Recently I’ve been looking at myself and taking a look at one of my own qualities – something I like about myself – but feel like maybe it’s holding me back…
I find that when you or anyone hits a wall, it can be worth looking at what can often be a creative tension within one’s own being.
Here’s what I’m talking about, a bit over two minutes.
What’s your sense of this in your own heart and your own business? I’d love to hear!
With love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.
p.s. This keeps coming up: Don’t Buy Now.
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7 Responses
Oh My! I LOVE the post on the “opposing opposites”. Thanks for bringing that up! Do I have to choose just one to focus on? Lol. Yes,I know I do! One step at a time. I’ve been struggling with this for years…. (it’s really hard to admit this publicly). My opposing opposites are:
I get bored, tired, resentful of my clients/students who have been with me for YEARS! I really relish at teaching/working with beginners and people who think they can’t do yoga for whatever reason.
I’m all about mobility, progress, change, transformation, resiliency. I feel the shifts and see the subtle changes in my students/clients way before they do and I respond to that and it becomes this incredible experience for them and energetic exchange for me. I love seeing people become stronger, become more aware of their bodies, feel better. Thus why I love working with beginners. With my students who have been with me for years (10+) I feel like I’m just a positive, bubbly band-aid that they put on each week. That they are relying on me, my energy to pump them up and get them through the week. They literally say to me, “I need your energy! I need my Corey-fix!” I cringe every time. And I DO feel the energy drain on my system and I become oh so tired!!! ….eventually leading to resentment. I realize that I can take my students to a certain place in their practice and then it’s time for them to find another teacher who can meet them where they are and take them to the next level.
I have never wanted to create a dependency with my students and coaching clients. I have always wanted to empower people with their own awareness to fuel and take care of themselves.
I chastise myself even further with critical thoughts like: “How can you begrudge loyal customers?? THAT is what a good business is built on – repeat customers!!!”
Ugh!!! I’m going to spend some time in Remembrance and “lean into” these opposing forces to see what comes from the heart. Thanks so much Mark!
Corey- I love the insights here- it can be really humbling to see it, and yet so freeing! Repeat clients are indeed profitable, but it’s also okay to consciously let them go after awhile, which is what you’re seeing. So, yes! Freedom!
I love this post, Mark. Following and drinking from the HOB well for a long while now has taught me to develop what I call “heart discernment” which you model so well. This is a great context to bring that in.
Having faced a health crisis recently and seeing my business growing in the last few months, makes me see how one of my strengths has been how I tend to default to spending a tonne of time to clearly envision, create and craft the most complete and near perfect offering… before sharing it. I have been learning to live and embrace imperfection and the beauty in putting out what I have (as incomplete and not fully formed as it may seem to me) to meet the need that is there already… learning from the dialogue with clients and developing it as we go.
Also, on a bigger level, letting go (sometimes) of going above and beyond and in trying too hard to help others get to the level I want them to get to as clients. Stepping back and accepting and letting folks be at different stages… designing what I have best to give for the stage I can respond to most from a place of compassion and wisdom.
David- Thank you for your kind words, and I love what you’ve written here. compassion, patience, with self and others, letting go… So important.
This is a great reminder, Mark. I’m good at thinking and planning. Not so good at putting those outcomes into action, perhaps because that raises all my doubts, what-if’s, and so on. For whatever reasons, it seems to take a lot of initial effort to get going.
I hear you, Karin. Glad it was helpful!
Hi Mark, thank you so much for this one!
I think I’m exactly like you in this aspect. I’m also great in persevering, but then missing out on taking a new perspective, doing something different if the old approach doesn’t give the desired results. I will be looking deeper into this for my current endeavours. Cheers!