Where is this going?
That's always something I ask myself!
Why?
Yes that's another one.
Always nice to have a development to share. I've been talking a bit with Calderdale in Recovery, recently, who have offered me a some work training their 40 front line staff in mindfulness, compassion and trauma-informed practice. Amazing! Starts next month. What I love about it is that it shows a good level of care for the staff in the sometimes harrowing work they have to do.
There has been a lot for me recently around moving into new territory and all the fears and 'blockages' that can come up around this. Since doing RRT there has been a shift in the nature of the attention I've been getting and it doesn't come without its own particular qualities. Questions come up, like 'Am I ready for this?" Terrible question, right?
As soon as I ask that question - mind - which just wants to keep me safe replies "no, of course you're not ready!" When I listen to that answer I am lost again. The feeling around the "Yes" answer is more uncertain, for sure, but that's only because it's something I haven't done before. Essentially, it's the feeling of leaning into growth.
Toddler Teach
My little boy, who's two-and-a-half, grows like nobody's business. He feels scared a lot, needs cuddles and reassurance because he's constantly growing. He feels the fear and is moving through it all the time. He doesn't care if he's getting it wrong or what should be done - he just does stuff and learns that way. Give him a cardboard box and he'll make it into a dozen different things - a plane, a car, a helmet, his head, his room, his house - it doesn't matter! I look at a cardboard box and I think 'better recycle that before someone falls over it.'
This is who I learn from. A new project is not something I can know before I've done it. It's something I learn by doing and if I'm lucky it'll become a plane, a tractor, a tree, the sky, a river, a boat, a track, a path and footprints on that path.
The fear was what worked to keep me safe. I am now safe, so the fear just keeps me stuck. It's still there but just not in control. Do you recognise this pattern in yourself? Everyone has it.
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I have an invitation for you. I want to continue to reach people and part of that means growing my mailing list. I get good feedback from many of you, some of you suggest I charge for this, or find a way to make income from it. In a way I do, but in order to grow it I would love to reach more people. Mainly because I think it has value and, as a free resource in a world that's sometimes tight and expensive, I feel it will be useful to others too. So give it a share, please! There's a link you can share here https://buttondown.email/endlessriver people just have to put their email in and then they will receive an email and then have to confirm that they want to be on the list.
Also, if you wanted me to do a talk at your work or social I'm up for sharing thoughts and ideas in person, too. It's all about opening up to what is possible in order to connect to what's actually happening in a way that feels growthful and freeing.
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Enemies
Imagine if your Worst Enemy were to start stalking you, then made their way into your house, started wearing your clothes and then, finally got right into your body and lived there, with you, forever! There's a saying "we are our own worst enemy". Everybody knows this one. It's one that Jon Connelly, the Rapid Resolution guy, uses a lot as an example of what we tell ourselves. He expands it by saying something like what I opened this paragraph with.
What we say to ourselves and what we believe about ourselves counts for a lot. It's not just talk, it's not just words. Words are like weapons that we can use on ourselves every day. Please choose your weapons wisely and if you really have to use those weapons then preferably point them away from yourself.
I was thinking of doing a talk on that subject sometime soon, online. Any interest?
Peace and love and share this please! Think about me doing a talk at your work or even some training. Consider that I could assist you with a stuckness which you feel is holding you back. It would be an honour!