Nurturing the gardener

October 25th, 2009 |

As business owners we are constantly planting seeds: we network, we make new contacts, we advertise our products and services.

That’s what the law of cause and effect tells us: Cause a lot (=plant), so we can see lots of effects (=harvest) later.

However it often takes time before each cause shows an effect.

Cause–>Pause–>Effect

What happens in the Pause-phase? For some on us, worry might creep in. What if I lose this client? What if I don’t get this deal? What if I can’t pay my bills next month?

Worry is a misuse of imagination. [Steve Chandler]

Rather than worrying about the what if’s, let’s use our imagination to think of What else could I offer my clients? What else could I do to build my reputation?

However new ideas don’t come easy from a place of worry or desperation.

Therefore, between all the seed planting and harvesting, let’s use the “pauses” to take some time to nurture the gardener!

We are our own employers. Allowing ourselves to leave; giving ourselves time off – like a regular employee – is a great gift to ourselves. A necessary gift.

We are our business’s most important asset. Without us, there is no business. If we’re not doing well, our business won’t do well. Isn’t it logical that we should take the best care of ourselves?

Take a break every now and then and allow yourself to be in a worry-free zone!

Worries keep you immobile and stuck. Removing them from your mind – even just for a limited time – gives you more space for creative ideas. This could be breaks (“mini-holidays”) throughout the day, or a proper vacation.

Take a break for your body, mind and spirit, to refresh and reset your system. You’ll be amazed how “stopping” can give your business a huge boost!

This month, I did exactly that – I took a time out and went to Koh Pangang in Thailand, a place I’ve never been before. Was it easy to leave? No. Would I be able to read my email? Could I really afford not being reachable for a whole month?

Yes I could! Once I was lying in a hammock (at www.thesanctuarythailand.com), it was very easy to let go of any problems and worries that were occupying my mind. For now. I could always go back to them later… I thought.

However what happened instead was that after a few days, ideas and solutions came to me out of nowhere. While I was reading a novel. While I was listening to my iPod. While I was getting a massage. While I was lying on a yoga mat. While I was staring at air.

And the best thing – I didn’t need to act on them. I was on holiday! All I did was noting them down, one by one, and then I went back to what I was doing again.

And when I felt like checking my email, I did it. As long as I was inspired to do it. I only acted on inspiration – for 3 consecutive weeks! And so what if it appeared like I was “working” – can you imagine a better “workplace” than this? —->

… So, the gardener has been pampered and nurtured and returns home refreshed with a pocket full of new ideas and an excitement to follow through on them!

Try it out some time! Nurture the gardener! Allow yourself to create from inspiration rather than react to desparation!

Your virtual manager,