Sack the saboteur and snare a snark

We have envisioned a brighter future; we have imagined a satisfying outcome; we have done things differently to improve our chances of success. In all respects we should be confident. Then for an inexplicable, irrational reason we begin to sabotage our journey towards success.

For the past week, I have been preparing for today - a major project for a new customer with significant future opportunities. In some ways, this opportunity is a validation of the hard yards that I have done these past years. I felt confident that I could manage the work. Then, at 2am this morning, I find myself working on secondary matters when what I really needed was a good night sleep. Why, when things are going well do we decide to sabotage our chances for success?

Even before the day had officially started, I had already made the day far more difficult that it needed to be. Fortunately the three young models working with me today brought incredible energy and enthusiasm to the party. The photoshoot was across various locations, and we had a car load of product and gear to carry from site to site. There were some moments of seeming chaos and mayhem, but my planning and preparation proved invaluable, keeping track of what needed to be done. It was not long into the shoot, that I felt revived and that the saboteur had been silenced.

It was during one of these relocations, that I lost my phone. As a freelancer, a phone is an important accessory to your person. While flying solo, I have discovered that my reliance on my phone, and for it to be on my person has intensified. In the past, I may have stressed about the phone and would have even allowed the situation to "get in the way" and distract me from my day. After the personal disappointment last night of allowing myself to potentially sabotage my day, I was determined not to follow that cycle. When the thought of the phone came into mind, I would acknowledge that I "wondered where it was" and "gave myself assurance that it is most likely to be in one of the bags and that I would find it when we unpack from the day's shoot".

It so happens that I had lost my phone at one of the locations. A good soul had found it, and then did their own detective work to find out a way to get in touch with me. They even "googled" me and found my business email. I am so thankful that I have such a unique name. I am now re-acquainted with my phone - only to find out that I have misplaced my glasses today - but I am too tired to worry about those right now! It seems that Mr Sabotage wasn't as satisfied with today's outcomes as I was.

Sabotage is like an auto-immune disease. It is our self fighting against our self. It is creating situations that are more difficult than they need to be. What purpose does sabotage serve? Is it so we won't be disappointed if things don't go as well as we hope. Is it because we are afraid to believe in a bigger, brighter and better outcome? Is it because we may feel guilty if our lives are filled with blessings and at some level we don't believe that we deserve or are worthy. Sabotage is a silent poison. We often sabotage ourselves without conscious awareness. I discovered today, that if I give the saboteur inside of me little attention, that a greater force is then able to enter into my day. That force is supportive and seeks to resolve our problems and situations with ease. That force is our inner drive to consciously and intentionally live our days well, that force is our willingness to snare a snark!

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Flying Solo Tip 004365 : When flying solo, develop an unquestionable belief and appreciation that you are infinitely supported.

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When our desire for creature comforts debilitates our desire to soar

Have you ever had those times in life when you have this hyperactive energy - there are so many ideas and things to do buzzing in your head - but at the same time you just feel so physically exhausted? To live in that state for a period of time will result in the energy around you becoming frazzled. You become unproductive. You become frustrated. Your ideas evaporate and your health deteriorates. I know because I have been a regular visitor with VIP membership to that place. The other danger is that you throw up you hands, and simply retreat. You become unproductive. You become frustrated. You find yourself resolved to dissatisfaction with life and contempt with yourself.

Even dragons like to nestle the soles of their feet into the soft warm earth ... to suddenly have on overwhelming need for simple comforts ... especially when they consider how much has to be done and how much training and energy is involved in order to soar.

Today was a good lesson for me on that front. For the last couple of weeks I have been supercharged over various matters, and that emotional state has left me vulnerable. I am still finding my feet as I navigate a whole lot of red tape and bureaucracy, sorting out a range of personal and business affairs. My head has been pounding all day. I don't often get headaches, but when I do, they are not fun. I am not one to run to the medicine cabinet to down a couple of pain killers. Rather, I will tend to sit with the pain for a while to see if it will just go away as my energy shifts. If the pain persists, I am still reluctant to take painkillers because I know that I need to create some time in my day to really consider what is going on and what I need to do to change.

It was a beautiful afternoon, and while I was out and about scouting locations for a major photoshoot tomorrow, I took out some time to just sit in the sun and have a conversation with my headache. I find it beneficial to have a conversation with my aches and pains. Through that reflection, I learned that as the days have gotten colder, I have significantly reduced my daily water intake. Over recent months, I had been quit conscientious about increasing the amount of water I drank everyday. This had fallen by the wayside. New habits and improved behaviours have a tendency of doing that particularly when circumstances change, and we have not linked the new habit to a broad range of situations. So, one of my goals for this week is to get back into the routine of drinking sufficient water each day.

If we rush too quickly to ease the pain, we often miss out on an opportunity to discover something that needs to change in order to support ourselves better. I have a strong belief that pain is often a need that is not being met. Pain serves a purpose. If we understand our pains, we can learn to allow our pains to serve us well rather than become a disservice. It gives the incredible healing potential of our bodies a course of action to remedy itself, if we choose to listen.

There is a danger, though that a pattern of pain becomes our creature comfort ... and although it hurts, it becomes our modus operandi, our comfort zone. When this happens, our pain has surpassed its physical purpose to engage the healing capacities of our bodies, and has become linked to an emotional, psychological, mental or spiritual need. We become addicted to the pain because it gives us other benefits. Sometimes we find it hard to admit the ways in which pain serves us; and it is a conversation that requires ruthless internal honesty. Such patterns of pain and dis-ease can debilitate our desires to soar.

In the coming months I will be able to share with you in more detail the techniques I use to have conversations with pain, and how befriending pain can lead to incredible insights into our power to heal.

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Flying Solo Tip 003365 : Pain is a need not being met. Take the time to converse with pain. Pain wants to be of service to you and lead you to wellness, not misery.

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Are you being heard? ... Finding a Voice

Today is election day in Australia. It is compulsory to vote, here, if you are over 18 years of age. If we vote, we have our say ... or so they say. This year I certainly don't feel that my vote will be particularly valuable, or that my voice will be heard. None of the major parties align particularly well to my values, social concerns, or perceived issues; and the long string of independents and minor parties for the most part are so focussed on singular, one dimensional issues that are primarily driven by fear rather than governance of the people.

However, today has brought into my awareness how important finding a voice is when flying solo - be that in your personal relationships, or running a business.

I am not embarrassed to say that there have been times when I have had plenty of voices in my head. Some have proven to be less supportive than others - many of them have just been a lot are just noise. I have also been in plenty of situations, where I felt that my voice simply was not being heard by others - no matter how rationally I presented my case, or how often, or how much confidence I showed. It can feel so disempowering, when you feel that you have lost your voice. It can lead us to acting in ways that are "not normal" for us because we want to put what we have to say in capitals, bold, underlined and if possible with flashing coloured neon lights just to be heard. When we have lost our voice, we often end up in situations we really didn't intend to be in.

Over recent months one of the opportunities I have had while flying solo is to clear the head space, turn down the inner noise and to be more conscious of the conversations I have with others. Ironically, the quieter we become on the inside the more we are able to listen. The more I consciously listen, the more I can hear my single and true inner voice - the intuitive voice that speaks from the core of my being.

I am beginning to recognise the sound of this voice - it is calm, tempered and certain. It guides with a seemingly ancient wisdom with its surety, quietness and completeness. I am learning to acknowledge the other voices driven by fear and doubt, but not to let those voices drown out the voice of my essence, Finding a voice is not so much finding a voice which others will hear ... it is about listening to our inner voice, the voice that is supportive of us living now and being well, it is the voice that is appreciative of the arguments driven by fear and doubt but not discouraged by them. It is the voice that gives us the certainty and courage to open our wings and fly.

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Flying Solo Tip 002365 : Respectfully hear the noises driven by fear and doubt, but deeply listen to the inner voice that gives you certainty and courage to open your wings and fly.

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