Hi Everyone,

I’m really excited about 2012. I’ve spoken to many people and they too are very excited about this New Year; since last year, was quite a doozie! What I hear from people over and over is the need for more fun, slowing down and doing things differently than in the past. Out of that feedback, rather than employing goal-setting strategies, most of which we already know, I’ve dedicated January to “Shift Your Perspective, Change Your Life,” where I’ll be discussing different ways to do that both internally (beliefs, thoughts and attitudes) but also externally (behaviors and results). While I will share my wisdom and experience and what has worked for myself as well as my clients (both individuals and groups I work with), my intention is to create a community of dialogue where can learn and contribute to each other. So please feel free to comment and share your own experiences as well.
January is “Shift Your Perspective, Shift Your Life”
“Look for the luscious lesson even in the lousy or less than ideal circumstances.”
So here it is, the third year in a row where I earmark the week between Christmas and New Year’s, as the week to slow down my business and do some heavy-duty decluttering of my office, while building some strong infrastructures for the New Year.
It is a mission that my linear Virgo (sun sign) side gets very excited about, and does what it loves to do most; makes lists, calculates time spent, and plugs organizing sessions into my Droid. Ah, the illusion of control! Yet another part of me, probably my SAG moon (the spontaneous social more right-brain aspect) sees this as a total buzz kill and no way to usher in the holiday at all!
So what happens in the midst of all this merriment and mayhem and conflict between my two (believe me, there’s lots more) aspects of self? I get sick. Three years in a row. Not sick enough to be bedridden, in fact my energy level feels good but no mojo whatsoever to do my project. And then the last part, I lose my voice; can’t speak at all.
I share this challenge with a colleague and friend, and we both laugh at the irony of it. In her inimitable wisdom, she says, “I guess a part of you is just not willing to be forced into something it sees as having no joy in doing!”
So, I’m left yet again with my favorite doctrine, “We teach what we need to learn,” and that is I have a wonderful opportunity to extract the luscious life lesson, or in this case the joy, from the less than ideal circumstances.
For me, today, it looks like taking joy in the silence with the outer world (I’m on vocal rest today) so that I can cultivate what my inner voice is telling me. When I check in, I have a craving to write my blog, rest, flush my system out with lots of ginger tea and fluids, do some gentle movement or exercise, and even declutter a bit. This time it’s from an inner invitation versus me bullying myself to do something that a part of me is in total rebellion from doing.
I truly believe that whatever is going on in one’s life there is always an opportunity to look for the luscious life lesson. In doing so, we tap into our innate resourcefulness to see things from a more expansive vantage point that allows us to grow as individuals. In doing so, we not only embrace change, but actually thrive in it.
So I ask you, what “lousy” at worst, or “less than ideal” at best, circumstances are you having in your life where you can look for the luscious life lesson? I’d love to know!
Scintillating Self-Inquiry
Here are some questions I ask myself and my clients, that often serve as a catalyst to look for the luscious life lesson?
  • If the scenario that you’re dealing with was on Seinfeld, (or your favorite sitcom) how would your favorite characters spin it, so that you can actually crack a smile, or a deep belly laugh? (Irony and absurdity is almost always present, if we just seek it out)
  • What is the lesson you need to learn or re-learn from this circumstance in your life?
  • If your friend, spouse or family member came to you with this same challenge, what advice or wisdom would you give?
  • What core values or qualities do you have an opportunity to develop through this particular challenge?
Here’s to a growing and glowing near year! I look forward to hearing from you!
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