Spaciousness
Welcome to September, a time of new beginnings, moving into action and making things happen. For many people, September marks the beginning of a new year even more than January does: it's a time of goal-setting and re-focusing.
I've noticed a pattern with many of my clients, which is, we seem to have a deep need to be active all the time. We place a significant value on action - after all, it shows the outside world and ourselves that we're up to something. But have you ever felt stuck because you want to accomplish big things, but you don't know exactly what those things are?
It's as though we're so anxious to get into action and show results that we've skipped a key part - deciding "what" we want to do. This requires that we slow down (maybe even stop) and imagine the possibilities. Many people treat free time in their schedule as something that needs to be filled, even if it's just with TV, rather than as an opportunity to create the future.
These open times can be used to do what I call Creating Spaciousness. It's an investment in you to regroup, re-think, re-fuel, exhale and daydream. This might look like doing nothing but in fact it's important work.
I have a client whose business is really flowing and it appears that huge opportunities are falling effortlessly into her lap. But what we both know is that for the past while, she's been giving herself permission to Create Spaciousness. She goes for walks and reads as a part of her work day because she knows clarity and inspiration come this way. So now when she's at her desk or on the phone, she's got a clearer purpose and she's more confident with her business proposition.
In this situation, many people would force themselves into action - they'd try harder, put in more hours or do more networking; yet this client understood the value of Creating Spaciousness. By giving herself some space and time, she's now going full throttle, often leaving me incredible messages that start with phrases like "You'll never believe it..." or "Sit down for this one...".
Another benefit of spaciousness is that it gives us the opportunity to determine whether we really want something or if we just think we "should". Sometimes what we think we want isn't really what we want but how would we know if we just dive right in?
Attention Women Who Do Everything! Join Sara Harvey Yao and Michele Lisenbury Christensen as they lead an amazing retreat called "Elements of Feminine Power" on October 14-16, 2005 at Alderbrook Resort and Spa, in Hood Canal, Washington, 2hrs from Seattle. (I'll be there too as a guest facilitator)
