Find at least 5 good reasons each and every day to say with passion and a deep belief – “I Love My Life!” Last week I was on the Speaking Circuit in Toronto Canada. Much to my surprise 3 people, on 3 different days, at 3 different events, all said the same thing to me- “they loved their lives!” All told me this with passion and a deep belief. My curiosity made me inquire further – what made them “love their life?” Their answer may surprise you. Each of them had taken time off from their careers, given themselves the gift of taking a deep breath, and the space and time to reflect. During this time, they reflected on what their natural talents and gifts were. Then they developed a clear vision of what mattered most to them. And finally, they designed a plan of action or intention to carry them forward from visualization to manifestation or in simple terms, living their wonderful life. NULL The following quote sums it up best.
“Life isn’t about Finding Yourself, Life is about Creating Yourself.”
Great thought, some of you are thinking, but asking yourself “who has the time to do this?” Many of you know me as the author of ‘Harnessing the White Rabbit Syndrome or Stopping Busyness”. A decade ago, before starting my direct sales business, I had built a life so busy and complex that most of the time I was too stressed to enjoy it. Sound familiar? Well here are a few simple pointers to get started on slowing down and reflecting on creating what really matters. OBSERVE “He, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead.” Albert Einstein Observe carefully the life around you. Few do. We see. Sometimes we pause and look. But thoughtful focused observation can’t take place in a hurry, or when multi-tasking or if you’re afraid of being bored. “Competence in observation is found largely among artists, scientists, and children.” Victoria Moran Think for a moment of the children in your life… My nine year old niece Eryn is a master at this. Recently I was amazed at her ability to describe every nuance of her St. Lucia holiday-every sight, every smell, every conversational detail was recounted. Learn to develop that childlike sense of wonder and elation and being genuinely amazed. When you can observe competently, when you become quiet, then you are fully present in the majesty of that moment. One of my favorite ways to reflect and practice my observation competencies is to observe nature. Living in Minnesota in November, one starts to hear the inner question of “why do we live here?” “Why not California?” “Why not Maui?” Then yesterday I bicycled along the shores of Lake Minnetonka with the soft light streaming across the lake and the rustle of the leaves under the tires. I also noticed the pale yellows and greens and delicate browns as well as the new sights of the stately homes now visible through the bare branches of the trees that in summer hide them from view… only to return home to the smells of coffee and cinnamon and a roaring fire. Hmmm… all of this only visible through practiced observation.
Take a breath
Take a look
Nature deficiency is epidemic these days but you can change this by fostering your ability to experience awe and wonder at sunsets, sunrises, rainbows, insects, storms, trees, birds, flowers, puddles, rain showers, insects, squirrels and most of all… stars! Three years ago, I had just moved to Minneapolis from Toronto. The local news said there was going to be a comet sighting around 3 AM the next morning. With a favorite quote from Helen Keller ringing through my head:“Life is a daring adventure or nothing!” there I was gazing up at the sky at 3:00 am, with my favorite kitty Sammy and I wrapped in cozy blankets. I could only marvel at what I saw- a BIG SKY filled with STARS! I never did see the comet but it didn’t matter. What I believe now is in major cosmopolitan cities like Toronto, you don’t see stars. When you don’t see stars it is easier to lose perspective. To believe you are living in the center of the universe. Of course you can be living in Minnesota or Montana, both BIG SKY places, where stars proliferate and if you never looked up to observe them, you’d never know the wonder you were missing. Here are some steps to take in creating what matters in your business by using the observation competency.
“Experience is not the best teacher… evaluated experience is!”
John Maxwell
- Daily reflection
- Daily journaling-ask yourself and write the answers down to the following questions:
- “What did I experience?”
- “What did I learn?”
- “Has anything changed?”
- “Should anything change?”
- “When can I share what I’m learning?”
Remember to build on each of your experiences. Life is all about learning. In closing, remember to
Look up
Look around
Breathe
Reflect
Be Enchanted!
Find at least 5 good reasons each and every day to say with passion and a deep belief – “I Love My Life!” Elizabeth Harrington
Downloads
- Boomer Marketing, Turning Silver to Gold! by Elizabeth Harrington - November 1, 2016
- Powering Up Your Purpose Will Ignite Your Passion! by Elizabeth Harrington - October 1, 2016
- Zig or Zag? Don’t follow the crowd… be unique by Elizabeth Harrington - September 1, 2016
