests around money because we have pictures, thoughts, energy and emotions in around money (conscious and unconscious). Knowing that thoughts create here is a common set of thoughts around money. “I want money but I cannot have it (create it, make it, have enough, etc.). So how do these thoughts manifest? They manifest literally. Wanting but not having.
So what are your thoughts about money? What are your thoughts behind that? Do you fear money or love money? Do you love your money? Or is most of your energy, thinking and emotions in fear of money?
A New Vision of Money
The next step is to be conscious and aware of how you want to be with money. You have the ability to decide and to have control of your energy, your thinking, your emotions and your vision. It is simply a matter of being conscious and aware in present time. What is your vision for money in your life? How would you like it to be not how you fear it will be?
When we are not conscious and aware, deciding how we want to be in the moment then all the unconsciousness in our space takes over creating automatic actions and reactions to everything not just money. Yikes!
So how do you want to be with money? This is something that you can decide logically but that won’t change anything. You have to go deeper to override the unconscious levels in us. Our challenge is to continually chip aware of the unconscious levels that control our space. The more awareness we have the easier it is to create. Meditate and imagine a new vision of money in your life. See it in your mind’s eye. Feel it in the body.
In all ways we are the creator. I know that is hard to hear and to understand but it is our purpose this lifetime, to grow in our understanding of our ability to create. See clearly your new vision of money that you are creating. See it happening now not in the future. See it clearly in your mind’s eye. Feel having it in the body. Allow your thinking to be aligned to this vision. (Body, mind and spirit). Write it down. Read it daily. Act in ways that creates a new vision of money in your life. Love it or Fear it. Your choice.
Best wishes on your success,
Kay
Note: Continue to meditate to bring fear out of your money space and meditate on your vision of money in your life. It will make all the difference.
The San Francisco Business Times Small Business Summit was held this week. It was a refreshing look at the state of small businesses with reports from their research group and a discussion among panel of small business owners, Mike Puente, Owner, House of Bagels; Peggy Howse, President & CEO, All Seas Wholesale Inc.; Babette Pinsky, Owner, Babette; Joy Chen, CEO, Yes To Inc.
Research report indicates that businesses have had a tough time since 2008 bu that owners feel optimistic and see a move toward increased profitability.
The three business owners identified their secrets to success and not surprisingly they agreed on the secret sauce that helped them survive. I want to share
Being incredibly focused on the most important strategies for your success
Put attention only on what matters
Be passionate about your product and service, its contagious
Convey that passion to a your clients, vendors and staff
Believe in yourself and your business
Look forward, focus forward and keep moving
Take a moment and self-assess. Where are you now relative to these and what can you change? It will make a difference.
I met with a new client yesterday. Kathy is the President and CEO of a very successful family owned business with two of her sisters working for her. Kathy finds she is doing a lot of the work and wants to hire but does not know how because she has never done this before.
Set in Their Ways
As we spoke it became clear the problem is more complex than simply hiring. Because this is a family business that has been around for over 30 years many of the staff have been on board for 20+ years. Loyalty is a great asset but it only works when the long-term staff is willing to develop new skills, allow change and grow professionally. Kathy feels her staff are “stuck in their ways”, not interested in learning new technologies, changing systems or changing their roles. They have gotten into routines and habits that keep the company from growing. Kathy cannot fire them because they are loyal employees. They are LIKE family. Then there are her two sisters who are not about to have Kathy tell them what to do. She can’t fire them. They ARE family.
New Vision of Success
Kathy wants to take the business to a new level. She is creative and has a new vision for their success. She is the CEO but finds no one else wants to change. She even finds herself doing a lot of the day-to-day work assigned to staff and her sisters that somehow bounces back to her.
New Organizational Design
I took an intuitive perspective on this with Kathy. Her father made all of agreements with staff when he ran the business. They are not her agreements (spiritual or other wise). It was time for Kathy to develop her own vision for the staffing of her business. For Kathy it begins with letting go of the energy and pictures that say there is no hope, that she is saddled with her dad’s agreements and sisters who don’t share her vision to grow the business.
As an intuitive I know the power of a clear vision so Kathy’s first step is to meditate on the kind of staffing she knows she needs to manifest her vision. This is not about specific people but rather the ideal structure, positions and functions – an org chart.
When Kathy is clear in her mind’s eye of how she sees staffing the business to achieve her vision then we agreed that she would it down – not to be shared. This is just for her work as the visionary/CEO of the company. She would also write down her vision of the business in three years. This she would share with her sisters first seeking their input then the staff inviting everyone to work toward this vision.
Who Fits In?
Once she has a clear vision of the business and the staffing then she must take her attention off and stop resisting her current staffing and her frustrations with everyone. It is my experience that when an owner begins in this way everything starts to change. Kathy will start to assign work to her current staff in a way that fits her vision, slowing creating change. As she does this she will see a change in the staff.
Don’t Resist What Is
By creating a vision of what she wants it begins to manifest. This is different than resisting what is. (Resistance perpetuates what you don’t want.) Intuitively staff will feel the change. Staff who is in agreement with her vision will begin to fit into one of the positions on her org chart. Staff who are not in agreement will suddenly find a new job, decide to retire or force themselves to be fired. This is not a coincidence. That is just how a vision manifests.
Steps To Create Change
This is a story about a family owned business but the intuitive principles apply to every business. If you are a business owner take the time to meditate on your business. First see clearly the vision you have for the next three years. Write it down. Be clear in present time. Now meditate on the ideal staffing to get you there. Write this down. Finally begin to act in ways that support your vision. Read and meditate on this everyday then watch this vision manifest.
Marketing is such an interesting area to an intuitive. You can approach marketing logically and decide what you want to happen. This is a hard sell approach and it may bounce off your potential clients. My perspective is intuitive. An intuitive approach involves reading your potential clients and what they want versus telling them about you, your business, products and services. They may or may not be interested. Telling them about your business does nothing to motivate them to do business with you or use your product. They don’t care. They don’t want to be programmed.
As an intuitive I work with business owners to use their intuition to read their potential clients, see where their attention is and how you can grab it. This is no place for logic. Be intuitive.
One of my clients is starting a new business selling high-end good quality delicious chocolates. He has partnered with expert chocolate makers to distribute their products. I read the quality of the product, the energy of the business itself, the business name, the chocolatiers who designed the chocolate, the manufacturers, his business coach, the office, his communication with the distributors for Whole Foods and other locations. Finally I read the packaging of their first product.
In the end it was the packaging of the product that was out of sync. The packaging was very nice, well designed and I saw that it would be entirely invisible in the stores. For the success of this business I saw they needed to take a risk and design packaging that would stand out and not get lost on the overly stocked shelves of very popular stores. Now this is not true for all products and services but it is true in this case.
Using intuition in marketing is simple. It begins by stepping back from all the logic and the energy of everyone working on the product. This means getting out of your analyzer and to stop thinking. Find a space of quiet and begin to imagine your product and your target customers. What will bring them together? Don’t be logical. Be intuitive.
Being intuitive involves using your mind’s eye to see from the perspective of the buyer and the consumer. Where is their attention and how do you grab it? People love it when something grabs their attention. When you can see that clearly in your mind’s eye you have the answer to your successful marketing plan.
Karen owns an interior design company and when I first met her she was working out of a large one-room office in Berkeley with another designer in a one-room office in Concord. She had an office manager and two part-time designers. She rented space to another designer to help pay the bills.
Karen’s work was well respected and her clients liked working with her but she was not making enough money to create the kind of company she wanted. We worked on her vision. She was able to dream big and was not afraid to face her demons, the pictures and energy that were in her way.
The first step was to use meditation as a tool to clear her thinking, to clarify her vision and to get out of fear. Karen wanted to approach her business from an intuitive perspective so meditation was an easy fit for her.
One of Karen’s big obstacles was her staff. They did not share her vision. Something had to change so the next step was to bring staff into alignment with her vision or let them go. It was a rocky time as Karen is a healer meaning she wants to help people. This hurt her business. Her rates were low and she gave more to her staff than they gave to her business. Her Berkeley staff decided to leave and subsequent hires did not go well as Karen hired people she felt compassion for. They call came and went.
In meditation Karen released her need to heal the people that she hired. Finally she was able to find enough neutrality to hire highly qualified staff that supported her vision and who she did not have to heal. This changed everything.
With this new staff Karen felt comfortable changing her rates to the level that supported her value and the value of her company. To make this work Karen had her lead staff receive coaching as well with the goal that each of them would own their department, set goals, clear their thinking and have a strong vision of success in their area of responsibility.
Did I mention “departments”? Yes, her company in its new design has departments, home design, office design and sales. Her staff is in agreement with her vision; see their role in creating success and use meditation as a way to stay clear and focused.
This year Karen opened her third office in Marin and expanded her offices in Berkeley and Concord. She was able to do this because she was willing to get out of her own way, to see where she was stuck, release energy and create a clear vision. Inviting her staff to share in her vision and her practice of using intuition and meditation strengthened this. Karen’s greatest challenge is to not let fear stop her and to watch when she is healing everyone. She is eager to be self-aware and how she is creating her success. This year with strong staff in place her focus is on her personal life so that her business serves her life.
Having a vision is powerful. Having your staff share your vision is more powerful.
Most of us associate work with stress or effort. This is so familiar that we become tense automatically at the thought of work without noticing. Consider being at ease at work. Does that even seem possible? Being in effort is most often an automatic response. Being at ease at work is a choice we can make. It means being conscious and aware of how we want to be in the moment, choosing to be at ease.
When we are in stress, resistance, tension or other energies that create effort we will notice that our life and our work mirrors this. This is not a coincidence. Being at ease is a way to turn things around, cause things to flow and for our goals to manifest more easily.
Sometimes our energy is light meaning it is moving at a high vibration, light in color, and other terms that describe ease. What does it mean to be at ease? From an intuitive perspective it means energy moving without resistance and vibrating at a high energy level, being at ease in body, mind and spirit.
Being at ease begins when we are grounded in present time. This helps the body relax. Being at ease means not thinking – just being present and aware in the moment as you observe what is going on with you and around you. Being at ease means being aware of yourself, what you are being and how you are reacting in the moment. Being at ease means being in communication with yourself.
Notice if you can be at ease. Notice where you are not at ease. Release, let go, stop resisting, be neutral – which means not reacting. Just observe. Notice yourself being at ease. If you have never truly ever been at ease you may not know yet what that is or how to get there.
Intuitive exercise: with your eyes closed imagine a gauge in front of you from 0 – 100. Without thinking have the gauge show you how close you are to being at ease – 5% 10% 50%. Are you surprised?
I was working with a client this morning and she was NOT at ease. She was stressing but was not aware of it because she is in a constant state of stress about one thing or another. So for her the goal is to stop and be at ease before she goes to work, makes a decision or interacts with her staff.
Are you able to be at ease at work? What are your thoughts about being at ease at work? Is it the idea that it is WORK so by its very nature it should be stressful? What is your programming? Meditate on the aspects of your work that allow you to be at ease and the aspects that don’t. Change your reaction. Decide to be at ease at work. Can you imagine that? If you are at ease at work how might your work be different?
The client I was working with this morning had many reasons why she was not at ease with other people and why they were the cause of her lack of ease. I smiled then she smiled. The cause is never outside of us. We have the ability to act and react in any way we choose. So what do you choose? There is no logic here. You simply get to choose. Free will. You can choose to be or not to be at ease. What do you choose? If being in stress is a habit and being at ease is not familiar then it will take focus and attention to break that routine and create a new way of being.
How might your work be different if you were at ease with it? Try being at ease then notice what changes.
Your brand is everything. Your customers and potential customers experience it everywhere they interact with you, your staff, your website, etc. Knowing how you want everyone to experience and think about your business is the basis for your brand.
We all know this and most businesses work hard to have their staff represent their brand as well as having others experience it at all other possible touch points with your business, i.e website, print materials, ads and more. This is important for your customers to feel good about working with you and to come back again and again because they like your brand and how it feels to them.
Researching a business insurance option recently I was attracted to a company because of their products, pricing and the brand image they promoted including friendly, efficient and personalized service. They said they were fun to work with. I experienced this from the account representative and was pleased with their brand promise as he described it.
The last step was to exchange documents. I took the opportunity to go into the company’s local office. When I walked in I could feel the tension in the air. The receptionist smiled, acted friendly and pleasant but the feeling in the space was completely different. I could see and feel the conflict in this office. I felt as though I was interrupting something. I could not wait to leave. I have not yet finalized my contract with them. Their brand promise and how it felt in their office were not the same.
Everyone is intuitive. Our gut reaction makes a difference. For this reason I work with my clients to not only express their brand in all the usual ways but to also in their office, store, warehouse, etc. and to be aware of the energy of their staff. Acting friendly and smiling does not hide the energy in someone or in the space. The brand experience has to be genuine. Everyone is intuitive meaning they can feel, see and know what is real.
Being aware of the energy experience in your office or your staff is important to your success. If it does not feel right to you it will not feel right to your customers. Take the time to notice the energy of your business, your staff, your offices, etc. Take steps to change the energy if it is not consistent with the brand of your business. This is not something you do once. Monitoring the energy of your business is something to be done every day.
I don’t recommend that decisions are made from the gut or gut reaction but in reality people do this all the time. Take the time to set the energy of your business to your customers gut reaction is consistent with your brand promise.
Best wishes on your success, Kay
Contact me if you would like a consultation on the energy experience of your business.
Our perspective on why we do what we do matters. Feeling like it’s a job, a profession or a business lacks awareness and understanding of our true nature. Everything we do, every decision we make is part of our calling, purpose or path. When we step back, take a deep breath, get out of our routine, we open to understanding the why behind what we do. This simple yet profound shift makes a huge difference on how we view ourselves, our work and our life. Take a deep breath and release.
Intuition in Life & Success 