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A Little Goes a Long Way

By JanetEisenbise on Wednesday, September 8th, 2010 | No Comments

There isn’t any doubt that as human beings, we are wired to be goal setting, achieving human beings.  We need to have choices to make and to take steps toward something in order to be healthy and satisfied.  Being successful requires our mental focus and actions that move us along toward the change we desire.

But did you know that the opposite of all that work is also necessary?  We need time off.  There is a sort of oscillation of work and play or relaxation that is essential.  If you are relying on your will power to push on and on despite fatigue and stress, you are going to either burn out or make yourself sick. Or both.

At one time having the 7th day off was a part of the rhythm of everyone’s work life.  It isn’t anymore, and yet we need the equivalent of that to stay healthy.  And the quality of our work suffers without that break too.

How can you make sure that your own oscillation between work and relaxation or play is in place?  Would you consider learning and using short breaks for a 10 or 15 minute relaxation break?  Walking away from your desk or computer to a quiet place, closing your eyes and taking 5 deep breaths will help.  Relax your body and just pay attention to your breathing.  After doing this for 10 minutes or so, stand up and stretch your entire body.  See if you don’t feel more alert and ready to resume work.

Managing rest and relaxation as one of your priorities will mean writing it into your schedule.  Playing a game, going for a walk in nature, playing some music, planning a weekend trip away are all inexpensive or free ways to oscillate work and rest.  When you feel the benefits, you will see that a little goes a long way.

The Power of Gratitude

By JanetEisenbise on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 | No Comments

White Iris

It may seem to be a paradox that we work on meeting goals in order to change lives and at the same time aim to be happy and contented now.  Look ahead to the life we intend to create, while being mindful and present to where we are right now.

It is easy to fall into the trap of complaint, criticism and discontent when we compare where we are with where we wish to be.  I was listening to John talk about the financial mess that he faced in the aftermath of a bad relationship.  He was looking at a large credit card debt that he and his girlfriend had accumulated as well as loans that he had given her which he would likely never see returned.

It was quite a pile of rubble that was left from the choices that he had made, and he sorely regretted having made them.  He was going to have to take some drastic measures to prevent even further losses since paying his mortgage and a car payment was difficult.  And the creditors were calling.

As you might expect, he was feeling sad, angry and afraid.  And it didn’t help that he was continually berating himself for being so stupid as to have gotten into the situation.  He was deeply ashamed.

You might wonder if John would have to wait to feel better until after he had met his goals of cleaning up his debt and getting back on his feet again.  The answer is no.  And if he continues to berate himself and cause more internal negativity, achieving anything is going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Here is where the power of gratitude comes in.  Paying attention to what is going right in your life makes all the difference.  And yes, no matter how huge the pile of rubble from the past is, there are things to be grateful for.  This may sound too optimistic to be believed, but bear with me.

If you are willing to be mindful of what is present to you NOW, you may notice small but important things that you have tuned out as you worry and stew.  It may be the beauty of nature, or the existence of your life and health.  Perhaps the kindness of someone you encounter, or some quality within you that you appreciate.  If you look and are willing to ask, there is help at hand, and we can always be grateful for that.

The “first aid” assignment that I gave John was to write a gratitude list every day, preferably at the beginning and end of the day.  After awakening, he was asked to think about those things and to breathe deeply and to FEEL gratitude.  He could observe that he felt more energetic and happy and that getting on with the tasks of the day was much easier.

This has been a spiritual discipline of mine for many years, and I recommend it to you.  Something simple yet powerful, expressing gratitude shifts our thoughts to the positive.  And since we become what we think about most, and bring into being what our thoughts are focused on, it can be a small step that will change your life.

Don’t Put It Off

By JanetEisenbise on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 | No Comments

With all this talk about goals, it occurs to me that we may fall into a trap of waiting to be happy UNTIL we meet the goal.  You know, something like “When I get to my ideal weight (or find my mate, or buy the new car…) then I will be happy.”

My question is why put it off?

According to the Law of Attraction, we are constantly putting out a vibrational frequency that varies with the thoughts that we have.  And we are constantly receiving vibrations of that same frequency that gives us the results that we experience.

So if I am moping because of a disappointment in my progress, then I am putting out a low vibration and am going to be feeling lousy because I am focused on the LACK of what I want.  And then I am going to get more of the same.

It is natural to feel disappointed.  But when you recognize that you are feeling lousy, then it’s important to change that vibrational level by getting refocused on your positive intention.

  • Revisit your intended outcome by writing about it or by looking at a picture of it.  You can draw a picture of it too.
  • Feel the satisfaction and excitement that comes with experiencing what you want.  Yes, do it now.
  • Change your posture.  Stretch, straighten your spine, put your shoulders back and take several deep breaths.
  • Go for a walk and look around you, gazing out in the distance.
  • Call or visit someone who is a positive influence and is encouraging and supportive.
  • Read something inspiring.
  • Listen to some great music and dance.  Yes, turn up the volume and go to town!

In short, be determined to practice feeling great right now! There’s no point in putting it off.  Your health and outlook will be brighter and so will your eventual outcome.  Feeling good right now will increase your energy and make the attainment of your goals much easier.


Focus On Goals

By JanetEisenbise on Monday, August 30th, 2010 | 2 Comments

Recently I returned from a short vacation to Chicago where I had a great time visiting family and being the tourist.  Since coming home I have been challenged to get back in the working groove and concentrate on what needs to be done.  Do you sometimes have this problem?

When I worked for a large company, my schedule was pretty much determined for me, which in the past was the answer in part to the back-from-vacation-fog.  I knew when I had to show up and what was expected of me.  And even if my feet were dragging a bit, I DID show up and eventually gained momentum with the job at hand.

But what if you own a business, or what if the goals you are working on aren’t managed by someone else?  Then the losses and gains are all yours and the responsibility for them is all yours too.

It occurred to me that although we often hear about “time management,” it really isn’t a problem of time.  We all have the same 24 hours and there is nothing we can do to manage that.

I think instead that it is a priority problem. In other words, with the time you have available, what are your priorities with what you get done in it?  What is most important?  What is less important?

Check out your list of what you desire in your life.  (You do have a list, don’t you?)  The number one item on your list may be to have a good relationship with your spouse.  Or to deepen your spiritual life.  Or maybe you want to improve your health by becoming more fit.  Or the number one thing on your list may be to increase your income.

Whatever it is, after you identify the thing that is most important to you, check your schedule for the past week or few weeks and see how much time you dedicated to it.  Does your schedule reflect your priority?

Maybe more important, how much time were your thoughts focused on this in a positive way? Remember, we become what we think about most of the time!

One way to tell whether you are focused on your goal in a positive way is to observe how you are feeling when you think of them.  If you feel good, it’s positive.  If you are feeling bad, chances are you are thinking about the LACK of what you desire. And guess what? You will be getting more of that.

A short term goal then would be to feel good every day; focus on what you DO desire and feel good while you do that. Before long, you will be much more aligned in your thoughts, feelings and behaviors and bringing to yourself exactly what you desire.

Showing Up Anyway

By JanetEisenbise on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 | No Comments

It seems that in the process of setting goals and meeting them, that although we begin with great enthusiasm and energy, we come to a screeching halt.  Before I got serious about my intention to be a writer, I would get completely thrown off when I would hit one of these “fallow” periods in the creative process.

Discouraged and distracted, I would be convinced that I “didn’t have what it takes,” and quit.  Until somehow my desires and dreams were inspired to action once again.  And so it went.  A cycle of beginning and quitting, beginning and quitting.

This may or may not sound familiar to you.  What I have learned from it, and from reading and listening to countless successful mentors, personally as well as in books, is that the “uncreative” moments are a part of creating.

“One must also accept that one has ‘uncreative’ moments.  The more honestly one can accept that, the quicker
these moments will pass.  One must have the courage to call a halt, to feel empty and discouraged.”
~Etty Hillesum~

When you come to the hour when inspiration seems to have vanished, and your energy and attention seems weak and unfocused, remember not to give up.

Julia Cameron, in The Artist’s Way reminds us to acknowledge and accept that the fallow periods are just a part of it, and to show up anyway.  You have to go to work and trudge through it.  Put your butt in the chair and do the work.  Fingers to the keyboard, or brush to the canvas, or take a step in the marketing plan, as the case may be.

It may take awhile to regain momentum.  It may feel like real labor for awhile.  Don’t concern yourself that what you are producing isn’t up to your standards.  Save it and keep moving ahead.  You can edit and alter it later.  Or if it really is crap, you can throw it away later.

Chances are, you will see that it has value.  And just by the act of showing up for work, you will once again feel inspired and energized.  Maybe it’s an act of faith that is rewarded by the support of the universe.  I don’t know, but I do know that the fallow period will end, and new life will spring forth.  Just keep showing up.

Smart Goals One Bolt at a Time

By JanetEisenbise on Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 | 2 Comments

"A Perfect Storm of Turbulent Gases"

Goal planning for most of us is a real challenge.  And often the follow-through is also difficult.  Even when we are highly motivated to reach a personal goal, we can become overwhelmed and lose focus.

My goals, perhaps like yours, often involve making a lot of small steps on the road to fruition.  And often I get distracted by thinking about some aspect that I don’t know yet how to complete, and lose track of where I am in the process.

On Monday’s post I commented on the movie, “Hubble,” the story of the last mission to repair the giant space telescope.  One of the points that impressed me had to do with reaching goals.

The astronauts had a daunting task ahead of them.  They had to complete a number of difficult mechanical and technical repairs and do this in a weightless, deeply cold and airless environment.  And they were wearing bulky spacesuits which were tethered to the shuttle, as were all the tools that they used.

Their gloves were especially vulnerable as they manipulated the tools and the telescope parts they were replacing.  A cut to the glove would allow air to escape and would be fatal.

They practiced the maneuvers over and over again in a replica of the equipment which was in a deep pool of water to give them the best sense of weightlessness possible.  They were well prepared, but of course things happen in real life that are unexpected, and their teamwork and ability to problem solve would certainly be called for.

There were some very tense moments when one team had problems loosening a bolt and then later removing a screw.  They were stuck and for awhile it looked like the whole mission might be compromised or scrapped.  It took hours for them to complete the task.

One of the astronauts said that he adopted a Zen approach.  By this he meant that he focused on just one screw or bolt at a time.  He wasn’t thinking about the whole mission, or the myriad of other screws and what if they were ALL this difficult to remove?!  Instead, he focused only on the screw at hand.

I was impressed.  His approach was simple and wise.  Not necessarily easy though.  He had trained his mind to focus on just one thing and to complete that one task before he began thinking about another.  Self discipline.

We can all learn to do this.  Even though sometimes I think the human mind is a lot like a band of monkeys, running around being unruly, and when alarmed, shrieking and jumping about causing a lot of commotion.  It’s hard to get anything done when our thoughts are like that.

With practice, you can learn to focus your mind on one step in reaching your personal goals, business goals or career goals.  That’s really all we can accomplish anyway…just the one step at hand.

Photo credit:  ESA,NSA, and J. Hester, Arizona State U.

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