How do you see the world? Here's what I've learned
How do you see the world? I have found that the less I attach to things being a certain way, the happier I am.
"A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world." John Le Carre
Stop acting so serious! Seriously.
One thing you quickly learn in this large, cut-throat, shark tank known as the wellness industry, is that there are a pool of other inspiring people trying to do the same thing as you. Having spent years in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, I am no stranger to this.
The daunting part about having your own small business is that there are about 50 things that need to be done every day in order to keep growing, ie- blogging, posting on social media, reading articles about posting on social media, produce great content, submitting to online publications, yoga class prep, research, oh and yes there's you...My amazing CLIENTS who's lives I am helping to mold & shift. (The absolute best part of my job!)
Then....About a year ago, a major shift of my own took place. I began to question my "to-do list" on a daily basis. "Where is my energy best spent?...Is it a waste of time to be promoting? How do I show people that what I'm selling is invaluable?" Working about 10-15 hours a day, I did everything I was "supposed to do", yet I still wasn't feeling very productive.
Then one weekend, my boyfriend and I took our pup, Willie to a cabin in the Pocono mountains of PA near my hometown. My boyfriend sat me down the night before and kindly exclaimed, "Rule #1, no computer." At first I balked at his bashful plea knowing quite well I was going to fire up my mac the second we got there. Ahhhhh, it's so cute of him to think I'd be able to just set all my work aside, obviously he has no idea what it's like to have a blog...sheesh.
Well, nothing had fired. Not even the fireplace. There was barely electricity in our cabin, let alone wifi. Instead, I woke up each morning to complete silence, along with the smell of some mighty fine coffee, but I resisted the tempation to enjoy it. I wanted to be mad, dammit! ALL THIS TRANQUILITY MADE ME NERVOUS... I was obviously supposed to be doing something much more important than going on a stupid, peaceful, gorgeous hike through some waterfalls, or enjoying a delicious meal (something I tell my nutrition clients to only enjoy in "moderation" oopsie). More hours passed and I began getting used to all of this. My left brain had somehow slipped into a delightful coma..drug free! The cosmic universe had gobbled me up like a black hole and devoured me.
At night we'd play cards, drink wine, and act totally silly. We looked at the stars, roasted marshmallows, and played awesome music.
We even saw a bear! This alone filled up my senses and sparked my creativity for the next 3 days.
Nature. Just, wow.
I felt so recharged after that trip that I had almost forgotten....WAIT. MY BLOG! SURELY EVERYONE IN BOSTON ALONG WITH MY VIRTUAL COMMUNITY OF FOLLOWERS HAS FORGOTTEN ME!
Not only did that not happen, I had actually come back to a flood of email requests, 2 meetings with yoga studios, even a job interview at the Sports Club/LA, the hottest, most exclusive member-only gym in Boston where I now have my own office!
So crazy what happens when you let everything go for a little while? I allowed myself to stay present, in the moment, and enjoy time pass as it was actually passing; something I had not done in a while. Because of this, I was able to tap into different parts of myself and allow my intuition and artfulness to flourish.
I returned to Boston with a ton of great ideas, one of which sparked the launch of the official Nutritious Yogi! which has been such a fun platform for me. A simple website about health, happiness, and fun. I don't think my content would ever be as authentic as it is if it was done from a place of exactness or stringency.
The Lesson: So my mindset now is totally different. There are days when I need to step away from the to-do list and take my energy elsewhere. When I allow myself this freedom, amazing things start to happen.
I know I am not alone in this. No matter what your job, or what your responsibilities may be, you owe it to yourself to step away from the chaos, let go, get silly, and see what sparks.
During one of my not-so-serious nights, I sketched out a list of some cool stuff.
(I smell a refrigerator magnet, stay tuned...)
10 things that changed my relationship with food, relationships, & the universe!
Please share!
From my heart to yours,
~karen