Triskele Talisman

The triskele is a Celtic symbol, found in the Book of Kells and other illuminated texts.  A three-armed spiral, it signifies dynamic, forward movement–and endless cycle of growth and progression.  Our path ahead may be clear but there are times when we are tempted to turn back–perhaps our resolve has failed us, or we’ve encountered a setback, or we yearn nostalgically for past comforts.  Adopt the triskele as your personal talisman:  vow upon this symbol that your movement will be ever onward.

February: Laying out a Path–Final Thoughts

Whoa!  Did I drop the ball on this one the past couple of weeks!

In February, I was really gung ho on “laying out my path.”  I had all of my blog posts planned out ahead of time.  Topic was already there…all I had to do was add a few thoughts, and bob’s your uncle!!!

Even though I had that path all laid out for me, did I stick to it–NO!

So, I wonder what held me back from IMPLEMENTING the plan?  Did I feel like I didn’t have enough time?  Did I feel like it wasn’t a priority?  Are people actually reading my babbling blog posts and are they benefiting from doing so?

Was I TOO focused on having a structure that I didn’t allow myself to be fluid and flexible with it?  If I didn’t make my self-set Wednesday and Friday deadlines for the week, I often didn’t do it.

So much left unsaid…do I dare try to write two or three blogs in one night and try to make up for my mistake…maybe.

I invite you to look at your own tasks and plans and see what holds you back from executing them.  I still have exploration as to why I didn’t complete my own plan…I can let you know the details later.

So, tomorrow will be the first official blog post for March when we will “Be Daring.”  Can’t wait!

Practice: Make a NOT-to-do List

Seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it?

A not-to-do list will help you most now.  Include people, activities, habits, clutter, unproductive thinking that you need to eliminate from your mind and your life so you can focus on moving forward.  Draw up a positive encouragement statement to read when you’re tempted to indulge in negative self-talk.  Make sure it includes your accomplishments, the strengths and talents you can draw on, and the people on your loyal support team.

For other entrepreneurs out there, I came across this great article of “not-to-dos” that can add more clutter and chaos to your already busy life.

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/08/16/the-not-to-do-list-9-habits-to-stop-now/

Here is the Cliff’s Notes list; click on the link above to get a better description.

1.  Do not answer calls from unrecognizable phone numbers

2.  Do not e-mail first thing in the morning or last thing at night

3.  Do not agree to meetings with no clear agenda or a definite ending time

4.  Do not let people ramble on.

5.  Do not check e-mail constantly–“batch” and check at set times only

6.  Do not over-communicate with low-profit, high-maintenance customers

7.  Do not work more to fix overwhelm–prioritize

8.  Do not carry a cellphone or Crackberry 24/7

9.  Do not expect work to fill a void that non-relationships and activities should

Set Your Intention–Lay out a Path

Bet you didn’t think I’d make my “Post-a-Week” commitment, did you?!

This affirmation sounds like a perfect blend of passion and planning:

“I know where I’m headed, and I have a plan to get there.  I lovingly release anyone or anything that could slow or stop my progress.”

If you are an affirmation person, post this in an accessible place to remind yourself of your path.

(Sometimes affirmations won’t work for everybody, so take this with a grain of salt.)

Sometimes you reach those points where you’re not so sure where you’re headed.  Certainty is easier at times than others.  Believe it or not, UNCERTAINTY can be embraceable…it creates a world of possibilities!  Here is another tidbit from the One Spirit Book of Days daily planner:

 

Joyful Crossing

The crossing-points on life’s journey are easy to recognize:  they are often characterized by uncertainty (have I made the right decisions?) and fear (what pitfalls lie ahead on the road I’ve chosen?)  The past seems richer than the future, because the future is unknown–a void.  To rid yourself of negativity, reverse this image and visualize each moment of change as a bridge that crosses from a desert to a land of infinite promise–fertile and beautiful.

Practical Destiny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This exercise from the One Spirit Book of Days daily planner is a great combination of your passion and planning through the simple process of introspection and reflection.  However, be careful that you don’t get too cerebral and focus more on what you feel and what your gut is telling you.

In ancient Greece, soothsayers would divine the future from patterns of birds in the sky.  Today, the Tarot is popular as a system of self-revelation that enables us to set a path for ourselves more reliably.  But a simpler way to discover your destiny is to look into the core of the self without anxiety or delusion.  Set aside quiet time and do an audit of who you are and what you value.  The feelings that cross your heart will tell you more than any augury of birds ever could.

Of course, if you’re having a challenging time trusting your intuition, you can utilize tools to help point you in the right direction.  Popular ones are Tarot, pendulums, muscle testing, runes, and dowsing rods.  But ALWAYS double check and see if the outcome resonates with your own intuitive guidance.

February Focus-Laying Out a Path

The intention for February is to take all of that juicy knowledge of discovering your passion and turning it into a functional plan.  February is all about creating that plan.  Winter is the time for setting goals.  First you have to be able to identify MEANINGFUL goals.  Winter is for reflection; spring is for action.  It helps to have a clearly defined–but flexible–roadmap to help guide you along your path.  Here is the excerpt from the One Spirit Book of Days planner that describes Laying Out a Path:

A passionate life is emotion-driven but supported by rational planning.  Your answers to last month’s passion quiz are the raw data for drawing a map of your quintessential life and laying down the path to get there.  You’ll also want to identify anything that could hold you back, whether it’s a desk overrun with papers or friends who are stuck in the past.  Start by cleaning house.  Let go, reorganize, and prepare to move on.

Get ready to start making your plan!