Peake Productivity - Productivity

Should I get an iPhone to boost my productivity?

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:54:45 -0600

In the last few weeks, I've received countless questions from friends and clients about my opinion of the iPhone as a "GTD-friendly" productivity gadget. My answer might sound like a cop-out: "use it if it works for you."

But ultimately how you choose your essential portable productivity tool is a personal choice based on preferences, your work style and what your job requires (portability, accessibility, focus time, research capabilities, etc.).

I've compiled a few remarks on the iPhone for the consideration of the productivity-conscious consumer:

Pros

Liking your tool automatically increases the probability that you will use it, take it with you everywhere, and look at your lists with a little less resistance.
Many options = flexibility. Some people will download custom applications to the phone, others will use iCal to manage their to do's and synchronize with their significant other's calendar.
All in one place - multiple applications in one place means you waste less time switching between gadgets. This was the concept behind the the original line of smartphones. And ladies know, one can never underestimate the value of less clunky objects in her purse.

Possible Cons

Are you seeing your lists of things to-do in the most effective format possible? Can you categorize based on the context in which you will do the next action step? When you test drive an iPhone, be mindful that many smartphones (some BlackBerry's included) don't offer the ability to see categories easily. Instead tasks appear in a long "flat" list - not very useful when you only want to see your Errands or Calls quickly.
Distractions. If we were already complaining about information overload because of our laptops, now you have countless hours of YouTube videos in the palm of your hand - yikes!
Paper vs. Digital - a lot of people easily overlook whether their tendency is towards a kinesthetically-pleasing paper experience or towards a faster digital productivity experience. Consider in your evaluation whether you are a) proficient with new technology tools (how easily did you adopt a laptop scroll pad instead of a mouse?) and b) your natural inclination towards either a pen or a keyboard.

I'll leave you with these clever comments from the GTD master himself about the iPhone and the difference between having a cool tool and having the discipline to fully use the system.

[Reposted from BusinessWeek]

Cool Tech -- A Cautionary Tale
Posted by: David Allen on July 24

I was just talking with a friend who was boasting about all the nifty features of his new iPhone, especially all the capabilities it now has to collect data and input. Taking pictures of business cards that can then be text-searched, recording notes, etc. Seemed, indeed, like the result of lots of creative thinking and design. Then I asked him how often he cleaned up all that exciting new input – i.e. emptied his virtual “in-basket” the phone had assisted him in generating. He sheepishly admitted that was a major problem.

This is indicative of the potentially frustrating side of all the new technology. Lots of new and exotic ways to capture, slice, search, and retrieve data. But no matter how slick the gear, nothing has yet been able to replace the personal and individual executive function of actually deciding what, exactly, all that input means. What action, if any, do I need to take about that interaction that produced the business card I can now take a picture of? How critical is that data, for what purpose(s), now or later on? Until the very specific and discrete meaning of data is determined, there is no criterion for how to organize it.

The cool tech is cool, to be sure - but only if you have installed the best practices of processing the exploding plethora of miscellany it fosters. When they come up with an iBrain you can plug into your iPhone, so you actually don’t even have to think about the contents it collects any more – wow! Of course then you’ll have to choose whether you want the Fast-Track-Executive, Laid-Back-Retiree, or Liberal-Arts-Student version of the premier Decision-Support package add-on (for a nominal additional fee).

If you’re betting on the latest feature-laden nifty small and sexy tool to relieve the pressure of life and work, be careful. The weekend it will require to learn how to use it will be a mere drop in the bucket compared with the extra time you’ll need to wade through the additional stuff it may foster.

The seduction of doing

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 18:19:00 -0700

Ever heard the old adage "to kill two birds with one stone"? It's a common belief that the more we do and the faster we do it, the better. In work settings people often turn to multitasking in hopes that it will give them more time to do the things that are important to them. But despite good intentions, psychological studies reveal that attempting to switch between complex tasks actually slows us down. Clarifying next action steps accelerates the process by increasing focus. Multitasking can be a great distraction when you have resistance or unidentified fears about a goal. So much killing birds.

A different perspective is that we should manage our activities according to the limited time we have. There are only 24 hours in a day... what do you want to do with them? If this is true, then the only way to have more time for the things you love is to give up the things you don't. Enter the concept of identifying your Great Work versus Good Work. This simple can assist in aligning with your natural priorities, but it still puts "doing" in the center of the picture.

Despite countless attempts to attain relaxed focus, most people are walking around with a sense that they should be doing more. Ironically, holding onto "shoulds" and attempting to multitask are productivity killers. "Shoulds" don't work because our basic selves rebel against coercion. And trying to do more than one thing keeps us from being fully present and halts creativity. The best thing we can do is forgive our shoulds and come present. A wise and trusted friend offered me the following suggestion, especially for ambitious people: "Do less. Be more."

Some great reflections on doing and being from Blog of a Yogini:

And so the rub. I am a "doer". Organizing and coming together and seeing projects through is a skill of mine. And I enjoy the praise connected to getting things done. But when you are trying to "get stuff done," its easy to miss out on what is really happening.

A teacher of mine, Amit Goswami, refers to the "do-be-do-be-do-be" rhythm. As human beings, we are constantly in the tension between being and doing. And within that tension, our life happens.

This touches on another culturally accepted belief that doing is the best way to get what we want. (Wish we could ask the authors of Manifest Destiny if it worked out for them.) But what is it that we really want from the world? Success, money, recognition, happiness, peace... the list goes on. Ultimately all of these things can be reduced down to one thing: love.

A reminder that love is not something to seek out in the world. It exists inside of you right now. In this moment, whatever you think you should be doing, take a moment to be aware of what is present every day, all the time, in each moment. Pausing in this way can help us remember the simple truths in life. But doing more or less, slower or faster, is neither right nor wrong. It comes back to "Do less, Be more," which might be amended to say, "Be more, whatever you do."

Stay tuned for more on doing, resting, and la siesta.

Are you hanging out in unclarity?

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:16:12 -0700

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.

Love your life!

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:04:13 -0600

"Love your life. Love your family. Love what you do as your work. Love your cars. Love your garage and your closets. Love the paint on the wall. Right there, I've just given you a challenge -- to love the things in your life. Clean them up. Clear them up." - John Morton

If you're not loving your life at this moment, maybe it's time for some fall cleaning and clearing of anything that no longer serves you. Bring joy and play back into your life. Checkout my coaching services, or other great tools for success available out there.

When should I do a weekly review?

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 02:27:00 -0600

One of the questions I hear most often is about when to do the weekly review. A regular review of all your outstanding agreements is one of the most powerful activities you can do to maintain perspective and increase relaxation. When you should do it is a case-by-case answer, thus most productivity experts hesitate to dictate a rule about it. So let's talk about the different options you might consider, based on your specific job considerations. Then I leave it to you to use your natural knowing to decide.

I. What time of day should I do my review?

People have different preferences for various times of day. Many people have the most energy available first thing in the morning, in the evening, or late at night. I have never encountered anyone who has a peak in energy in the mid-afternoon (without the use of caffeine). I suspect this is because most people have just eaten lunch, have been working for a significant amount of time, and the warmth of the day invites sleep. Whatever the reason, my main suggestion here is to avoid the afternoon (despite how easy it can be to put the review off until later, later, later.)

Choose a time to do your strategic planning and reviewing that fits your energy level. Find out if you are a morning person or a night person, and do the review accordingly. If you are low on energy or feeling bored, do not do the review. Go for a walk, take a break, or water a plant. You will thank yourself for the gift of a focused review, which frees up new ideas and creative energy.

II. What day of the week should I do my review?

Friday - The most popular day of the week to do the review. Pros: you are relaxed and clear going in to your weekend, you get an opportunity to review nearly everything you completed during the previous work week, and it prepares you to start again on Monday with a clean working system. Cons: little opportunity to follow up on Waiting For items since the work week is almost over, and you may uncover items which would have been more strategically handled earlier in the week.

Thursday - Thursday has gained a loyal following amongst some GTD users because it answers the problem of the Friday review, giving you plenty of time to follow up with colleagues, Waiting For items, and to complete any essential projects you made need to do before the end of the work week. In addition, some people have discovered that by doing their review the day before their colleagues do theirs, they feel "ahead of the game." Be careful not to get too immersed in that game! The disadvantage of a Thursday would simply be not being as close to the weekend when you get that breath of fresh air.

Monday - I only recommend a Monday review in two cases: 1) you didn't get to the review on Friday or 2) The week ahead looks challenging and some brilliant stroke of prioritizing could be your life raft. If you see a week coming up that contains particularly critical work, you might use the weekly review to clear the decks, and your mind. The basic part of human consciousness likes seeing all of our agreements objectified, and once it has that it can then support and cooperate with your priorities.

Sunday - Many executives and CEOs prefer a Sunday review because it adds a quality of leisure to the process. There's nothing wrong with using little tricks to get yourself into the discipline of the review, or any habit for that matter. Some tricks I have seen work well for people: wear a special outfit, reward yourself with your favorite drink, play your favorite piece of music, plan a just-for-fun activity directly after the review, or incorporate self-appreciation and nurturing activities into the review itself. You can do a "Sunday Review" anytime during the week. But the culturally-approved structure of weekdays and weekends seems to make it easier to access relaxed focus after normal business hours.

In summary:

Know that you are uniquely capable of managing your energy level based on the time of day, the day of the week, and your "hard landscape" (commitments on the calendar). Choose times that work for you to do strategic review and planning. Be willing to adjust according to the feedback your body gives you. Make it enjoyable. The review is your opportunity to close the loop on all of your agreements, and acknowledge yourself as you acknowledge your current reality.

Emergency GTD

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:43:00 -0600

How to get back to black-belt productivity in less than one hour

The best way to defeat overwhelm is to do a Weekly Review. But what happens when you are over committed and don't have time for a review? What do you do then? Here is a process for getting back into relaxed control in less than one hour.

Step 1: Dump

Take a deep breath. If you don't have very much time to gather information and you feel overwhelmed, chances are you have been keeping vital information in your head (not your system.) That's okay, we all fall off the wagon from time to time. The key now is to get all those reminders out of your head. Do a mindsweep into a text document on your computer. A mindsweep means list every idea on a separate line without editing, processing, or organizing. There doesn't need to be a hierarchy, that step comes later. Spend about 10-15 minutes on this step, or do it until you feel a sense of relief.

Step 2: Discern

Take another deep breath. Using the GTD model, you would process these items into a trusted system that includes a calendar, tasks and project lists, and various reference systems. For now you are going to create a temporary system to ensure that all of your agreements are visible to you when you need them: right now. Take the list you just made and divide it into two sections:

Actionable

for now

Non-Actionable

keep your word

Step 3: Do

Take another deep breath. Now review your daily to-do list and/or calendar. Choose to start an action that will have the biggest payoff for you in this moment. Which item on your list will leave you feeling more energized? Which item on your list creates the biggest relief? Which item are you avoiding or resisting? Only you can know where the greatest value is for you. Trust your instincts.

Step 4: Acknowledge

Appreciate yourself for taking this time to gain perspective. You are doing the best you can with what you've got. Being willing to acknowledge when you are out of control is the key to being able to get back in control more quickly and gracefully each time it happens.

Getting edges around all your stuff is the critical factor for getting into control, and the Weekly Review, done consistently, provides that kind of needed fence. We have to be able to let things get out of control, in the short term. But that’s only possible with a broader parameter that we can trust. - David Allen

Name It - When piles become files!

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 12:55:00 -0600

According to some very bright people out there, naming your "stuff" is a powerful exercise, with benefits to your productivity and psychologically. In this article, I'll introduce you to the benefits of naming your reference files, both digital or paper, more effectively.

The Backstory

I'm constantly working to refine my working process because deep down I believe work and play should be fun and low-stress. Or perhaps that statement is a bit out of chronological order. I originally got hooked on refining my working process through David Allen's GTD methodology. As soon as I experienced the immediate rewards of having a trusted system outside of my head, I slowly opened to and adopted the idea that work can be a relaxed process. Now I'll be the first to declare: no matter how overwhelmed, over-committed, or busy you think you are in this moment, you have the option to relax and enjoy your work. It requires getting real about all your agreements, organizing them into a trusted system, and putting in the time and energy to maintain a system that works naturally for you.

The Anecdote

Several months ago during my routine weekly review, I decided to spend some maintenance time with my email. A colleague gasped and brought to my attention that I had over 120 email folders in Lotus Notes, my software of choice at that time. That number did not include actionable folders or "Waiting For" items, only the simple A-Z list of emails I like to keep around as reference. I spent about 20 minutes cleaning up stale items on that list. Some I could consolidate, others I deleted altogether, and I created new folders I had no idea I needed. The big epiphany came when I gave myself the freedom to create a new folder, simply named after a key individual at work. That one folder became an essential reference area for emails I would not otherwise have been able to find. It was outside the norm for me to name a folder after a person because usually there are more logical ways of sorting (for me). But stretching beyond the usual made a big difference and opened my eyes. Flexibility is magic. If you want to be productive, be flexible.

Your Next Action: What small adjustment to your reference system would make a radical difference for you?

Two Secrets:

1. I'm a keeper. My natural impulse is to "keep" rather than delete information. I'd say David taught me well to discern the difference between keeping for no reason, and keeping key info in a systematic way. The system is so simple that many will mock it: a single list of folders organized from A-Z, ranging from client names to projects, to personal interests.

2. I'm not shy about creating new folders. It may sound unwieldy, but for me it's not. I've become very efficient at filing. I picked up a Lotus Notes trick, which can easily be translated into Outlook or Entourage. When I click "Send and File" I type the first few letters of the folder to automatically highlight and select the folder I want. In addition to having filing skills, you may also feel resistance to creating or deleting many folders. This is because you don't yet trust yourself to maintain the system over time. How many times have you set up a new methodology or committed to a plan and then abandoned it? The cure to this is slowly and steadily building trust in a single simple system.

Further reading from David Allen:
General Reference Filing - free article
The Freedom In Naming Your Stuff - article for members only

More information on productivity coaching with Lisa Peake

Overcome / overwhelm

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:32:40 -0600

I enjoyed these brief and meaningful reflections on the concept of starting small from Kelly Forrister at The David Allen Company.

Start small. Undercommit and overdeliver...Then expand out from there.

David has said it can take 2 years to become "Black Belt" with GTD [Getting Things Done]. Might as well enjoy the road along the way!

How many times in our lives do we avoid projects because they "feel" big, and "seem" overwhelming?

What is overwhelm anyway? The most common definition of the word, originating from 1300's Middle English - to overcome completely in mind or feeling - tells me that we sense there is something bigger than us "out there".

We're right. But is that really something to be afraid of? I am reminded from my experiences in Insight, that taking risks and stepping into a bigger more authentic reality is a key to success.

In the next few days I'll be ramping up to a 28-day professional seminar, which I intend to use to transform myself and the way I facilitate learning for others. It's a major project and I can certainly appreciate overwhelm when I look at the number of time-sensitive projects and actions to complete before and around that. Thankfully I also have the reference point of having just completed perhaps an even more significant project, the final examination for a two years Master's in Psychology.

The completion of this culminating project, which took me over 30 hours, has automatically bumped me up to a higher perspective about my work/play/life. Life is a process; no matter how hard we struggle towards an ultimate goal, there is always more to do and more to learn (until of course there isn't).

Maybe there is no way to "overcome" overwhelm. If there is something bigger than us out/up/in there (at least several billion people on the planet believe so), then it's high time we stop trying to overpower life and instead strive to become bigger to match that which was inside of us all along.

Sometimes it's not easy to call ourselves out, to expect more from ourselves today than we did yesterday. That's why we need leaders to tell us things like, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Emerson

We need inspiration, connection, and motivation to move beyond resistance and into expansion. Sometimes it's a politician on TV, and other times it's your mother. I sit here tonight in total gratitude for the many individuals who have stepped forward to support me through all of my life's adventures. (This is for you.)

Next Action:

Take two minutes to write a note of appreciation to someone who has supported you. You won't regret it.

More to come on:

Why completion gives you altitude
Natural Review Times vs. The Weekly Review
Gratitude and attitude

Integrity: As good as your word

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 19:38:00 -0600

For the last five days, I've been in an all-day meeting with myself, reflecting on the purpose and principles that will guide my expanding business. It's rare that I take time to lift up to this level of altitude, so I'm savoring every minute of it. Yesterday instead of my usual weekly review I did a bi-annual review. The questions that are appropriate for a higher level review are completely different from the questions I rely on for a quick weekly scan and cleanup. It's similar to how you wouldn't think of using paper towels to power wash your entire house. Different tools for different depths of work, and different frequencies of evaluation. The power of coming up to higher altitude at appropriate times is the opportunity to discover deeper and more interesting awarenesses.

In recent months, the word integrity has been churning around in my mind. As I prepare to immerse myself in a 28-day professional seminar, I am reminded of the crucial lessons I learned about integrity and agreements when I first took Insight I. A decade ago, it was fundamentally life changing for me to understand the power of honoring my word with my actions. It felt like a radical shift to know experientially that being in alignment with what I said, even on a microscopic level, had a positive impact on all of my relationships.

As I'm coming close to the completion of my studies at USM, I'm also doing some self-consulting to integrate what I have learned from this tremendous program. The benefit that I expect will be the most lasting and rewarding is my strong and solid intrapersonal relationship, my relationship with myself. I've always been a communicator, a friend, a giver, a daughter, a sister. But to know myself and trust my own guidance, without wavering, is a gift worth the price of admission on its own. Fundamental to establishing this solid sense of myself has been keeping my agreements, and honoring my integrity.

I came across this tidbit on integrity and thought it was worth passing on:

"Sometimes we forget how powerful our words are, and we use them haphazardly or unconsciously, creating expectations that are never fulfilled, leaving disappointment and distrust in our wake.

On an even deeper level, there are promises we may have made to ourselves that we don’t remember because they have slipped into our unconscious..."

Continue reading from DailyOm

I particularly found that last sentence insightful. It's not that we intentionally break our agreements with ourselves out of spite. More likely disregard seeps in when we're not looking. So the key is to keep your eyes open. Be aware and awake enough to know what your agreements are. That's the value I have found in reviewing my action lists, in review my projects, in staying on top of the communications flowing in and out of my inbox and voicemail. All of that meticulous care is in service to knowing what my agreements are so that I can keep them, as pristinely as possible. It's much easier to renegotiate the commitment if you know what it is, objectively and clearly. I've been pleasantly surprised to find how easy it is to maintain my strong sense of self-trust just by being willing to renegotiate, instead of outright breaking an agreement. It takes a simple conversation with oneself to add another brick to the foundation.

Take heart in knowing that your word is powerful, and take care in using the power tool.

The GTD Sport

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Thu, 10 May 2007 06:32:00 -0600

At first glance, David Allen's Getting Things Done might look like an individual sporting event. You clean up your immediate environment, corral all your "stuff", process and organize it into a trusted system, and make in-the-moment decisions about what task to tackle. Even the component of the system that ensures accountability is approached individually, with each person tracking items they are "waiting for" separately.

Recently I was watching the NBA finals and reflecting on the incredible teamwork of a top team. Under the most intense pressure of the final game, they moved seamlessly, as one. They made up for each other's mistakes at every opportunity, and leveraged each other's strengths. They were focused on a single goal, and their execution towards that goal was a prime example of collaboration. I found myself reflecting on the qualities that made this championship team successful, and sure enough those qualities show up in Getting Things Done.

People often ask me if GTD can help a team, improve relationships, or enhance communication. In just a few years of being around GTD, I've heard countless stories about the benefits for teams and families. Here are a few pointers to get you thinking about being a more productive team member.

Continue reading "The GTD Sport"

Capturing incompletions

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Wed, 09 May 2007 10:36:04 -0600

This is a shameless promotion for David Allen's "Incompletion Trigger List" available in his set of laminated templates. WOW! I follow the Getting Things Done approach pretty diligently, but in the last few weeks I have not been including a mindsweep in my weekly review.

Today I went through every item on both the personal and professional trigger list and I'm amazed by the results. Going into the dump, I thought I had nothing on my mind. I thought everything was already captured outside of my head. Ha!

This mindsweep triggered 47 new ideas, next actions, projects and "Someday / Maybe" items. Why is this a big success? Because now I know that once I process these notes, one item at a time "What's the next action" style, only then will I truly have the decks cleared. You can't get altitude on your "stuff" until it's objectified outside of your head.

Get the trigger list, or create your own. It's amazingly complete and revealing.

Trusting and Allowing

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 09:29:29 -0600

Thought I would share this beautiful quote from today's Daily OM- Allowing Our Children To Be. I was reminded by a classmate of mine that we can apply the principles of attachment parenting to how we parent ourselves!

Letting go in any area of life requires a deep trust in the universe, in the overall meaning and purpose of existence. Remembering that there is more to us and our children than meets the eye can help us practice nonattachment, even when we feel overwhelmed by concern and the desire to interfere. We are all souls making our way in the world and making our way, ultimately, back to the same source. This can be our mantra as we let our children go in peace and confidence.

At Toastmasters this morning, I was introduced to the idea that we all have a corporation inside of us. If that's the case, how do we lead the ship and get the various departments communicating effectively? How do we honor each part while also staying in our ultimate integrity? Some of the keys that come forward to help us make Self-honoring choices are trusting and allowing.

The next time you find yourself slipping into fear, doubt, or worry, I invite you to practice trusting the Universe, God, Spirit, or yourself. There are things you can do to build deeper self-trust:

Practice making small Self-honoring choices.
Practice reframing the challenges as opportunities.
Practice forgiving the past and affirming your new reality.

"Trust yourself, then you will know how to live." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

What You Resist

nospam@example.com (Lisa Peake) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 23:35:39 -0600

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.” - Anna Quindlen

Resistance shows up on the path of the spiritual warrior. And one of the challenges I am facing now is the task of acknowledging the challenge I face. In USM, we say, “how you relate to the issue while you go through the issue, is the issue.” In my own words, this means: dealing with the challenge with grace and dignity is the bigger challenge inherent in having my “stuff” show up.

It’s been weeks since I’ve written on this site. In part that was a conscious choice to focus my attention on the other great work that I’ve created for myself.

The rest of it was old fashioned resistance. A part of me hesitates to share this with you. That voice wants to appear "expert"… in truth, it wants to be and appear perfect. Rather than run away at its first attempt to intimidate me, I’ve decided to run in the direction of the discomfort. You see, every time I’ve stepped outside of my comfort zone at the urging of my heart, I’ve been rewarded beyond the comprehension of the aforementioned smaller voice.

In fact, the greatest rewards I can count in my life have come from the beautiful awareness and learning that takes place right on the edge. It is often said in studies on creativity that masterful artists and problem solvers need to be challenged to the limits of their skills, and slightly beyond. By contrast, a novice potter would never be expected to throw a fifty pound vase, but instead might rise to the occasion of uncovering a form that perfectly fits her uniquely shaped hand for a coffee mug. The task must match the student in order to draw forth education and excellence.

I am grateful this evening to be back in the blogosphere. It represents to me another departure into the unknown. Who will read this? What will be whispered in my ear next? I acknowledge my friends at Toastmasters for their captivating speeches this evening, ten outstanding motivational and "tall tale" speeches given in competition. I happened to sit beside a nervous man who was preparing for his first competitive speech. In his anxiety, I found the thrill of reaching out, extending, expanding, and being willing to feign confidence when necessary. I partook of the endless cycle of giving and receiving; I was both inspired and inspiring, with my wholehearted support.

Forward movement creates positive momentum. Notice how doing and being with the things you love fills your heart with joy. There is power in upliftment. Take in the feedback presented to you. Learn to move through the difficulties and into the ultimate opportunity: this moment, this breath. What does it take to surrender into full engagement with what's present, until it’s no longer about analyzing or getting it right? What does it take to stop doing and start being? Might I suggest it takes nothing more than a choice, which you are offered in this very moment.