Access to Unlimited Energy

I've been noticing how many of us remark about a dip in energy from time to time and how when that happens, there is a tendency to see the energy as residing in or being generated by the body. Here is a shift in perspective that may be helpful: energy is an unlimited substance. Unlimited, as in we will never run out. Our thoughts or consciousness is what gives us access to the unlimited reservoir or river of energy that flows through us physically, as well as flowing through all life.

I recently read Dr. Amen's book on brain science, where he provides evidence that every thought we think creates reactions within the body that either send healthy chemicals through our system and energize us or toxic chemicals through our system that drain us. There are no neutral thoughts. He builds a strong case for always leaning in the direction of positive thinking.

An easy way to remember it: positive thoughts and feelings give us access to greater energy flow. Negative thoughts and feelings restrict our access to that flow of energy.  Of course, there are other factors, such as environment, diet, health and how well your personal values are being met which affect your energy level, yet the easiest place to begin is with our thoughts. It is incumbent upon each of us to know ourselves well enough to know what gives us a boost to think and talk about and what makes us feel deflated. This will be unique to each person. Being outdoors always lifts my mood and energy, but some may get that same lift from driving, or listening to their favorite tunes. If your energy flags from time to time, notice what you were thinking about or listening to at the time. If it happens more than once, this may be a topic that is a drain to you. Reframe it or steer clear of it if you can.

Remember that you always have access to greater energy and look for ways to let it in and renew yourself.

Get Unstuck: Declare Your Ambiguity

Whether you are starting a new project on your own or working in collaboration with a team, those murky areas where you aren't clear what the facts are, what you want, what's even possible can stop you and the group in your tracks and the whole project can come to a lock-kneed halt. To get unstuck from this, use a tool I borrowed from Mary Beth O'Neill at LIOS (Leadership Institute of Seattle):

Declare Your Ambiguity

There are 5 steps to this process:

1. Declare The Ambiguity. Own up to it. Sometimes everyone is thinking the same thing, but no one wants to say so, wondering silently whether their peers have as many unanswered questions as they do, but not wanting to look incompetent. As long as this murky feeling sits with you and/or the group undeclared, you aren't really dealing with it, but it is still there.
2. State What you Are Clear On. In any given project or scenario, there are pieces you have clarity about, and pieces that are somewhat foggy or less clear, or a total blank. Begin with what you are clear about. Maybe it is the outcome, or the start date, or the timeframe. Whatever you are clear on, state it as a place to begin. This is like putting down the puzzle pieces you definitely recognize and you can build on them.
3. State what is unclear, undefined, or murky. "This is where I feel I'm grasping in the dark," or "Here is where the lines begin to fade for me," are statements describing that feeling of not knowing where you stand. It might be different for you than a colleague, but by stating it you open a dialogue that can be clarifying.
4. State the information that would clarify. "If I knew what the budget was, I'd feel better about providing some solutions," or "Who, exactly, is our perfect customer for this service?" or "How long will we be in this temporary office?"
5. Ask for what you need. Be specific: "Ray, can you let me know by tomorrow when the vendor is available and what he will charge for this part of the project?" 

Once these steps have been taken, more pieces of the puzzle come into focus and you can move forward. When working solo, you may want to have a thought partner to talk through your ambiguity with, such as a coach or friend. If you are one who journals, you might work it out on the page in a mind map format. Repeat as often as required. Keep moving toward the things that light you up.

The Genius In You

How often do you acknowledge the brilliant, creative ideas you come up with? We all have them, you know. The thing is, when they come from us, we tend to brush them off. “Someone else must have already thought of this by now,” we say to ourselves.

Maybe, maybe not. It’s a good thing George de Mestral was not thinking that way or he would not have been the creator of Velcro. He was out for a walk one day and came back with his socks full of stickers. He examined them closely and learned that the hooks on the ends of the spines made the stickers stick and thought how beneficial that would be if he wanted to fasten something easily. It was a million dollar idea.

We have them all the time, but most of us have not learned to appreciate our own genius. We have been conditioned to believe that genius is rare, that it is reserved for the privileged few. Because George de Mestral acted on the idea, it was made a tangible reality. The concept was golden whether or not he was the one who brought it about. How many times have you had ideas that later were manifested by someone else? Rather than kicking ourselves when this happens, we would benefit more by seeing it as tangible evidence that we have brilliant, viable solutions and ideas.

I recently attended a mastermind session where eight strangers generated dozens of ideas for solving each others challenges. Was there anything special about this group? They seemed like ordinary business owners. It happens every time people come together to help each other. We each have access to brilliant thinking that we can call upon to come up with solutions to any challenge. And although it is fun to do it with a group, we do not require a group for this aspect of ourselves to emerge.

If you would like to further develop this capability in yourself, here are two things you can do:

1. Begin to notice and acknowledge to yourself all the great ideas you generate. Every time you brainstorm with others, you are producing ideas. Acknowledge the wealth of ideas coming from you and those you interact with. Mentally give yourself credit when someone else runs with an idea you had long ago.Use this skill more frequently and consciously. Like any other thing you do, the more you do it the easier it gets.
2. At least once a week, think about the challenges you are handling in your life and business. Choose one to focus upon and generate a list of possible solutions. Do this exercise when you are relaxed, in a good frame of mind, and will not be disturbed for at least 20 minutes. Trust the solutions to come, set a timer, and, without censoring, write down every possibility that comes to you. You can refine and test this list of options later. For now, get in the habit of expecting to generate ideas and then seeing those ideas flow easily onto the page.

   Most of us are far more capable than we realize. We are designed to be creative and when we acknowledge the brilliant, creative aspect of ourselves, all sorts of magic begins to happen. Then ideas bubble up like a natural spring. Why not make it a point to spend a little time each day with someone who could really rock your world in a positive way—spend a little time with the genius in you.

   (first published on my Biznik profile in 2011)

   
   

Say No to Nebulous Obstacles!

For the last several weeks, I've been longing to pick up my paintbrushes and let my creative side out to play freely. Between the crunch of the holidays and launching a new game (more about that later), I'd been feeling like the mountain of things to do was crushing me to the point that I had no room to move, let alone paint anytime soon.

Then, on Saturday my husband and I went to exchange a couple of gifts at the mall and take our walk in relative warmth. I was drawn in to a new gallery and found myself standing before some paintings of whimsical trees which stirred such longing in my heart, I decided to act.

Yesterday, as I was planning my day and week, there was an insistent tap on my awareness to include time to paint, and I finally faced the beliefs that were keeping me from an activity that I love: they were a nebulous mix:

• a have a ton of important things to do (how many are in a ton, anyway?)
• this is frivolous because it is just for fun
• if I do this, there won't be time to do all the other stuff

When I asked myself how much time I needed to set aside for painting, and decided an hour would be a good start, I realized just how nebulous those reasons I'd been using actually were.

I also realized how many days I didn't indulge the desire to paint, and still all that other stuff did not get done, nor was my to-do list ever likely to be complete, since we continually add to it.

It took me 5 minutes to set up paints, painting surface and turn on the tunes. I painted blissfully for 50 minutes, completing 2 small paintings and a study in my sketchbook. The space was cleared and everything back in its place in the last five minutes of the hour I'd alloted.

Isn't it amazing how clear we are when we get specific about what is required to fulfill our desire? My takeaway? Be specific about what you really need to indulge your fun, your dreams, your passion. Then claim it and make the most of it. Say "no" to nebulous obstacles!

Playing to Win

For the last four weeks, I've been immersed in a course that is all about having the games we play in life be winnable. There have been a number of shifts in perspective throughout this process--and the first one is the idea that we can turn any aspect of our lives into a game that's fun to play and winnable. After all, each of gets to be the architect of our own life. We may as well design it to bring the outcomes we want.

What constitutes a "winnable game?" Here are a few ideas:

• A winnable game challenges me to bring my best strengths and skills into play and stretch a little. Maybe even a lot.
• A winnable game has clearly defined objectives and a way to keep score. Although it's challenging, I have skills that I can use to play a good game.
• A winnable game has a beginning and end, which gives me excitement during play and a chance to rest and look at how I can improve between games. Too many of us set up unwinnable games that drag on for years.
• A winnable game involves other players with great skill and love for the game who are fun to play with and inspire me.

There are forty coaches playing the game in this 6-week course. Today, I'm at the top of the scoreboard, but that changes hourly as people update their online scorecards. We are having fun, accomplishing big things, little things and learning a ton about ourselves, each other and human nature.

Stay tuned for more on how to lose the task list and turn your actions into a game worth playing.

Your Magnum Opus

We hear about the great works of brilliant people like famous composers or artists or writers and how a certain one of their works stands out as their best. The dictionary defines Magnum Opus as the single greatest work of an artist's life--her masterpiece.

I propose that we shift that idea just a bit to see that we are the greatest masterpiece of our lives. We are constantly growing, perfecting and refining ourselves to be better than we were yesterday, and last month, last year. We are constantly evolving into our greater selves. We are the Magnum Opus of our lives, and the works we produce are merely vehicles to allow us to work on ourselves, express our creativity and brilliance. We do it moment by moment, day by day, choice by choice.

Knowing this frees us to be involved in our unfolding in a more patient and loving way. We are in it for the long haul, constantly improving. We are masterpieces in the making, and knowing that allows us to experiment and take risks with the work we do, because each project is another opportunity to express a part of ourselves never before expressed. We are a work in progress, and looking at our lives in wide swaths of time, we see the magnificence of our own unfolding selves, and each other.

Today, look anew at the people in your life. See them as master craftsmen, shaping themselves in very specific ways to be the best they can be.