Entries by Lisa Peake

Every now and then I find it’s important to check my lists and systems for areas where I am stuck, sticky, or unclear. I was going through this process with a client today when I mentioned “that part of you that likes to hang out in unclarity.” She stopped me, struck by the concept, and we discussed how tempting it can be to avoid clarity. Why is it that even when we have excellent productivity systems and know the process of getting on track, we sometimes choose, almost consciously, to hang out in the muck?

Hanging out in unclarity is another way of describing the limiting games we play. When Insight Seminars first introduced me to the idea of limiting games, the simple awareness that some of my behaviors were games was liberating because it meant I had a choice. The more I examine myself and my life, the more I become aware of and free of the games. The games become increasingly subtle, and I become increasingly good at detecting them.

What are the games we tend to play? In the productivity profession, the most insidious game I see is overwhelm. “I’m too busy.” “I’m too stressed.” “It’s too much.” “I won’t be able to…” I don’t let my clients get away with buying into the busy game, the feeling of overwhelm, or not having enough time to live a fulfilling life. Those are all just stories we tell ourselves, and challenging them is the key to opening up to greater abundance, relaxation, and joy.

How do we get out of unclarity, get unstuck, and start moving? I like to work the problem from three angles.

1. We gather the best possible tools to stay productive and focused in our work and lives. We clarify all our commitments and objectives in a trusted system so we can see things for what they are, no more and no less.

2. Then we gather as many uplifting and supportive tools and friends as we can muster. Self-forgiveness. Free-form writing. Uplifting music. Positive self-talk. Self-nurturing. To name a very few. If you have other ideas about how to pull yourself up by the bootstraps, email me.

3. We keep reminding ourselves of the automatic benefits that come with being clear and courageous. Remind yourself, as often as needed, that you have a choice. Set yourself up for success.

I spend the better part of my life helping people take themselves from unclear to clear. But why do we do it to ourselves in the first place? The simple answer: because we’re human. We limit ourselves with behaviors and games that may have served us in some way in the past, but don’t anymore. We evolve much too quickly for old habits to keep up with us.

There are master teachers all around you. Stop what you're doing and have a listen!

The more I listen deeply, the more I get to tune in to profound wisdom from everyday people in common situations. I take this in as feedback that I am in the right spot, a testament to the life I am creating.

My spiritual teacher tells me we are all multidimensional beings. Indeed. There is a constant dance between the inner master and disciple in each one of us. I saw it this weekend at my Master of Spiritual Science class. Teachers coming forward to offer a guiding hand or comforting word to the seeker within. I feel honored to witness the process as we unravel the lessons of the spiritual and physical worlds.

Encounters with the inner master happen in my professional life, too. In my coaching practice I call upon my client to invoke their inner coach and strengthen that voice over time. Call me crazy, but I love putting myself out of a job in this way. Teach a man to fish, as the saying goes. It is one of my favorite aspects of my work. I go into every session knowing that a person has all their own answers available within. My job is simply to facilitate them in getting the tools, trust and courage it takes to bring the answers out and into fruition.

As Jane Austen said, "We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person can be." It's that "if we would attend to it" part that gets sticky. It takes tremendous courage to follow our own inner guidance. We have a lot of habitual responses running contrary to the fearless voice within. The challenge then is to take these habits and behaviors as opportunities to grow, as stepping stones to our personal liberation.


Food for thought...

What would your inner master say?

For anyone who may have been hoping for updates live from Costa Rica, my apologies. It was too lush, too beautiful, and too wild for me to dream of cooping myself up in an internet café to blog about it. Now that I am back in the urban jungle, here are some highlights from my journey (inner and outer).

My first impression of Costa Rica was "wow" about the friendliness of the people, and their laid back attitude. A taxi driver from the San José airport informed me that the country has no army, over 500 years of independence, which they celebrated the day I arrived, and more beauty than I could see in a week's time. I was pleased to brush up on my Spanish so early in the trip, and load up with political and historical facts as we passed by the Museo Nacional, which boasts crosshatches and bullet holes several hundred years old.

Costa Rica is quite the jungle. Wouldn't you know it, it's heavy rain that makes plants grown on plants. I laughed at my choice not to take an umbrella, and delighted in the many unexpected turns of this trip.

The past two weeks have been short work weeks for me, first with Labor Day spent with family up in Ojai, and now with my preparations to fly out to Costa Rica this Friday. I've discovered two things: preparing for something like a big trip is a great way to "force" myself to be pristine about my systems of productivity. When time is of the essence, there's no room for me to get lazy about the process. My inbox has been empty every day, and deleting items from my task list is a breeze because I'm plowing through them so quickly. Stay tuned for: my thoughts on using a daily to-do list, a subject of (unnecessary) taboo amongst Getting Things Done followers.

Second awareness: Checklists can be a Godsend. Tonight I sat down with my traveling companion at around 8:30 PM to finalize some details of the trip. I was fried from a busy/highly fulfilling day (my days are becoming increasingly both of those things). Acknowledging my low energy, I decided my brain was not going to be my strategic planner. I began making a list. I suppose that's a typical response, since human beings are natural organizers/sorters/association-makers. David Allen has spoken about "inveterate list makers" to acknowledge how common it is to make lists but not go back and use them (as effectively as we could). Tonight I will toss my list in my inbox, print out my personal travel checklist, and hit the hay. The message I'm sending to my subconscious/basic self: Not to worry, I'll take care of this later, when I can give it the attention it deserves.