Experience the Shift

I’m into week two of a new project that I’m undertaking.  Not a big “take it to the world” sort of project; but rather a simple, “time to shift my life” project.  Essentially, it’s a way for me to take everything I know intellectually — stuff I’ve learned, stuff I’ve heard about, stuff I’ve experienced but lost along the way — and put it into concrete practice.  It’s not a mastermind group, but it is a way to harness and utilize true, authentic mastermind energy.

Several years ago, I was part of an authentic mastermind group.  This was a group that met weekly to start, and then bi-weekly, with the sole purpose of having its members speak their visions and desires, express gratitude for what was present and what was being manifested, have others bear witness to their dreams of success and their actual success, all without going to the consultative, brainstorming space.  Powerful stuff it was.

For various reasons, the group eventually disbanded.  And two weeks ago, myself and another member of the original group decided to harness the same energy, with just the two of us.  Our goal is to keep things pithy and concise, really concrete and as tangible as possible.  We begin by expressing an overall “manifestation” for the week — what is it we’re aiming to create this week?  From there we move into gratitude — simple expression of pure gratitude for what is.  Then, we share our successes of the day.  And the last step is to request how we want to be “held” in our manifestation — how do we want the other person to think of us, when they think of us at all, so the universe gets the same message all around?

Some may consider this sort of structure hoaky.  Well, what I know for sure is that stuff is SHIFTING like it wasn’t shifting before.  Clients are showing up, money is showing up, ideas are showing up, programs are filling, speaking requests are coming in, bookings are being made, to-do lists are being crossed off — all great stuff.  Sometimes, the things that show up aren’t quite as I would have envisioned.  And it’s still showing up.  Which forces me to express more gratitude and stay anchored in joy; which forces more stuff showing up.  It’s a cycle, you see.

As a leader, what I know is that I must model the power of standing in gratitude, even if I do nothing else.  There’s a way that leadership visions are infused with power, when gratitude is the anchoring force.  So find your gratitude, express it and experience the shift.  It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

Feel the S-T-R-E-T-C-H!!!

So, while yesterday there was a sense of stuckness and restlessness for me, today is all about movement and stretch.  Woke up with the inspiration to “just do it” already — complete some follow-ups, take some risks, step boldly as it were.  It’s all great.  Had a concrete goal as well, to put some finishing touches on a workshop — which I did.  And what I’ve been noticing is that, moving out of the restless place, while it absolutely required me to “notice, allow and shift” as I suggested yesterday, it also requires me to stretch.

Now here’s the interesting thing that I’m learning about stretch:  I can stretch to different degrees.  Sometimes, it’s just a wee bit of a stretch.  At other times, it’s a real, effort-filled, dear-Lord-can-I-really-pull-myself-that-far sort of stretch.  And both serve.  Both have me move beyond whatever self-imposed limits I’ve created, and both stretches have me create space for what I couldn’t necessarily have anticipated showing up.

In a leadership context, this feels really important for me to remember.  As a leader, I need to constantly be aware of how I might stretch, what I might stretch into, what I might create.  Red flags for me are when I hear myself imposing limits — or even notice myself acknowledging limits.  Those limit-noticing moments are also opportunities for me to ask, “what’s the stretch here?”

As anyone who’s ever done any physical activity of any sort knows, stretching is a good thing.  It limbers you up, gets you ready, and allows you to do what would otherwise have been beyond you.  The same principle applies in the leadership game.  If you’re really going to bring your leadership vision to life, you’ve got to stretch.   A little stretch here, a big stretch there, whatever sort of stretch — just stretch.  M-O-V-E yourself into those spaces that seem like they’re off limits; challenge yourself, even just a little bit.  When it comes right down to it, at the end of the day, those little stretches all add up to one big leadership expansion.  And as a leader, that’s exactly what I’m going for.

Drawing a Blank

Woke up this morning with more energy than I have in the last few weeks.  A good feeling.  Got down to work fairly quickly, prepping the kids for school, finishing touches on lunches, eating breakfast — you know the drill.  All good stuff, great time to connect and be with each other.

Then, I settled down to follow up emails.  Some great stuff to respond to, including making it through to the “next stage” of the application process for an upcoming leadership conference.  Aiming to be the keynote — it would be an absolute fit for me and them, and I was thrilled to start my day with the news that I’m in the running!  Followed this with some gratitude and visioning, before launching into client calls — love it when client calls go where they least expect to go AND they make breakthroughs and have insights that will move them forward.  Feeling blessed to do this work.

Then, a bit of social media stuff.  Another way of staying connected.  Noticing a connection theme for me as a leader.  Feels important to maintain connections — make new ones, build upon old ones, etc; — when striving to breathe life into my leadership vision.  And now, I’m drawing a blank.  I know what I want to do next — that is, I know what project could benefit from my attention.  And, I don’t know exactly what to do.  Even as I write this, I have a sense that the answer lies in the connection piece — but not solely in outward connection.  There’s a way in which I actually need to go inward first, connect to my inner knowing, then turn my attention outward, connect and create from there.

My sense is that leaders from all walks of life have this challenge, at least periodically.  There’s a way in which the answer can sometimes be elusive — which can be frustrating when we’re feeling the pressure to be in the know, constantly.  And so, I’m just owning here and now that sometimes, I don’t know.  And that’s okay.  Sometimes, it’s easier to create on a blank canvas anyway.  That’s where I’m at today.  Onward and upward.