With everything that's going on in the world right now, I hesitated to write this article. However, I felt called to share my reflections with you. There has been so much despair and devastation in the world lately that when something happens to us personally, we can try to shrug it off because “compared to what's going on in the world, this is minor.” (This has been my “mantra” over the past week.) Although I believe this to be true, when something happens to you personally, it feels real and challenging. It can paralyze you and keep you from moving forward. It's essential that you acknowledge what's happening and find solutions to manage the madness of life.
In the past week, I've had major technology glitches, vendor/supplier challenges as well as a leak in our home from all the rainy weather. (Yes, it's been one of those weeks.) Being an entrepreneur will test you in every way imaginable. The universe has a way of “checking in” periodically to see how serious you are about your intentions, your dreams, and your purpose. It will throw you curve balls to see how you respond. When these situations arise, you always have two choices: Run for cover (like jumping in your bed and pulling the covers over your head, hoping that this will all go away quickly–not very effective I might add from personal experience) or step into a place of possibility thinking and find solutions (which works beautifully every time).
If you've had some challenges lately in your business or personal life, and feel like you need some solutions to help you move into possibility thinking, here are a few tips that I personally use to move me out from under the covers and into being an energized solution seeker:
1. Walk it out – Grab a cup of coffee or bottle of water and hit the pavement. I find that going on a long walk, breathing in some fresh air and taking in some nature helps me refocus and reframe the situation in a more positive light.
2. Dive In – Going inward and allowing my internal voice (also referred to as your “instincts”) to be heard calmly and clearly helps a great deal. Meditation is a wonderful tool in these times. If you have never done meditation before, that's fine. Just sit quietly, close your eyes and find your breath. Focus on breathing in and out for a few minutes. You'll be amazed at how much calmer and more focused you feel within 5 minutes of doing this. Solitude is smart practice and one that I engage in regularly.
3. Find your Champions – This is the time to reach out to the people in your life who champion you. These are people who think you hung the moon. Avoid toxic naysayers. You know you've got a challenge. The last thing you need is someone to tell you that. Engage with people who have a positive attitude who truly want to see you succeed and provide resourceful contributions to your situation.
4. Take note – Take a good look at what went wrong in the situation. Ask yourself a few questions: What part did I play in this? How can I keep this from happening in the future? Become proactive and set up systems to avoid these types of situations in the future.
There's an old saying that I'm sure you've heard before: “Life happens on your way to making plans.” This is true especially for women. We wear so many hats and play so many roles for others. There are certain challenges in life that we won't be able to avoid because life does happen. However, Smart Women set themselves up to survive and more importantly thrive in this wild, wacky world.
Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.
*****
© 2011 Joy Chudacoff
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Thanks so much for sharing these timely suggestions, Joy! Just this morning one of the ladies in the Success Circle said she had made the realization that she needs to stop being part of the problem, and start being part of the solution in creating her ideal life! Possibilities are all around us, we just need to find the right one for our situation and move forward.