One of the participants in my small group coaching had named that she felt like she was stalling, just not getting to something in her business that she felt was super important. She had done it consistently before, but she wasn’t getting to it now, and she felt guilty and stuck about it.
This kind of self-judgment is really common. I’ve been there, you’ve probably been there, I’ve seen it hundreds of times, if not thousands, over the years.
I want to give you a good way to discern if you are legitimately waiting, or if you’re just nervous to get going.
Two types of waiting
When we lived in Ithaca, there was a swimming hole with a pretty high jump off a boulder into the deep part. It was a little nerve-wracking the first time through, and I remember standing there for some moments, before I had the nerve to jump.
After that, I was fine.
However, there’s another time I was waiting, it was a woodworking project I was working on in my shop, and I needed a tool to remove a stripped screw. I was completely stopped. I couldn’t do anything until I removed the stripped screw, and I couldn’t remove the screw without that tool.
If you’re not getting to something, be both kind and honest.
My client was actually doing a lot in their business, and yet there was one thing they kept telling themselves they “should” be doing.
However, the compassionate truth was that they were working out some kinks in their messaging and systems, and it didn’t make any sense to push ahead without getting that done first.
Another time, a member of our Learning Community was not hitting send on a newsletter. It was set to go, written, and they were just nervous, because it was vulnerable.
They took a few minutes in heart-centering Remembrance, and let themselves feel nervous and vulnerable… and then realized it was okay. And they hit send.
Don’t hurt yourself, it’s okay to move slowly.
Pausing before jumping into a swimming hole for the first time has some wisdom in it. People have gotten injured landing on rocks. Pausing before sending is wise, so you can check in with what’s true.
And, it’s also kind to recognize when you literally don’t have what you need, or are otherwise not ready, and that’s why you haven’t jumped. It’s not an excuse, it’s just the truth.
Every time you pause, there’s wisdom. And, you do need to slow down and listen to find the wisdom.
May we all embrace each other in kindness in this world.
with love,
Mark
p.s. One big place people pause… Marketing to Strangers
Sometimes it’s the pause before jumping into a swimming hole. But, honestly, much more often it’s the fact that folks just don’t know *how* to do marketing to strangers. What should you even be doing? What fits with your values and your strengths? What can you just drop, even if someone else is doing it?
The Marketing to Strangers course makes this vital topic approachable, simple, and even joyful. You’ll learn more than you can use… because not everyone should do everything. You need to know the options, so you know what truly fits your heart.
We start later in May. Pay from the Heart. Join us?
