Fresh Eyes, New Stories

“There is nothing for you to go back and live over, or fix, or feel regret about now. Every part of your life has unfolded just right.” – Abraham Hicks

We all have stories. Where we came from, what we believe, who and what influence our actions or inactions. What are your stories saying to you? Are you hearing a cheerleader or a naysayer? Are they telling to expand or contract? Too old or too young? Not good enough? Not worthy?

The narratives, the thought loop in our mind determines if we grow or remain fixed in our patterns, expectations and held back in the past. Each of us is the author of our own story so we can rewrite the narrative to prompt new action that results in different outcomes.

Old stories and limiting beliefs keep us living small and watching repeats of the same show. Our narratives need to be “fact-checked” and challenged. Critical thinking, optimism, focused work and intentional play break those old thought patterns and create new ones that serve us better.

As a part of my writing practice, I am always on the hunt for fresh insights, connections and constructs to push me into new thinking and ultimately into optimal doing. Podcasts have been a great addition to my running schedule.

Sheri Salata and Nancy Hala from the Sheri and Nancy Show podcast were interviewed on the Don’t Keep Your Day Job podcast this week. After listening, I wanted to learn more about them so I listened to a few of their podcasts and instantly subscribed.

After remarkable and successful careers, they started a business and podcast together in their late 50s. Sheri is 60 and just wrote the book The Beautiful No: And Other Tales of Trial, Transcendence, and Transformation. Rather than talking about retiring, getting out of the “game” and slowing down, they are dreaming new dreams, pursuing new pursuits, exploring purpose work that leads to transformation.

Their website The Pillar Life focuses on the 8 pillars of a happy life:

1. Health + Wellness

2. Spirituality + Happiness

3. Romance + Sex

4. Friends + Family

5. Creativity + Innovation

6. Adventure + Discovery

7. Sanctuary + Beauty

8. Money + Abundance

In their spring episodes, they have been interviewing Jack Canfield on his The Success Principles Workbook: An Action Plan for Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be as they work their way through this process themselves. When we approach life with a beginner’s mindset and growth mindset, we change, evolve and expand our whole being - mind, heart and spirit, at any age.

Challenge your assumptions, stories and expectations. When you hear limiting voices in your head, excavate them and build a new foundation. Break old patterns, shape new stories and enjoy each day, exploring, discovering, dreaming and doing the next right thing.

“When you scratch the surface, every one of us has something that we deeply want to contribute to the world. All we have to do is step up and do it.” – Jack Canfield

Brush to Canvas

Ideas, inspiration and insights motivate, build confidence and make the case for action. They show us possibilities, invite us to dream and make way for that still small voice inside to be acknowledged and heard. The next step where we often stumble is execution, in operationalizing our dreams. Starting is a daily decision not a one-time activity. There are inflection points where we just need to jump out of idea gathering and choice overload into decision and action.

Over the past year, I’ve become more aware of my own limiting beliefs and narratives that have halted execution of my ideas, plans and pursuits. Busyness, saying yes to things that I should say no to, being a people pleaser, worrying about what other people think are a few narratives that I have given credence to and allowed them to be roadblocks to progress.

We need to create boundaries on what we let in so we can knock down walls that prevent us from moving forward. By exposing false narratives, we give ourselves permission to create new narratives, making execution easier as the answers become obvious, hiding in plain view.

“Every one of us wants to do work that matters — work that aligns with our personal values, talents, and passions. Work that makes a difference in the world,” states Ken Coleman, author of The Proximity Principle. There are three questions to ask yourself to activate the “proximity principle:”

1. Who do I need to know?

2. Where do I need to be?

3. What do I need to start doing?

The three enemies that we need to manage are fear, doubt and pride. When we breakdown the journey into actionable steps, we overcome fear, doubt and pride, moving confidently and imperfectly to the “mountain” of our choosing.

The path is made clear through consistent action, embracing a beginner’s mindset and ignoring our inner and outer critics. Through practice and effort, I am a better writer than I was three years ago but not as good as I will be in a year with ongoing application and execution.

If you are not sure where to start, Glenda Eoyang, Human Systems Dynamics Institute offers six practical steps on what to do, when you don’t know what to do:

1. Breathe;

2. List 3 things that you know for sure to ground yourself and 3 things you wonder to give yourself a diving board into the future;

3. Decide what you need to expand or contract – do you need more options or do you need to narrow to less options – divergence or convergence;

4. Explore tensions – will you:
   act or ask
   go alone or with others
   quickly or slowly
   now or later
   down a tried and true path or new adventure
   be open or closed
   join or leave

5. Do something! Anything!!  - action!

6. See what happens and then start again.

We convince ourselves that we need every step figured out before we proceed. While a plan, goals and deadlines are important, starting provides clarity and creates opportunities that define the path.

By putting “brush to canvas,” filling the blank page with words, we move from abstract concepts to concrete execution, doing it again, adjusting and then doing it again until we arrive home to ourselves.

Stop pondering and putting off. Pick up the brush and start painting. No more overthinking or being overwhelmed with all of the color choices. Put brush to canvas and start painting your own beautiful, brilliant and imperfect picture.

“If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh