In this article, Kate Griffiths explores why we don’t yet have a world full of conscious business and how you can start moving in that direction. In some ways she argues it is as simple as taking the first step. She urges you to start putting yourself first by gifting yourself a very unique Christmas present this year.
Who’s with me? Who else wants a world where everyone is valued, seen, heard and accepted? Who else would like conscious business to be the norm so that business owners work in alignment with Mother earth, acting as stewards for the earth rather than raping and plundering everything that she produces?
That’s a resounding yes, right. Ok so why isn’t it happening? In the wise words of Yogi Bhajan:
We have a problem and it is a human problem. We are all insecure and our whole concept of how we want to deal with our life comes from our insecurity.
Before you deny this, look inside and ask yourself honestly is there even a small piece of insecurity lurking? I expect that there is and maybe it has grown into cynicism or resignation where the refrain is something like: there’s no point trying to live in that way after all what can I, one person achieve on my own?
One of the ways my insecurity used to manifest itself was that I used to be very self-conscious and flustered when talking to others. It was my Grandmother who helped me nail it by explaining that it was actually quite selfish to focus so much energy on myself. She suggested that I took time to really see the other person and listen to them. When I started to do that, everything changed and for that I am so grateful to her.
Each of us impacts on others every day, every time we open our mouths whether that it in a conscious way or unconsciously. Did you know that on average you have about 27 interactions a day? How many of them are meaningful? How many come from the heart? How many times do you actually speak your truth?
This is a daily challenge. It requires stillness so that you know what your truth; it requires practising non-attachment to the outcome, courage, compassion and above all self-acceptance. Start by acknowledging that you are enough just as you are. If you have a child or a pet then you know what unconditional love feels like. Take time out and bathe in that, this will help to release the stranglehold of those critical voices in your head, and enable you to start being more compassionate to others.
As a family we sat down and watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone this weekend. I was struck by Hermione Granger who, whenever a teacher asked a question would put up her hand desperate to be asked so that she could show them and her classmates how much she knew. Why? Underneath it all she had very low self-esteem in other words she did not think she was good enough. She believed that she needed to earn her right to be at Hogwarts after all she was the daughter of two muggles. She was a mudblood, not from an established wizard family like Draco Malfoy. Her need to prove herself to everyone made her very unpopular and when the pattern peaked she was very unhappy.
Why do I recognise this pattern so well? For many years it was my pattern. I was desperate to earn the approval of my parents and get external validation from others. Yet whatever they said and whatever I did, it was never enough because I did not believe myself. I could not love myself; consequently very few other people did either. They saw me as an irritating know all.
Then that morphed into a love of books, models and using my brain to understand stuff and solve problems. This then had an impact on how I described myself and what I do. I could not accept the less than tangible elements because I was worried that others would not. In those days I was a coach and facilitator; not a healer and soul whisperer.
It has taken me years to learn how to get out of my head and come from a place of love. I don’t want you to have that same struggle that I did and waste as many years as I did. So if you recognise any of yourself in this, in particular if you believe that there is no one with the intellectual capacity to match yours, then I urge you to get in touch.
I am offering anyone who books coaching with me before 7 January a very special deal. Go on treat yourself. Get 2014 off to a great start and nail what is holding you back by working with me.
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