I am kicking off my first ever web talk this week, and it excites me. One must nurture any shiny new idea with care. I do not know your experience with new things, but for me, it is easy to pin all my hopes and dreams on it and expect it to do everything like those products on late-night infomercials. This time, I am not going to do that. I am enjoying this journey and everything I have learned to be able to get to this point. You all have been a great sounding board for the twists and turns of this process. That new car feeling is finite because once you have taken that new idea for a spin a few times, it can lose its luster. We have a range of emotions for a reason, so I am going to inhabit the passion and fun of this state fully. Do you stop to celebrate your small victories? It is easy to be so focused on the end goal that we forget to celebrate along the way.
But, and there is always a but – the line between passion and obsession is a thin one. Creating does not happen in a vacuum, but I act as if it does at times. I can get tunnel vision and tune out everything and everyone around me. I even forget my analogies. I like to say that a Porsche is a high-performance vehicle, but if you drive it twenty-four/seven, it will end up at the mechanic. I then proceed to drive myself twenty-four/seven and end up unwell. Have any of you done interval training? You warm-up and then perform intense sprints followed by rest. I have to remember to do the same thing with the creative process. If you never refill the pitcher, you will have nothing left to pour. When I am overwhelmed with all the things I have to accomplish, I lock myself in a mental work dungeon and try to work until finished. That is not a successful strategy. Taking breaks seems counterintuitive, but I always end up more productive when I rest and follow my curiosity.
Hi, my name is Stacy, and I am a recovering workaholic. Are there any fellow workaholics out there? Do you struggle with downtime? Do you feel guilty when you are not productive? It is not easy to change. Changing engrained thinking patterns is especially difficult for me. Meditative practices have helped me because checking in with myself makes me aware of when I have slipped into default patterns. One of the techniques involved in change management is to provide a vision. What are you trying to accomplish? What would your life be like if you tried it differently? Grab the popcorn and watch the mental show. Gaining perspective can help you understand the patterns and triggers that lead you back to the negative trends. You can break those cycles.
What’s next? Trust yourself. It will not be easy to tune out your mind screaming and howling at your betrayal. It will require considerable effort to change the mental soundtrack. Letting go of what no longer serves you will make room for amazing things. What keeps coming back to haunt you? Do not be afraid of it. Be curious. Treat the uncomfortable thoughts like a science specimen. Study them and take notes. Once you understand where they come from, you can formulate strategies to help you transition and live the life you would like to be leading.
I hope you will be part of my Why Not? – Start Up Your Life journey this Wednesday at 8 pm EST.
Why Not? - Start Up Your Life!
Hosted by Stacy Casson
Wednesday, Aug 7, 2019 8:00 pm | 1 hour | (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Meeting number: 798 235 521
Password: kxd4366m
https://thingstothinkaboutllc.my.webex.com/thingstothinkaboutllc.my/j.php?MTID=m65dec0d7f3e2f345418fd0c91b866526
Join by video system
Dial 798235521@thingstothinkaboutllc.my.webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.
