Corb Lund is a western and country singer/songwriter from Alberta. In 2005 he released an album with his song "Truck Got Stuck". Can't help it, I just smile every time I hear it. There are so many lessons in the song lyrics which are apparently based on a true story.
1. People view things differently and perspectives change. Farmers and ranchers who live in southern Alberta usually welcome rain especially after a dry spell. Timing is important, however, and if you are planning an outdoor event, you might not like the timing. Too much rain also can alter attitudes from thankful to annoyed.
2. Things happen to us that are out of our control. Weather patterns, political change, company restructuring, births and deaths occur without our permission.
3. Schedules are affected by outside factors. We cannot guarantee that our day will go as we had planned because there are often things that interfere. Being too rigid can increase stress.
4. Blame is not helpful. Pointing the finger at others can make the situation worse and taking on blame for things that you can't control can hurt your well-being.
5. It is important to call on others to help when we are "stuck".
6. Things we know might not work. We can use strategies or techniques that have been successful in the past that are not helpful right now.
7. Others are affected when they get involved. In Corb's song, some of his friends came to help and in turn, they got stuck. They changed their schedules with noble intentions only to end up in trouble also.
8. We might not get support that we expected. Not everyone is willing to be involved in our problems and we might be both surprised and disappointed because of this.
9. Creativity is important. Getting traction for the stuck vehicles came from pouring canola seed under the wheels of the vehicle. Good thinking!
10. Remember to share your experiences and the lessons learned with others. Writing a song or telling a tale can help other people to get "unstuck". All the better if you can laugh about the problems and solutions you adopted.
I used to think that life was wonderful and then would be disappointed when a problem arose. Maturity has helped me to realize that life is full of problems and we grow as we learn to solve them appropriately without getting too upset. Then, once in a while, we have an amazing problem-free day!
My daughter always says, "When you are sitting in a mud puddle - everything loots like mud". Don't just sit there and feel upset. Call on resources to help you find creative ways to get "unstuck". You might find out that the problem went from being a mess to actually becoming an interesting adventure!
Author: Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?Getting-Stuck-in-Life&id=10017086
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Monday, May 6, 2019
Sunday, May 5, 2019
Just Take Action
What an amazing week - so much to celebrate! I am grateful for all of the things we did on the 4th - each being special in their own way. The 5k run with our family was such a fun (and active) way to start the day and it was fun to see so many people out in the community! A new tradition for sure. We then met some friends down at the beach and I am truly grateful for all of the amazing people we have met here. Then on to this beauty for a BBQ, fireworks and sleepover! I had no idea the fireworks over the bay were so spectacular and I'm glad we left the bubble to go! It's funny though, we hemmed and hawed about not doing our usual - block party and fireworks from our yard that we can see from neighbouring Del Mar - but sometimes you just have to say yes to new opportunities and make them happen!
What I'm seeing a lot lately with business owners is that taking action is missing. Not entirely, but just enough to keep them stuck. The subconscious mind has talked them out of taking the action they have mapped out. Read on to see what I mean and how to work through it
The subconscious mind can be sneaky. It will do anything to keep us from stepping out of our comfort zone, including using old patterns and perspectives to cause choices that will follow suit. To keep you where you feel comfortable. It's designed to keep you safe and knows how to get your agreement to do just that. Which is great for some things in life, bit not being a business owner!
Being a business owner requires putting yourself out there and doing different things. It's called innovation and requires stepping out of your comfort zone.
If you're not aware of it, you will continue to spin your wheels and stay where you're at in business (meaning the level you're at). It's what's behind procrastination.
Your subconscious mind will literally talk you into doing the "busy" work first, while never really getting to what you need to do to grow your business. Thus remaining in maintenance mode.
Now, you still take action so you convince yourself it's what you need to be doing, but you know deep down it's not.
Your subconscious mind will throw all kinds of things at you to get you to stop. You might start judging what other people are doing or comparing yourself to others, and talk yourself out of taking those next steps.
Here's the thing, you've got to keep taking action and you will feel better. You will see it's not as scary as you thought - you are safe, and didn't die from doing it!
That might sound obvious, but it's why most people stop. Deep down they have a belief that they are unsafe, unloved, or some version of those beliefs.
Thus making them need the external love and approval from others, and avoiding like the plague anything that would jeopardize this.
This is why a new belief system needs to be created. An empowered and loving belief system like; I am safe, I am loved, I am loveable, etc. Repeating this often, while STILL taking the action.
It's imperative. You must shine a light on this stuff and see it for what it is. It's not the truth. And we don't want it to stop you. This is why reaffirming the new belief while taking the action will help you strengthen the new belief, AND taking action feels good! You will feel more accomplished and confident.
You've gotta trust the process and just keep moving even if it feels uncomfortable. It will get better and taking action when you feel uncomfortable will be the new norm.
I'm not sure who said it but it's a good one:
"Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable"
Author: Chris Atley
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?Just-Take-Action&id=9971863
Saturday, May 4, 2019
Friday, May 3, 2019
The Restorative Power of Gratitude
When the concept of gratitude was first mentioned to me, I totally (but politely) dismissed it. I had no idea what I was missing out on.
Recap: I was going through an especially rough time in my life. I had switched careers much to everyone's chagrin, and I wasn't doing well. I was cash-strapped and my business was going downhill. On top of everything, I had to deal with debilitating migraines on the regular.
I needed a way out, yet I had none! I felt stuck and I was extremely anxious of the fact that I may regress to being a dependent in adulthood. That regression would have dealt a blow to my self-esteem, crippling my self-confidence and cultivating thoughts of shame.
Anyway, I eventually started journalling on the regular, and part of my writing included things I'm grateful for. Two months later, I noticed more brighter days, better sleep, less pain and less anxiety.
Gratitude is a power that greatly remains untapped. So great is its power that the University of California, Berkeley set aside $3.1 million specifically to study gratitude and its impact on well being through their Greater Good Science Center.
I will outline the internal mechanics this simple exercise employed and changed my life for good.
More creative power: Anxiety is the number one killer of all creative power. Anxiety paves way to the many "what if's" that arise when an idea comes to mind. Being grateful on the regular subtly short-circuits anxiety that comes with new territory. For your dreams to mature, you have to venture into new territory. By simply writing down what you are grateful for, you shift your focus from what won't work to what can work. This eliminates the "what if's" that freeze creative thoughts in infancy.
Better health: It's widely known that negativity is linked to some degenerative conditions (partly due to the excess stress hormones coarsing through your system). As a former patient of fibromyalgia, I can tell you for free that you do not want excessive stressors in your body! Your body is in pain even without a trigger. Your body will interpret any emotion as pain. With constant pain comes dependency on pain killers, which is just as bad as narcotics! Gratitude journalling forced me to be in the moment. I found myself taking time to bask when the sun was out, breathing fresh air. My list included my wonderful dog, and I instinctively made more time for her. Pets are therapeutic, and my dog helped me out with some loneliness and self-loathing issues.
Increased productivity: Making more time for Lola, my dog, led me to learn to make time for what mattered most TO ME. With more time allocated to what I was passionate about, I found myself reading all I could find on improving my business. I have read books I thought I'd never have time for. I have listened to seminars and joined peer groups on improving myself and guess what! My business has started to improve. It's not yet where I desire it to be, but I can clearly see the upward trajectory. I have developed my skills to accommodate my passion, and this is leading to greater exposure of my business. I am a writer who is passionate about dogs. Writing about dogs has connected me to many dog owners in my area, which in turn became an effective tool for marketing my pet food business. When people see your faith and zeal in what you do, they will invest in you (and buy from you)!
Greater resilience: Today, many months after starting my gratitude ritual, I will admit that life is far from perfect. I still have a long way to go financially, but I don't feel stuck. My business is still a helpless baby, but I still find the energy to continue improving my products. I still encounter people who discount me based on their own prejudices but I have learned not to own their prejudices - if they have a problem with me being myself, then the problem is with them. I have also learned to digest criticism in such a way that I internalize the constructive part, and reject the degrading part.
More awareness: Writing down what you are grateful for forces you to be in the moment. Developing awareness has numerous advantages. From fine-tuning your instinct to improving creativity, self-awareness allows you to have clarity on yourself. You will note what is good and what needs improvement and guess what, you won't feel devastated when the not-so-good areas of your life are exposed. Plus, you will have more commitment to work on yourself. We all know how sweet the fruits of self-improvement are.
Gratitude isn't a matter of just learning to mouth "thank you" to everyone. It's internal; a personal experience. And, it will change your life. This is a life skill that will stay with you for life. So, start today. Take just ten minutes everyday to remember what made you happy that day. It will take some little time to get going, but the effects will last a lifetime!
Author: Julliet Mburu
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Restorative-Power-of-Gratitude&id=9935293
Recap: I was going through an especially rough time in my life. I had switched careers much to everyone's chagrin, and I wasn't doing well. I was cash-strapped and my business was going downhill. On top of everything, I had to deal with debilitating migraines on the regular.
I needed a way out, yet I had none! I felt stuck and I was extremely anxious of the fact that I may regress to being a dependent in adulthood. That regression would have dealt a blow to my self-esteem, crippling my self-confidence and cultivating thoughts of shame.
Anyway, I eventually started journalling on the regular, and part of my writing included things I'm grateful for. Two months later, I noticed more brighter days, better sleep, less pain and less anxiety.
Gratitude is a power that greatly remains untapped. So great is its power that the University of California, Berkeley set aside $3.1 million specifically to study gratitude and its impact on well being through their Greater Good Science Center.
I will outline the internal mechanics this simple exercise employed and changed my life for good.
More creative power: Anxiety is the number one killer of all creative power. Anxiety paves way to the many "what if's" that arise when an idea comes to mind. Being grateful on the regular subtly short-circuits anxiety that comes with new territory. For your dreams to mature, you have to venture into new territory. By simply writing down what you are grateful for, you shift your focus from what won't work to what can work. This eliminates the "what if's" that freeze creative thoughts in infancy.
Better health: It's widely known that negativity is linked to some degenerative conditions (partly due to the excess stress hormones coarsing through your system). As a former patient of fibromyalgia, I can tell you for free that you do not want excessive stressors in your body! Your body is in pain even without a trigger. Your body will interpret any emotion as pain. With constant pain comes dependency on pain killers, which is just as bad as narcotics! Gratitude journalling forced me to be in the moment. I found myself taking time to bask when the sun was out, breathing fresh air. My list included my wonderful dog, and I instinctively made more time for her. Pets are therapeutic, and my dog helped me out with some loneliness and self-loathing issues.
Increased productivity: Making more time for Lola, my dog, led me to learn to make time for what mattered most TO ME. With more time allocated to what I was passionate about, I found myself reading all I could find on improving my business. I have read books I thought I'd never have time for. I have listened to seminars and joined peer groups on improving myself and guess what! My business has started to improve. It's not yet where I desire it to be, but I can clearly see the upward trajectory. I have developed my skills to accommodate my passion, and this is leading to greater exposure of my business. I am a writer who is passionate about dogs. Writing about dogs has connected me to many dog owners in my area, which in turn became an effective tool for marketing my pet food business. When people see your faith and zeal in what you do, they will invest in you (and buy from you)!
Greater resilience: Today, many months after starting my gratitude ritual, I will admit that life is far from perfect. I still have a long way to go financially, but I don't feel stuck. My business is still a helpless baby, but I still find the energy to continue improving my products. I still encounter people who discount me based on their own prejudices but I have learned not to own their prejudices - if they have a problem with me being myself, then the problem is with them. I have also learned to digest criticism in such a way that I internalize the constructive part, and reject the degrading part.
More awareness: Writing down what you are grateful for forces you to be in the moment. Developing awareness has numerous advantages. From fine-tuning your instinct to improving creativity, self-awareness allows you to have clarity on yourself. You will note what is good and what needs improvement and guess what, you won't feel devastated when the not-so-good areas of your life are exposed. Plus, you will have more commitment to work on yourself. We all know how sweet the fruits of self-improvement are.
Gratitude isn't a matter of just learning to mouth "thank you" to everyone. It's internal; a personal experience. And, it will change your life. This is a life skill that will stay with you for life. So, start today. Take just ten minutes everyday to remember what made you happy that day. It will take some little time to get going, but the effects will last a lifetime!
Author: Julliet Mburu
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Restorative-Power-of-Gratitude&id=9935293
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
The Story That's Holding You Back
I loved this Instagram post from John Assaraf (from the Secret) yesterday so much that I had share it here.
I encounter this all of the time with my own coaching clients especially when they're in resistance. BY resistance I mean, not willing to see things a different way. Where they are so attached to their reason / story / excuse / whatever you want to call it, that they are unwilling to see the way to achieve their goals.
I'm not going to lie, I find it extremely difficult to coach someone when they're in this energy. But then I remember their ego has taken a hold of them and that getting frustrated is not going to be the way to best help. What I've realized is that it's essential to identify where the problem lies. If you try to talk to someone about strategy when they're in this space, it will not land. The resistance only gains traction. The belief that is keeping them in this place must be addressed. What are they believing underneath the story that is keeping them in this pattern? Once you can identify that belief, and then create the empowered belief they want to have instead, massive momentum occurs! I just had a client shift from a disempowered state to an empowered place instead, and within a week she finished the month strong AND created the best month she's had in a year!!!!!! Now THAT is exciting and WORTH diving deep!!!
The issue is that when we're caught-up in a story of why we can't do something we're actually getting something out of it on a deeper level. Behind every so called "negative story" there is always a positive intention. So what is it for you? How is that old story serving you deep down? Likely something about safety, love, acceptance, approval, etc. Dig deep and you will find it. You then need to make sure that in your dream life - where you are doing, being and having what you love, that the positive intention you identified above is honoured. You need to remind yourself of this over and over (consistent repetition reprograms the subconscious mind), while thinking of an emotional memory of when this was actually true for you. You need to remind yourself of this OVER and OVER. I can't stress this enough. You will then start to create new experiences that strengthen the new belief system you are trying to operate from.
BUT... you have to be willing to dig this stuff out AND most people aren't. It can be painful to see why we do things deep down and to take responsibility for what we are creating in our own lives. No one is responsible but you.
A client asked the other day how long it is going to take for her business to take off. My reply was as soon as you don't let your subconscious mind stop you. It's designed to keep you safe and putting yourself out there while building a business does not feel safe. I just challenged myself to reach out to someone on my own "chicken list" AND it went amazing! I'm so excited for what the future holds! Force yourself to do the activity you know will yield results, while working on your belief system. Your subconscious mind wants to get your agreement to stop. It will tell you things like you're too tired, you don't have enough time, and that you're not good enough.
As Marianne Williamson says,
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."
You have to be willing to step into the best version of you, one step at a time.
You've got this.
Author: Chris Atley
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Story-Thats-Holding-You-Back&id=10032062
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