I’ve had the hardest time writing this edition of Business Heart. I’ve written and thrown away three previous versions, starting over completely from scratch because I couldn’t quite “hit it.”
I’ve been hearing tales of struggle and effort from a number of people. One of my mastermind buddies has had a complete technological meltdown. Others share my aimless, directionless feeling that is stalling out a lot of my business efforts.
I’ve been here before, and I’m sure you have, too. It’s a weird place. It seems like nothing can get done, or get done well, and the decision seems to either pull on your own bootstrap, which in these situations usually snaps before I get anywhere, or collapse into somehow waiting it out.
These times happen to everyone. And we hate to admit we’re having them. When you’re in business for yourself, and your livelihood depends on your ability to perform, it can be a frustrating, and sometimes terrifying place to be.
We all have to get through these times, and yet “pushing through” has never worked for me. So, what really makes the difference?
When I ask my heart, there are two messages I get. The first mesage is a saying from one of the very enlightened messengers: “Fear for provision is the first step in losing faith.” (rough translation).
The second message is I’m reminded of the emphasis in most spiritual paths on two things: regular spiritual practice or prayer, and regularly helping those in need.
The trouble with business is that because a business needs to make a profit to survive, it’s very easy to bring the focus on to yourself. “ME- I need to get the newsletter out.” “ME- I need to get my marketing done.” “ME- I need things to go a certain way.”
The most consistent place you and I trip up in business, is when we place all of our attention onto ourselves. When we “fear for provision,” it’s the first, often subtle, unseen miss-step, on a crooked path that leaves us struggling.
What has finally made it possible to get this newsletter out is that I turned my attention from me and the storm in my weather system, and placed it in two places- in my heart, and on the need in front of me. My heart has space for me to feel a little lost, and the confidence that this, too, shall pass. Believe it or not, yours does too. Don’t believe me? Take a moment and try it.
Ask your heart if it has space to feel anything difficult you may be feeling, about your business or your life, and let yourself feel it. Bring the Remembrance in to remember that there is a larger reality that you can’t quite perceive at the moment. Take a full minute with the Remembrance. (Note: the Remembrance is the practice of repeating the name of the Divine in your heart, and is fully described in my free workbook, Getting to the Core of Your Business, available when you subscribe to this ezine.)
Ahhh, that’s a little better, isn’t it?
Now that you have a little more spaciousness, take a look at the need in front of you.
There are many people that you can serve and help through your business. Again, ask your heart if you have space to feel their need, too. Their needs are real, just like yours. Same thing- take a full minute to feel their needs. Then take a full minute with the Remembrance.
Much better. What do you notice when you take the attention off of you, and start to perceive their needs? For me, I feel a lot of relief, because I’m Remembering at the the same time. If I were to just look at my needs, and then at their needs, I often feel drained and depleted. That’s how we started this newsletter.
With the Remembrance that there is a larger reality that I’m not perceiving, by opening my heart, I begin to feel some real ease and spaciousness. And, I notice the desire rise in me to serve you.
Notice, it is no longer a -need- to fix you. But a -desire- to serve you. Your business, whatever it is, is in its most pure and expansive state when it is being built on a desire to serve and help. It is in its most contracted and needy state, when it is being pushed from a desire to fix you, your financial situation, or your customers.
There is a lot of need in this world. It is very easy to get overwhelmed. National Geographic Magazine had as its September issue, “Global Warning: Bulletins from a Warmer World.” Plus, it’s no secret the economy doesn’t look all that great. If you need to fix both yourself, and fix the world, you are going to be depleted, exhausted, depressed, and eventually despairing.
Please, be gentle with yourself if this is your experience. Take your attention off yourself, and put it on your heart, and on the need in front of you.
I know that you consider yourself a part of the effort to bring love, peace, mercy, and justice into the world, and that you probably want to do this at least partly through your business.
What does your heart say about where you are? Take a good look at the need that is in front of you. How can you show up authentically to meet it, with what you have, no matter what state of readiness you are in?
Stand up, my friend, and show up with what you have. It’s enough to start meeting the need in front of you. The world can no longer wait for you and I to get over our fears of provision, of bigness, of responsibility. The need is here now, in front of us. Instead of pushing through, what is your heart pulling you towards?
Keys to When Things Suck.
• I mentioned regular spiritual practice or prayer above. Many traditions recommend interrupting our day with prayer or other spiritual practice. Common times for interruption are: first thing in the morning, mid-day, late afternoon (when the sleepy/ grumpies hit), dusk (as you close your day), and in the night, before you sleep.
Try it for a week: spend 5 minutes in Remembrance, or more purposeful prayer and asking for help and connection in your heart at each of those times. It’s really hard to interrupt ourselves, but interrupting a sucky day can’t hurt, eh? If all five times is too much, try interrupting yourself three times- first thing in the morning, mid-day, and before you sleep. Just notice how your week goes.
• Let yourself get really clear on your own needs. Get out some paper and notice what your needs are. Do they concern money? Family? Health? Try bringing these needs to your prayer/ interruptions for a week, and, again, notice what happens when you begin to make space for your needs, and then ask for help.
Hint: your needs don’t always get answered the way you expect. You may find, for instance, that you don’t get a lot more money, but your fear is taken away, leaving you feeling peaceful and abundant. Then again, you may find yourself with more money.
• Same thing with the needs of the people you want to help in your business. Keep writing, and take some time in your heart to get as detailed as possible about all of their needs, as they relate to your business. Bring those, too, to your prayer/ interruptions. Ask in your heart to be someone who can truly help and serve those who have these needs. Watch and see what happens.
