I was just dreaming about getting a new office. I was at a presentation a few weeks back in a conference room that was surrounded by trees and a little walking path...and I thought "Hey! Wouldn't THAT be cool? I could work AND be in nature..."
So I went online to check out what was available and I really let myself get excited. I looked at my upcoming budget and decided "This is a stretch but I think it's time! I've been putting off getting an office and I'm done working out of my home. I want to have one of THESE places where there are trees and squirrels and I can feel creative and inspired and, and...and..."
And POOF -- right next door to the very place I liked was a new office for lease. It was bigger than I wanted/needed but I patted myself on the back and thought "You are SUCH a good manifest-er of what you need...Good...good...good...stroke that ego! I DESERVE THIS!"
And then I looked up from my computer...and I saw the view from my current desk...trees...and a little squirrel.
"Oh..."
But my thoughts immediately went to "Yeah, but, yeah but...I want a place that I can have clients and my team over and we can have meetings or consult days..." And I looked to the backyard.
The Meeting Yurt
"Oh!"
"But that must not be what I want or I wouldn't feel this way...I want MORE nature!"
The Yurt on a Snowy Spring Day
"OH! Hmmmm..."
"Well, if I go deeper, what I REALLY want is the freedom -- you know, to travel, to go on adventures...to take off for the day!" And I browsed some photos in my phone...
Lake Tahoe is 45 minutes from our home...and a "short hike" to the top of Squaw Peak.
Our trip to Baja Sur, Mexico with my parents and husband...we TOUCHED whales!
"OH! Come on!!"
So what's my point?
DAMN the brain is powerful. I'm especially aware of the power of the unconscious because this is what I teach, dammit! So of course the Universe is going to test me every step of the way and ask "So you REALLY think you know this stuff? Whatever!"
Blind Spots and Ego
We can become blind, numb, to what we already HAVE because we are so trained and conditioned to WANT. From such an early age in the Western World we are inundated with choices and possibilities and yet our culture does not have a strong history of spiritual growth. Yes, we have opinionated religions and doctrines but I'm talking about the Spiritual Muscles -- the discipline to stay grounded, with our heart open and our minds clear to learn. We SAY we have our practices, but truly, for most of us it consists of sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, or more truthfully, with a mug of coffee while sitting in traffic, texting and trying to connect our bluetooth devices and wondering why that FREAK driver is cutting us off!
My ego was telling me "I DESERVE this!" "I should HAVE this!" And the ego is powerful. In regards to my office, my ego disguised itself as moving forward...getting bigger...growth! Because that's what I like and the unconscious is so tricky it will go right to your personal sweet spots. Whatever it takes to make you feel good and STAY AWAY from the very scary thing that is right in front of you that needs to be done. For me, it was reaching out to apologize to a few people I "railroaded over" last week. THAT felt scary. Getting an office signified GROWTH!
Blind spots serve a purpose.
First, think of a spiritual, emotional or cognitive blind spot just like you do a physical blind spot while driving. It's that part that you can't see just using your mirrors. You must adjust your position (turn your head, rotate, ask the passenger) in order to see what's there.
Blind spots in our character keep us safe. It's our primitive brain saying "Hell NO! Don't leave the cave. Bad things are out there!" And we can NOT become aware of our blind spots on our own. We can NOT think our way through it because our thinking is what created them in the first place. By definition we are blind to our blind spots.
If I don't start my morning with a strong routine that encompasses my physical, emotional, cognitive AND spiritual bodies I will usually experience a day in which my blindspots -- those long held beliefs that hold me back from being who I am meant to on this planet, in my business, with my friends and family -- will come up and smack me over the head time and time again and leave me wondering "WHAT did I do wrong?"
Like as I yearn for an office that I already have in a location I already love...
There are many coaches, spiritual guides, friends and teachers on this planet that can help you become aware of what you are not seeing. My suggestion is that we seek this kind of growth continually throughout our life.
One easy way to begin on your own is to practice Gratitude. When you can be grateful for where you currently are -- and that means REALLY grateful in every bone, not "Oh yeah, totally grateful...I mean, I do yoga...where's my latte?"
A Daily Gratitude Practice
Here's an easy to follow plan:
- As SOON as you wake up the FIRST words you think can be said out loud "I am grateful for...[say at least 3 things]. Today I experience [say at least 3 emotions or positive thoughts]." For example "I am grateful for this warm blanket. I am grateful for my level of fitness. I am grateful for this loving man that is my husband...Today I experience fullness of heart, giving freely to others and take time to cuddle with my dog."
Do this for 30 days and you will see a remarkable difference in the flow of your day.
And let me know what happened!
As always...if you want to experience a bit more grace and ease in your business while building your team of like-minded professionals...come on out to one of our summits -- Camp CAS (Cause And Success). The next camp is specifically for women and those that support their growth in business in April 2016.