Inspiring Your Authentic Week

Posted: 26 May 2008 02:12 AM CDT

We all have the experience of stuff 'going wrong'; the tool you are using breaks in the middle of a project, you hurt yourself or notice you are not feeling 100%, someone makes an observation about what you are doing or the way you are behaving, people start responding differently to something that you have been doing for a while.

Much of the received wisdom of our society is that these things are coincidences, "Shit happens" as the saying goes.

Another view is that "God" or "The Universe" is communicating with us.

A third view is that we create precisely the situations we need, even if we don't think we want then, even if we really don't think we want them.

Perhaps all three are true in different circumstances. Perhaps the cause is irrelevant?

For example, I have learned very reluctantly that if I train to hard on my bike, I might feel some slight cold symptoms. Eventually I realised that these symptoms are a message telling me to rest, if I listen and rest they go away. If I don't they get worse

So this is clearly an example of my body creating the situation I need to help me.

Another example of this kind of thing are the kind of stress related illness that are so common. It might start with similar cold symptoms, but if we don't listen and give our bodies the space to recover, the symptoms will escalate.

But what about the other stuff?

What about when your computer starts acting up when you are trying to get something done, or your car breaks down or someone makes a comment that nags away at you.

Perhaps that best way for all situations is to examine them for potential learnings AND potential opportunities.

If things don't turn out the way you were hoping, what can you learn for next time, what are the new opportunities created by the space left by 'failure'.

If you have an accident or illness and are incapacitated for a while. How can you use the time for self learning? What are the opportunities for different things to do or ways to do things?

When you car or computer packs up at the vital moment, what can you learn about your level of dependence or the margins you allow in the way you plan?

When the market takes a dramatic downturn and you income disappears, how might you innovate to adapt to the new market conditions?

Success can hold back our learning, but challenges can focus the mind and bring new insight and transformation.

If you can learn to focus on learning and opportunities you can always move forward, no matter what challenges appear.

How are you going to apply this message to your life and your work?

If you would like help you might want to consider:

Authentic Transformation Day Liverpool or business coaching or personal coaching or self coaching with Seven Stages of Authenticity.

Drop me a line and we can work out what will work best for you.

With love

nx

neil crofts - coach, consultant, facilitator
Authentic Transformation - join the evolution
UK mobile 07775 658534
neil@authentictransformation.co.uk
www.authentictransformation.co.uk

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is
delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.
Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing,
doing nothing, and being nothing."