Oh, hi friends!
So when you're having a stressful day, you might, if you remember its benefits, go for a walk, or take yourself to the coffee place two blocks further away because it has a better vibe, and you feel at ease when you're there. And these small choices can make a measurable difference in your day.
But a latte and a stroll aren't directly connected to your daily stressors. Ruminating a career issue or stinging from a rejection aren't related to being under caffeinated or antsy. And yet, these seemingly unrelated actions help. They just do.
This happens all the time in our lives. Sometimes one thing isn't working — your job feels punishing or your personal life is sluggish or parts of a project aren't clicking — and the solution is opaque. Often, the solution isn't to try harder, dig deeper, or get more creative to "solve the problem."
The solution is to focus on something else. Something that feels less sticky or difficult to sort out.
Fresh energy starts churning when you, say, start filling out a random application on a lark. Or ask a friend how they like living in their neighborhood, the one you’ve been eyeing. Or poke around a few profiles on an animal shelter’s website.
One change usually leads to a different, adjacent change.
Or, at the minimum, a fresh perspective.
Put a little bit of pressure on a single aspect of your life, and before you know it — one shift, then another, then another.
That's my way of saying, as we ease into the holiday weekend, you're probably seeking relaxation, a sense of joy, maybe a Mai Tai. You might want to turn off your brain, and you should. But if you hear yourself reciting the same scripts over and over about what you're doing and where you’re going and wondering why nothing is changing, then try to gently press pause.
Ask yourself, where is my focus right now?
How can I relax that focus?
Where can that focus be directed instead?
And what promise might this extra day hold?
Have a great weekend, friends.
And here's a gentle link to close us out: a service dog, a diploma, and maybe the best 40 seconds you'll see today.
PS — Speaking of good energy, you’re all launching a *lot* of interesting planes right now!! My summer sessions to help you get your big ideas off the ground are starting next week and I couldn’t be more excited. A few spots still open in June for those interested. Happy flying!
I'm reading this on Sunday. Congratulations on issue 1,150 - isn’t that amazing! One Thousand, One Hundred Fifty! Here in Omaha, NE we are having the most amazing morning (6.52a). My window is open, the overhead fan spinning, the birds are chirping, tweeting, calling, and I just had the last perfect swallow from my morning coffee. I plan to shop at a local garden center and pick up a couple new plants. I will not let this spring pass me by like it has for the last couple of years. Change begets change. Thanks, Kara. Hope you're enjoying your weekend, too! di
As so often happens, we are on the same train. I was chatting with someone this week about generative abundance which sent me down a rabbit hole. I’ve definitely found with my clients that a shift in one area leads to a shift in other areas, (how we do one thing is how we do everything) and there’s strong behavioral science supporting the pattern, so I wanted to explore further. This is the most fascinating thing I found, so sharing with you:
https://capitalinstitute.org/8-principles-regenerative-economy/