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The Guilt Attack

I woke to a morning without obligations, places to be, people to connect with – otherwise known as “free time”. Immediately, my heart started pounding, my head filled thoughts of people who could use a phone call, all the “things” that I could “do”. I paused. I chose to listen to this extreme reaction in my body.

What was it trying to tell me?

I heard the answer from my head, “You are being lazy. Get busy. You should feel guilty not taking care of people and tasks that need you.”

And I chose to pause longer, listen more deeply. I found tears in the pause. Tears of compassion, tears reminding me that it is not only okay but vital that we human beings rest, rejuvenate, step away from the action at times.

What about you? Do you ever suffer from an attack of guilt when you stop? For a bit of inspiration around pause, take a look behind the card:

TheCenter4By6

 

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Precious Energy

Precious energy – YOUR energy. What does it feel like these days? How do you allocate it? Spend it? Do you save it for a rainy day (or, in Wisconsin, a blizzard)? Do you believe it is out of your control?

It often feels as if we have just so much life energy at our disposal. Based on our choices, however, we can create and experience MORE – or  LESS – of this energy each and every day. Our actions, beliefs, thoughts and emotions all impact our energy level. Today I ask you to pause and answer these questions for yourself:

How do I want to experience my precious energy today?
What choices will lead me there?

 

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What will you risk?

“Progress always involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” Frederick Wilcox

What qualities are present that allow the base runner to reach second? I imagine preparation of mind and body, trust in his or her ability, determination, willingness to fail as much as desire to succeed.

This quote shared another way suggests: You cannot sail across the ocean without losing site of the shore for a very long time. How does the ship captain prepare? He, too, studies, makes many shorter voyages in preparation. He gathers a team around him and ensures the body of his vessel is in great shape. The captain trusts his intuition and is determined to do anything to succeed. And, the voyage may fail as did the famous Titanic.

Both “left home” in order to risk landing on the other side.

What voyage are you facing?
What has you tied to first base?
What will you risk?
What if you fail?

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Living in the Question

But what is the question?

Here’s the thing. I am exploring this topic for the sake of my next public speaking engagement. Perhaps you will explore it with me. The idea comes from these lyrics:

Follow My Soul (video recording)

I’ve traveled in the city and followed other’s steps.
I’ve done each task before me. My life: a success.
I’ve learned well, for I thought all life’s answers were taught.
Now I’m starting over to dream in the clover
I hear new questions again.

The questions that are with me each day and through the night
sometimes send fear straight through me. I know not wrong from right.
Yet I know I must go through this uncertain time
and be with the feeling, as the unknown’s revealing. I’m
learning a new way to grow.

I’m living with the questions. I’m moving in the flow.
At times I ask direction, yet often I know
that the way, I would go is not the path I’ve been shown.
Yet, I’m gonna go there; follow my soul where
my heart it knows my truth.

Words and music by Jeanne Loehnis
Copyright 2003 Jeanne Loehnis Appleton, Wisconsin

For today, I will leave you with:

  • What is the question in your soul?
  • What answer do you follow that isn’t yours?
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Why goals?

“The major reason for setting a goal is for what it makes of you to accomplish it.
What it makes of you will always be the far greater value than what you get.” Jim Rohn

Think back to a major accomplishment in your life – one you can vividly recall working towards. Recall the struggles, the challenges overcome. Recall who you were before as well as the qualities you developed along the way. Bring a few more goals to your awareness. Consider childhood goals, adolescence, young adulthood: riding a bike, running a 6 minute mile, writing with your non-dominant hand, mending a relationship with your best buddy in 9th grade, achieving a 4.0 grade point average.

Which of those goals remain important to your life?
What is the value of the character traits, strengths, qualities you developed?