Day 23/366 days Towards Self-Mastery. Status: enjoying the reflection!
As a seasoned entrepreneur, the next step has always been the next logical thing.
Having spent 17 years in high-risk clinical practice I know about managing chaos. This is a skill that served me well on my entrepreneurial journey.
As a rookie to business I decided to start with importing office automation from Japan. To New Zealand. Five months lead times.
With a team that pieced together our skills and experience there were still things we needed to learn about building an importing business, so for some time it was driven by the "seat of our pants". And trust me, you learn quickly when you've invested heavily.
Repeatedly my team and I would start with a reality check on the grim reality of where we were before we took the next step.
Sometimes that meant digging ourselves out of huge cashflow crises. Three times in fact. Sometimes it meant dealing with industry bullies. Sometimes it was about damage control when a staff member took off with our database. Another time it meant downsizing by 50% when we saw the GFC looming.
Today's inspiration is about getting real with where you are at
Accepting the reality of life is necessary before you can take the next step.
Take inventory of where you are right now. Then make the decision to accept where you are. Surrender yourself to the reality of now. Accept what is.
By being really clear with where we were, we built a successful and thriving business. One that continues to operate today, some 28 years after we opened the doors.
The same business that made it possible for me to own my home and give my son stability through his childhood. That gave us time and funds to travel and many other good things in life.
It was a business that employed an number of staff long-term and supported them well in their livelihood, something we were proud of.
It taught me everything I know about business and a lot more.
Know where you are right now. Accept that. Surrender into it.
At one time I made a list of the Big 6 accounting firms and starting phoning them to get some help. I had no cash, and little cashflow. And I needed help. That was my reality. Another crisis and we wouldn't recover.
And help is what I received. Who would have thought?
Beautifully timed, crafted to meet our needs, professional support, and mentoring ongoing until we were out of the red.
If you can't accept where you are right now, you're never going to take the next right step.
When you can surrender into the now moment, you'll meet with the frequency of acceptance. Without it, you will be acting out of resistance. Resistance to what is. Resistance to your reality.
You can create from a place of resistance.
So today I've looked again at my situation to meet today's challenge.
It's probably been 5 years since I started to craft this business. Chipping away at the possibilities. Reviewing, revising, retesting. Staying connected to my reality. Resisting the pressure from colleagues and coaches to meet their expectations.
Because it's a business that comes from my personal interests and it's content from my heart space, it's taking longer than expected. It challenges me to dig deep into territory that I haven't visited before. I'm willing. I'm patient. There has to be a different way of doing business than the cut throat, old paradigm would suggest.
I'm interested in the emotional and mental wellbeing of people. Leaders, teams, individuals. Those who are willing to build a deep and honest relationship with themselves so that they have a better understanding of others. Those that are willing to explore their own humanity.
And I'm interested in working with those who have a different vision for business. Those who are committed to ethical practices and preserving our planet, and nature as a priority. Those who understand that the connection they have with their team is a reflection of the connection they have with themselves. Those who are willing to allow the workplace to be an integrated aspect of their team's lives, and embrace the nuances that this entails.
Staying close to my reality, and taking the next step. It's not easy this time around. It's challenging me big time. But I have a dream, and that dream is unfolding...ever so slowly.
So yeah. I'm not there yet.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.