By Christine Kloser
What does it mean to live a spiritual life... to really, truly, deeply live from the place of ease, grace, joy and love no matter what shows up in the world around you? This is a question I’ve been pondering for a few months now, and one that is getting answered as I face some challenges and changes in my life, business and family.
Living a spiritual life isn’t about skirting along the surface of understanding; rather it’s about being willing to look for deeper meaning, understanding, lessons and gifts in every moment of your life.
Like right now, for instance. Are you fully here, in this moment reading and absorbing this article (and giving yourself the focus and time you deserve to be fully present)? Or, are you reading this article with a dozen other things running through your mind feeling stressed about how much you have to do and how little time you have to do it in.
I’m simply asking you to notice what you’re doing right now. It’s only in stopping to notice what you’re doing that you can begin to uncover the gems that are waiting in each moment for you, including this one.
This consistent “noticing,” awareness and presence in each moment is what living the spiritual life is all about. Being spiritual doesn’t mean you have to retreat to a mountain top in India for a month of meditation. And, it isn’t something you do at your convenience when you feel you need it because the “going got tough.” Living a spiritual life is as simple as choosing to not get angry when someone cuts you off on the highway… and instead choosing to bless them with love and pray for that driver’s ease and safety. It means embracing a spiritual way of being in every moment of every day (or at least noticing when you have contracted into fear, doubt, anger, lack, etc. and doing something to shift into a higher state of being).
On the flip side, it’s also important to see that living a spiritual life isn’t about how peaceful, loving and connected you feel when you are alone with yourself. Yes, it includes that, but the spiritual “rubber hits the road” when you move into aligned and integrated action in the physical realm.
This is the most critical part of the journey of living a spiritual life… that you learn how to integrate what you’re experiencing in you inner world with how you show up in the outer world. This is part of why the outer world of my business will be transforming and shifting in the coming months… because I am transforming and shifting on the inside and I’m seeing things in my business (and my life) that no longer feel aligned with who I am today.
So, in closing, I’m going to recommend that you to take five minutes right now to ask yourself how you’re doing living your spiritual life and jot down whatever comes to you. If you have questions write them down; if you think I’m crazy write that down, too. If you’re resonating with this question and yearn to live a more aligned, expanded and spiritual life in every area, including your business… then write about what that might look like for you. Please give yourself the gift of a few minutes (right now) to reflect on this question. Your freedom may very well reside in what you’ll discover.
And, please don’t hesitate to email me what you wrote, or any further questions you have about Living a Spiritual Life. You can reach me at Christine@loveyourlife.com. I would love to know what you think of today’s article and how I can further serve you on this path of conscious entrepreneurship.
~~~~~~~
Note: I hesitated to add what I’m going to share here, but then I realized that I may be doing a few of you a disservice if I didn’t share this. As of today, I have a few spaces remaining at my Freedom Retreat next month in Maryland. If you’re feeling like you need some time away from your day-to-day life to gain clarity and direction for your business, and your life (as you prepare for 2010) it would be an honor and a privilege to have you join me at the retreat. If you’re interested, please email me directly at Christine@loveyourlife.com so we can connect about the details.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
Showing posts with label freedom in your business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freedom in your business. Show all posts
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
How to Stop Spinning Your Wheels and Fully Enjoy Your Business
I got off the phone yesterday with a colleague who reminded me of myself. (Well, he reminded me of my past self.) He had experienced a good level of success, was respected by his colleagues, had a wonderful family and all the clients he could ask for.
But, there was something very wrong. He was exhausted, overworked, stressed out, and feeling like his life was his business... missing out on the other things that meant a lot to him.
I call this the "spinning your wheels" syndrome. It happens when you find yourself constantly running on the hamster wheel of your business (and your life). Only to realize that when you "get" to where you think you want to go, it's not what you had envisioned. The "success" experience falls flat in comparison to what you thought it would be. Where is the bliss? Where is the freedom? Where is the joy from doing the work you love so much? Ahhhh... these are all very good questions.
And, here are three steps you can take immediately that'll help you get off the never-ending "merry go round" of your business and enjoy more ease in your life. These were the very steps I took to shift things in my business to a place where I truly love my business and my life.
Step 1: Create Your Personal Definition of Success
When it comes to experiencing entrepreneurial success, so often we see that definition being (according to the external world) about financial success. However, if the sole focus of a business is on financial reward, your life will be compromised in that pursuit.
It's important as you look at redefining success for yourself, that you look at the entire picture of success. Here are some things to consider as you contemplate this... that go beyond your financial goals. What is the work that truly calls to your soul? How do you want to spend your time in your business? What types of clients do you want to work with? How many hours a week do you want to be working on your business? Do you want to offer more products or services, or cut back on your offerings? What kind of team do you need in place to help you experience your definition of success? How involved are you with your team? Do you want to travel for your business, or stay closer to home? What support do you have on your journey?
These are all questions to consider as you define what real success means to you. You'll see that success is about much more than money... it's about fulfillment, peace of mind and joy in your life.
Step 2: Reevaluate Your Business
Once you've gotten clarity on your personal definition of success, it's time to take a closer look at your current business. It's important to give yourself a half day (or preferably a day) to step back from the operations of your business, and focus on the big picture. Too often, I see entrepreneurs who are working to create a business based on someone else's model of success. But, in this step, the only model you need to allow to emerge is the one that works for you.
As you reevaluate your business, identify if there is anything you're doing that you don't want to do? On the other hand, are there things you want to do, but aren't getting to? Are there aspects of your business that you think you "should" do, but they just aren't working for you? Once you evaluate your current business, turn your focus on creating a vision for the business you really want. If you could create anything for yourself in your business, what would that be? This type of reevaluation is a necessary step in getting your "wheels to stop spinning" and fully enjoying your business.
Step 3: Be Proactive
Being proactive is a key step to take your insight and clarity from the previous two steps and create positive change for yourself. When you do this type of work (to create your personal definition of success and reevaluate your business), chances are you'll see some things that require a change to be made.
But, it's up to you to take your new understanding and shift something in your business as a result. Nothing is more painful than knowing it's time to make a change, yet not being proactive to it. This has been the step that's allowed me to release entire businesses, projects, strategies, or programs that didn't fit with what I saw for myself, my life and business. As a result, more aligned opportunities keep showing up for me, and I'm feeling more fulfilled in my business (and my life) than ever before.
These three simple steps aren't necessarily easy, but they are indeed simple. If you feel like you're spinning your wheels in your business and want to enjoy your life more fully, you owe it to yourself to give yourself the gift of time to follow these three steps and move forward toward the business and life you truly want.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
But, there was something very wrong. He was exhausted, overworked, stressed out, and feeling like his life was his business... missing out on the other things that meant a lot to him.
I call this the "spinning your wheels" syndrome. It happens when you find yourself constantly running on the hamster wheel of your business (and your life). Only to realize that when you "get" to where you think you want to go, it's not what you had envisioned. The "success" experience falls flat in comparison to what you thought it would be. Where is the bliss? Where is the freedom? Where is the joy from doing the work you love so much? Ahhhh... these are all very good questions.
And, here are three steps you can take immediately that'll help you get off the never-ending "merry go round" of your business and enjoy more ease in your life. These were the very steps I took to shift things in my business to a place where I truly love my business and my life.
Step 1: Create Your Personal Definition of Success
When it comes to experiencing entrepreneurial success, so often we see that definition being (according to the external world) about financial success. However, if the sole focus of a business is on financial reward, your life will be compromised in that pursuit.
It's important as you look at redefining success for yourself, that you look at the entire picture of success. Here are some things to consider as you contemplate this... that go beyond your financial goals. What is the work that truly calls to your soul? How do you want to spend your time in your business? What types of clients do you want to work with? How many hours a week do you want to be working on your business? Do you want to offer more products or services, or cut back on your offerings? What kind of team do you need in place to help you experience your definition of success? How involved are you with your team? Do you want to travel for your business, or stay closer to home? What support do you have on your journey?
These are all questions to consider as you define what real success means to you. You'll see that success is about much more than money... it's about fulfillment, peace of mind and joy in your life.
Step 2: Reevaluate Your Business
Once you've gotten clarity on your personal definition of success, it's time to take a closer look at your current business. It's important to give yourself a half day (or preferably a day) to step back from the operations of your business, and focus on the big picture. Too often, I see entrepreneurs who are working to create a business based on someone else's model of success. But, in this step, the only model you need to allow to emerge is the one that works for you.
As you reevaluate your business, identify if there is anything you're doing that you don't want to do? On the other hand, are there things you want to do, but aren't getting to? Are there aspects of your business that you think you "should" do, but they just aren't working for you? Once you evaluate your current business, turn your focus on creating a vision for the business you really want. If you could create anything for yourself in your business, what would that be? This type of reevaluation is a necessary step in getting your "wheels to stop spinning" and fully enjoying your business.
Step 3: Be Proactive
Being proactive is a key step to take your insight and clarity from the previous two steps and create positive change for yourself. When you do this type of work (to create your personal definition of success and reevaluate your business), chances are you'll see some things that require a change to be made.
But, it's up to you to take your new understanding and shift something in your business as a result. Nothing is more painful than knowing it's time to make a change, yet not being proactive to it. This has been the step that's allowed me to release entire businesses, projects, strategies, or programs that didn't fit with what I saw for myself, my life and business. As a result, more aligned opportunities keep showing up for me, and I'm feeling more fulfilled in my business (and my life) than ever before.
These three simple steps aren't necessarily easy, but they are indeed simple. If you feel like you're spinning your wheels in your business and want to enjoy your life more fully, you owe it to yourself to give yourself the gift of time to follow these three steps and move forward toward the business and life you truly want.
© 2009 Christine Kloser
Would you like to use this article? You may as long as you include the following information along with the article: Christine Kloser, author of The Freedom Formula, helps entrepreneurs put soul in their business and money in the bank. If you want to thrive in your purpose-driven, profitable business (while enjoying a soul-satisfying life), send for my special report, How to Avoid the 3 Massive Mistakes Made by Most Conscious Entrepreneurs and my audio, 7 Strategies Entrepreneurial Authors Need to Know... Before Writing a Word, both of which you get (at no charge) when you request my Conscious Business Success Kit at www.LoveYourLife.com.
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