What Works: Not all who wander are lost
Submitted by editor on Mon, 07/21/2014 - 11:04am
I spent last Saturday and Sunday at Wanderlust, an amazing yoga, music, and meditation festival held at Squaw Valley each year. I feel blessed to live in Carson City and able to access festivals like this. People fly in from all over the nation to attend Wanderlust and I get to drive up and bliss out during the day and then sleep in my own comfy bed at night.
Going to this festival each year always adds tools to my toolkit, which I give freely to my clients and to you, my dear readers, today.
Here are the top ten things I learned at Wanderlust Squaw Valley this year.
1) Rarely does the committee in our heads naturally act as our cheerleader. When we set the intention to monitor ourselves for negative self-talk, we can listen, correct, and redirect the chatter. Doing this can result in turning self-talk into our friend, moving us forward instead of pushing us backward.
2) When in doubt, breathe. When you breathe in and out and make your in breath equal to your out breath, you trigger brain chemicals that calm. If you make a noise breathing in and out, make that equal as well. Doing this, you can pause and reassess any situation that has you stressed or out of sorts.
3) Go for it! Sometimes, you have to push the limits of what you think you can do. You will surprise yourself if you try something new that is slightly outside your comfort zone.
4) Honor your challenges and weaknesses and then take action to overcome them. Struggles don’t have to get you stuck. In fact, sometimes, struggles empower you to become even greater than you once were.
5) Recognize the cycles of life and business. You will have up times and down times. The trick is to recognize those cycles and know how to utilize them for your benefit.
6) Red lights are good. According to the meditation teacher Molly Dahl, red lights are a sign from the universe to slow down and breathe. Her advice to take three breaths, three in and three out, has already worked its way into my life and has helped me realize the importance of taking time to reset. It also helped me a lot driving through Washoe Valley yesterday during that rain storm!
7) Don’t be afraid to break the plan. Sometimes, when you break from routine and go where the day takes you, rich experiences are just around the corner. After all, not all who wander are lost.
8) Collaborate with others. When great minds collaborate, wonderful creations are born. Identify and mastermind with minds you admire and you never know what will come of it.
9) Rest when you need it. When you need to sit. Sit. When you need to take a break, do it. Take care of yourself first and you will be ready to take care of those around you.
10) Don’t be afraid to ask. If you want to know something, ask! If you need something, ask! Asking is the gateway to happening.
What are some of your favorite life lessons? What are some life lessons you know that also apply to business? The floor is yours, Carson City.
ABOUT DIANE HANSEN
Diane Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, a coaching firm that has helped people worldwide with their businesses, careers, mindsets, and profit margins. She brings to Carson City more than 17 years of experience with a wide array of clients, ranging from top corporations, motivated entrepreneurs and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Her column appears every Monday on Carson Now.
