CoachCherri.com – The Transition Coach

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who are you? Why are you here? What are your beliefs about life? For many years, finding the answers to these questions has meant going within. But what does that mean?

There is a Power within each of us that will direct us to our perfect health, perfect relationships, perfect careers, and which can bring us prosperity of every kind. In order for us to have these things, we have to believe first that they are possible. Next, we must be willing to release the patterns in our lives that are creating conditions we say we do not want. We do this by going within and tapping the Inner Power that already knows what is best for us. If we are willing to turn our lives over to this greater Power within us, the Power that loves and sustains us, we can create more loving and prosperous lives.

We cannot allow what I call “Power Enemies” to erode our energy and cause all kinds of distractions in our lives they hold us hostage and keep us from experiencing an abundance life. 

These enemies are characterized as:

• No knowledge of who we are
• Keeping ourselves locked into what happen way back when
• Listening to others instead of what’s inside of us
• Staying in unhappy and unhealthy situations out of fear
• Stuck in excuses for our lack of movement towards something greater for ourselves

We have the choice to use our Power in any way. If we choose to live in the past and re-hash all of the negative situations and conditions that went on way back when, then we stay stuck where we are. If we make a conscious decision not to be victims of the past and go about creating new lives for ourselves, we are supported by this Power within, and new, happier experiences begin to unfold.  Also we sometimes contribute toward the creation of every condition in our lives, good or bad, with our thinking, feeling patterns. The thoughts we think create our feelings, and we then begin to live our lives in accordance with these feelings and beliefs. I like the analogy that author Louise Hay wrote in her book, “The Power is Within You”:

Imagine that your thoughts are like drops of water. One thought or one drop of water does not mean very much. As you repeat thoughts over and over, you first notice a stain on the carpet, then there is a little puddle, then a pond, and as these thoughts continue, they can become a lake, and finally an ocean. What kind of ocean are you creating? One that is polluted and toxic and unfit to swim in, or one that is crystal clear and blue and invites you to enjoy its refreshing waters?

We are meant to be wonderful and loving expressions of life. Life is waiting for you to open up to it–to feel worthy of the good it holds for you.  Life is here to support you. Trust the Power within you to be there for you.

Try tapping into your inner power by:

• Believing Anything Is Possible
• Getting still in a quiet space
• Asking yourself simple, profound questions that require you to look inside your heart
• Letting your intuition guide you
• Feeling the riches and abundance of life
• Seeing things with new eyes, hearing with new ears and experience new ways of thinking

You have everything you need within you to make your own choices, decisions, achieve your dreams and find your purpose.  Getting in touch with who you are and living an authentic live…that’s true for you is powerful. There’s nothing mystical about it ..you just have to keep your lamp burning, by putting oil in it.

“Life has no limitations, except the ones you make”

-Les Brown

 We are living in an unpredictable economy at the moment.  And if we continue to listen to the media, they would have us believe that we are facing the same fate of the Great Depression.  That alone is enough to keep you depressed and discourage with all the other personal stuff you’re combating on a daily basis.  If you are feeling discourage consider shifting your thoughts to what could be – not on what’s not currently working.  If you are the type of person who likes to keep up with current events, try counteracting the negative with a fresh view of new possibilities.  This is a creative time for CHANGE albeit political, professional or personal. 

 Sometimes we get so bogged down in our current reality that we forget that we encounter adversities everyday, yet we find a way to overcome them.  For instance you get sick – you go to the doctor or seek out a remedy; your car unexpectedly breaks down – you find a way to get it fixed; your boss berates you in front of the team – you learn to keep a cool head and confront the issue at a more appropriate time; gas and food prices are soaring – you experiment with ways to cut back on a few things without letting it completely disrupt your lifestyle. The point is… nothing should limit you from experiencing life to the fullest.  Stuff happens.  Don’t let the pain of one season be the judge of what your outcome will be.  Start planting seeds not weeds into your life.

 The words we use can be a detriment on our psyche and distort our vision of how we view the world.  You’ve often heard –our words create our thoughts, our thoughts create our actions.  Don’t let your words become a distraction to your imagination of endless possibilities. Words like won’t, can’t and should are “possibility killers”.  They cause you to retreat from a position of power, courage and achievement presuming defeat.  You have the power of choice – believe that “All Things Are Possible”.

 Consider this:

 ALL - a word that indicates no limitations, go for the gusto.

 THINGS - a word with a long-lost ancestral meaning of “time” – there’s an appointed time for  everything.

 ARE - a word that resonates hope.

 POSSIBLE - a word when spoken fulfills dreams. 

Don’t get side-tracked by the world and its troubles.  Let purpose drive you to your destiny and guide you to your strategy.  Do what you can –where you are.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

- Mark Twain

I am often struck by the number of people who have extraordinary gifts and talents, but are afraid to expose them to the world.  How many extremely talented people do you know who are hiding their greatness?  All of us have something unique and special to offer.  Oftentimes we hold back and only scratch the surface of what we could be.  All of the symptoms of hiding are really the same in each of us.

It’s either something in our past, an incident that we felt shut the door to a promising future, or an erroneous message that we gave too much “air-time” to.  Many of you may be in a job or career that stifles your greatness. But for some unconscious reason, you have chosen to sit quietly and hope for the best.  Or maybe you have this great idea for a business and you’ve done all the ‘leg work’ to get it going – but fail to launch.

Remember as kids when you used to play the game ‘hide and go seek.’  The person hiding went to great lengths to be inconspicuous (ducking, dodging and shifting places) to be safe and not found.  However, the “seeker” takes great pride in their ability to launch into action.  The challenge to find what was hidden created adrenaline that lead them on a path to endless possibilities and discoveries – their greatness.  Think about it. It takes more effort to hide and stay small than to come out of hiding and do the work.

I had a problem with ‘failure to launch’ in the workplace before I made the transition to explore my greatness.  I clung to the safe positions.  You know, the ones that kept you hidden in a cubicle, never challenging your intellect, never requiring you to present an idea/project: the one’s that pigeonhole you.  The moment I made the transition to come out of hiding and step into a career that harnessed my greatness (helping other’s realize their greatness), it changed my life in ways I never imagined.

Hiding Behaviors

Ever wonder why your career or entrepreneurial venture seemed to ‘fail to launch’ to what you desired it to be?  The real truth is your behavior(s).  These are behaviors you may or may not be consciously aware of.  But if you really dig deep enough you will discover that you haven’t been much of a “seeker” in exercising your greatness. What you have been communicating and actually doing is playing “peek-a-boo” with yourself.  Instead of putting yourself out there and getting known in the workplace/marketplace, you do a little here and a little there.  I’m speaking to those who never seem to feel they are ready and to those who hide behind fear.

Here’s what hiding behaviors might look like:

• The Perpetual Student – “I’m almost there, I need more training, seminars, etc.” Always preparing, never doing.
• The Marketing/Branding Wimp – ” I’ll do a little and leave the rest to chance.”
• The ScaredyCat - “I don’t want to be in their face.” Doesn’t want to seem aggressive.
• The Procrastinator - ” I’ll do it tomorrow.” Waits till the last minute, next week, next month, next year…
• The She Who Would Be Everything – “I can do it all.” Wants to do everything, never committing to one thing and doing it well.

Reasons We Hide

We are afraid of all sorts of things.  If you ask most people what they are afraid of they’ll tell you, “nothing really.”  But if you engage them in thoughtful conversation, you’ll really find out the truth.  Some fears may seem trivial to others, but very real to the person who is experiencing them.  We hide our greatness for many reasons.  Reasons that keep us on the launching pad so long that we lose our flame for what we once hoped for: a promotion, career change, competitive salary, thriving business, and much more.  So why aren’t we being our greatest selves?

Some of those reasons may be…

1. Fear of becoming big and powerful in the world.
2. Fearing we might fail and how that is going to look to our colleagues, friends, family.
3. Afraid of being found out – we aren’t as smart as we appear to be.
4. Fear of looking or sounding stupid.
5. Listening to a spouse or family member(s) that may not be supportive.
6. Fear that our success will take us far from our comfort zone.
7. Fear of money (management, bad decisions).
8. Fear of making powerful connections and having influence.
9. Fear of what will people think?  How will they treat me?
10. Holding on to old worn out messages from the past.

Ask yourself this question: “What is it costing me to stay hidden in my career, business?”

 What are the unique gifts that differentiate you from other solo entrepreneurs? The path to discovering your gifts may take a lifetime, but you can use the exploration process to begin to use your gifts NOW!

 
Unfortunately, for many different reasons people get sidetracked or never even get started taking the actions that would help them discover their uniqueness. Here are some suggested strategies to help move forward and stay on the path of discovering your gifts.

1. Make yourself a priority. Understand what’s important to you. To do that, you have to make yourself important in your life. Spend less time worrying about what everyone else thinks you should do. That’s what got you confused in the first place.

 
2. Build a reserve of money, time and space. This doesn’t mean you have to be rich to live your dreams. However, if you’re always lacking in money, time and space, you’re creating extra pressure for yourself. Having some reserves gives you the freedom to play and make different choices.

3. Have a daily practice that keeps you connected with your gifts. A daily practice allows you to develop the skill and discipline to listen to yourself. Learn to look inward for answers. Consider journaling, meditation or other practices that help you tune out the world and hear your own whispers.

4. Ask others for input on what you can’t see in yourself. Sometimes it’s hardest to see your own gifts. People may overlook or dismiss your strengths and talents. Chances are your friends and family can provide clues about what’s special and great in you.

5. Don’t think too much. It’s time to get out of your head and into your heart and body-they have intelligence to share. You can’t always think your way to the answers. When you are engaged in activities, pay attention to your feelings or your body. Are you energized? Do you lose track of time? Don’t miss these valuable clues.

6. Get a fan club. Discovering your gifts doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavor. Exercise the choice you have about who to spend time with. Why not surround yourself with positive and supportive people?

7. Befriend your inner critic. Keep reminding yourself that knowing and using your gifts is not about being right or wrong or perfect. Discovering your gifts is an ongoing process of learning. Expect resistance, learn from your inner critic, and keep taking action.

8. Maintain a sense of humor. It is important to have a sense of lightness and fun to welcome new ideas and opportunities. Don’t be too serious. Take delight in unwrapping your gifts.

9. Shine the light on beliefs. Don’t underestimate the power of belief. What do you believe about yourself and the world that could be hindering your progress? Replace beliefs that don’t serve you. Consider creating an “old belief graveyard” and “new belief birth ward.”

10. Don’t step off a cliff, just take one small step toward the edge. The process of discovering your gifts requires action. The focus is not on arriving somewhere, but on being on the journey and learning. A desire to make changes in your life may come with a deeper understanding of your gifts.

However, you don’t have to make drastic changes overnight. What’s one small step you can take to move in the direction of your gifts?

Source: http/: www.advancingwomen.com