Intentional Work, LLC

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. ~ Alan Cohen, inspirational author, speaker

Monday is a great day to start fresh, with courage. It's a new week, an opportunity to embrace the seemingly secure and prepare to do something different. Take a different route to work, switch to tea instead of drinking coffee, eat a healthy breakfast, let another car ahead of you, say hello to employees and find out about the weekend and the week ahead before getting on the computer. There are any number of things we can do things that are more intentional, more meaningful and more powerful.

What small change can help you start the week off more powerfully, intentionally?

How do geese know when to fly to the sun? Who tells them the seasons? How do we humans know when it is time to move on? As with the migrant birds, so surely with us, there is a voice within if only we would listen to it, that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown. ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

We know when it's time to fly. The key is listening.

It's only when we really listen to ourselves, our inner selves, that we can really fly. Maybe that sounds cliche' and maybe its cliche' because we keep having to hear it over and over again. We are presented moments everyday, opportunities to listen to that inner voice. These days the challenge is hearing it over the din of cell phones, email, TV and all the things on our to-do list. All the things that keep us listening to everything, but ourselves.

Why not try a 'Not-To-Do-List? Turn off the TV, cell phone, computer and spend time listening to your own inner voice. 

You probably won't be surprised when you hear it. But you might just be surprised how much easier it is to hear.  

It's true, we teach what we most need to learn. Or at least sometimes we do and often it's completely unconsciously. Right now, for me, I'm preparing to travel far across the US (the East Coast really) to present at the SIETAR USA conference in North Carolina. I'm co-presenting with my twin sister. It's going to be a lot of fun and we're really excited we'll be presenting how to leverage strengths across cultures. On a high level it's going to be about integration and sustainability, learning to work in a way that works for you. Boiling it down, way down, it's about self-awareness. Being who we are, doing what we naturally do best (using our strengths and innate powers) and delegating or asking for help with the rest.

Sounds simple. But that's not what gets rewarded here, in the good old USA. We are self-made, pioneering, blah, blah, blah. Really, that's so old fashioned and out of date, it's about time we learn - collaboration is KING (and/or Queen)! And doing what you're really good at will get you to the top.

So, back to me, learning, etc. I am a twin. I grew up learning how to leverage my strengths and those of someone else. However, out in the real world, I learned that she and I weren't always going to be doing everything together (I learned that harsh reality early, so don't feel too sorry for me). I also really struggled to want to do it 'all by myself', just to prove I could. Fast forward to today: I don't want to do it all myself, by myself. That's crazy and very tiring. But you know what? I caught myself doing it anyway!

Yep. For our up-coming presentation, I was doing the worksheets, coordinating the powerpoint, scheduling the meetings, sending out the marketing emails, creating a workflow, etc. And then I stopped myself and asked, 'How could this be easier?'. My first task to getting back to earth and stop stressing was to recognize that I didn't have to do it all, and even if I did, I didn't have to drive harder to get more done. Yes, I know. It's counter logical because that's what we're trained to think in school and at work. "Do more, get more done, have more to do!"

But wait! I can still ask for help! I'd still get a lot done and actually have less myself to do, and the result would be that I'd be less tired and the quality of my work would be better. That's called 'Receiving'. Holy cow - the power of receiving. The ability to 'allow' others to help, the opportunity to assist others in building confidence and credibility (by them doing what they are good at)... it all sounds so easy. And it is. It doesn't have to be 'hard' to be valuable.

All too often though, that's exactly how we think. By doing more and driving hard I will get more done and be more valuable. I invite you to try this on instead: By receiving help, even when I don't think I need it, I'm allowing someone else to feel powerful and needed. Allowing is powerful. That power, when used without dominance gives the opportunity for you to access a softer side of strength and resilence.

Here's another way to look at it: we look at stress as situational, or as something happening TO us. But we choose this cycle and get depleted and THAT perpetuates stress. For example,  I chose to take on all those things myself for the conference. I assumed I had to do them all. Until I asked my sister to take on some writing, formatting etc. Not until I asked for help did she know I needed it. That took a lot off my plate, allowing me to refuel and stop stressing. I opened up my power of receiving to shut down the energy suck of stress.

My lesson this week was one I often teach my clients. You have to give (receive!) to yourself first in order to have anything to give to others. Now I'm ready to present, not stressed and even had time to write this blog post!

If you're curious about the powers of receiving or learning more about this amazing model (called the 12 Elements of Power), head over to the Working With Power website or check out my tools page. If you're curious how you can learn to stretch your receiving muscles and allow more power and sustainable energy into your life, give me a call. I'm ready to receive!

How do you allow or receive? What do you think would be the easiest and most fun ways to open up to to that power?