I write weekly on the intersection of business and life, with a healthy dose of mindset shifts in the mix. Business isn't just about business and money isn't about money. The way we show up as business owners and the thoughts we bring to the table are what our success depends on. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter Beyond the Numbers and join me in bringing your life and business to the next level.
Breath
Hello Reader!
You know that feeling you get when you're saturated? Like your brain can't possibly absorb any more information and thoughts are difficult to complete? I was in that place last night. It's like I suddenly hit the wall. After wandering around in literal and figurative circles, I sat down and started studying one of the gates in my Human Design. There was a small thread of a sentence that I had read in an email earlier and I was curious to see what showed up in my chart.
This particular gate, Gate 38, talks about the difference between resistance and obstacles. "Resistance is what occurs when you are pushing against the universal flow" (sounds a lot like the wall I was banging my head against). "Obstacles test your commitment and surrender, allowing you to forge new skills and hone your excellence." hmmmm. Interesting.
It goes on to say that "the only trick for {those with Gate 38} is to know when to act and when not to act..... In other words, these are people who have learned to draw a breath before they rush into some new action"
In 2017 the One Little Word that I carried with me for the year was Space. After living with this word for 12 months, I learned the subtle act of creating space with one breath. It's the difference between being impulsive and being intentional.
My schedule has been all wonky the past week or so, and will continue to be through next week as graduation and prom celebrations continue. I haven't done my normal morning routine in a few days. Probably this was contributing to the saturation I've been feeling. I haven't been making space. This morning, while my oatmeal was cooking, I turned on my favorite mediation app and gave myself space to sit, open up and breathe.
Two minutes in I was flooded with a complete outline for a planner I want to create. I've been toying with the idea for a month or so, more seriously than when I considered it last year, and six months before that. (some ideas are persistent). The difference between all those other times and today was creating space and being open. My ideas in the past were all built on other peoples planners, one's that I've bought and hardly used. One's that I thought I could pull a section out of to build mine. At least as a starting place, I convinced myself, to get the juices flowing. I wanted bits and pieces that worked for me from each planner, something frankensteined that met my needs. And that's exactly why it never came together. It wasn't mine.
I stopped my meditation mid way through to sketch out my ideas. It took me all of 4 minutes to draw it all out. Once the ideas started flowing, there was no stopping them. I am so jazzed up about it!
I share this story as a reminder - if you're frustrated, or feel like you're talking into a void, or like you're banging your head against the wall and ideas won't come. Stop. Take a breath. Create space where nothing is expected to happen. Just be. For even 5 minutes a day. Give yourself that gift.
Grateful for you,
Diane
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Hi! I'm Diane Downs
I write weekly on the intersection of business and life, with a healthy dose of mindset shifts in the mix. Business isn't just about business and money isn't about money. The way we show up as business owners and the thoughts we bring to the table are what our success depends on. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter Beyond the Numbers and join me in bringing your life and business to the next level.
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