"Go" was an interesting
Upword to be considering this week because much of the past month has been about resisting my natural urge to go, go, go. Being in a job transition I have been dialing down on my old job before the new job is ready. This resulted in a very slimmed down email and voicemail inboxes and a very anxious me.
My life coach,
Tonya Leigh Williams, has been encouraging me to chill out, stop racing, enjoy the slow period, notice how it feels to have time to just be and focus on being more fully present to the things that I am doing, notice how I feel – how my body feels – as each unfolds. She says that there’s no better way to make a difference in the world than to be more true to your essential self and just be that instead of worrying about what’s next on my plate.
So instead of using this Upword to get back into go, go, going I’ve used it to go more fully into each thing I am doing one at a time instead no matter how small.
I used to think that if I wasn’t busy something was wrong. Being a self starter, if it was slow I’d get out there and get things going. The quintessential “multitasker” … I’d get as many things going as I could …. usually unable to do anything very well.
But lately I’ve been focusing on being more present in everything I do. With the help of my life coach and
Christine Kane’s UYL program I’ve been noticing not just “go, go, going.” I realized that this slow period at work gives me a chance to better connect with me and is all happening for a reason.
Early this week, I hosted a client at a great two day session on “Be Ready For the Future.” I focused on being fully present, taking in all the great content, listening to what my client thought of the sessions.
I left my PC back in the hotel room, kept bringing myself back to the present moment instead of letting my mind wander to a million different things. At breaks and mealtimes I spent it conversing with the speakers and my client about the topics that were just presented instead of stepping out to email or twitter or FB.
I learned a lot about the challenges my client was facing, what topics resonated and didn’t, and built a deeper relationship with her than I might have otherwise resulting in some meaningful follow ups to dive deeper into a few topics.
After the session was over, I had planned to drive into the city and stir some stuff up with my other clients, colleagues, anybody. Get those to dos flowing again, push along the new job. But as luck would have it the forecast was for big snows. We had already lost power at home and David was running the house on the generator we bought after last year’s ice storm. Something told me that I should drive back home and focus on us!
Good thing I did because the snows cancelled trains, messed up roads, kept people home. Instead of being stuck down there all by myself, I was able to go home and be with my husband, dog, neighbors and actually enjoyed “roughing it” together. The generator allowed us to work during the day but at night we turned it off and kept each other warm with body heat.
So here’s my call to action for you. Do it – stop racing, go more fully into each thing you are doing. Stop thinking about the next twelve to-dos on your list. Be comfortable if there are none on that list! Notice how you feel, what your body is saying as you experience each one. As you are being true to your essential self and showing up more fully to each moment you will learn more about that wonderful person you are too.
