Lightarted Living: Getting Past Self-Doubt

Lightarted Living: Getting Past Self-Doubt: Being Koi Sometimes it's hard work putting yourself out in the world. Every time you're faced with a moment of transition i...

Getting Past Self-Doubt

Being Koi

Sometimes it's hard work putting yourself out in the world. Every time you're faced with a moment of transition in the workplace or on the home front, self-doubt and self-consciousness can float to the surface making you feel shy about putting yourself back out there. So how do you nudge yourself out of it?

Show up 

When you feel momentarily timid, take a tip from Koi and simply show up.  Stop being coy and hiding under a rock or in the weeds.  Be seen. Showing up is 80% of success.

Don't be coy, be KOI.

Who doesn't love sitting next to a Koi pond watching Koi gracefully move through the water. They aren't self-conscious about swimming and they don't overthink every move. They do what they were born to do: swim.

Accept you were born to swim with ease in big ponds and small. You'll naturally stand out when you show up and show yourself to be a willing and competent swimmer. Hiding behind a rock or in the weeds will do you no good. Stop overthinking and focus on swimming instead.

Be yourself and proudly swim into the thick of things. You are spectacular just as you are. 

If you want to stand out even without making a splash, Be Koi, not coy. 

We see ourselves for what we aren't; others see us for who we are.

 All Things Come to She who Baits

"Fishing is the pursuit of the elusive but attainable~a perpetual series of occasions for hope."    John Buchan 

Life can be thought of as a life-long fishing expedition in which we are 'in pursuit of the elusive but attainable~a perpetual series of occasions for hope'. This is an especially useful metaphor for dealing with work and landing the positions or clients you desire. 

As long as we keep sticking our pole in the water, we maintain hope we'll land the elusive but attainable fish we're after. And if we keep baiting the hook, eventually we'll land that fish. 

Notice, fish don't care how great a fisherman or woman you are. They care about the bait. This is true no matter the type of fish you're after--even clients or employers.

In moments when self-doubt arises, take the focus off you--the person--and put it on the bait for the fish you want to land. 

What is the alluring skill, talent or product the fish you want is attracted to?  What is the bait needed to land that particular fish? How can you bait that hook then sit back and wait?

I've always loved the Charlie Tuna commercial showing Charlie as a fish who prided himself as being a Tuna with 'good (artistic) taste' and the very clever tag-line, 'Sorry, Charlie; people want tuna that tastes good not tuna with good taste.' 

Like Charlie the Tuna, we need to stop focusing on ourselves and keep our eyes on how to fill a need--the bait--an employer or client wants. 

Bait and Switch

Sure, it matters how good a fisher you are when it's time to reel in the fish. But first you have to attract the fish and get it to bite--and that means letting the self-doubt go.

By doing a 'switch and bait'--switching from a self-conscious focus on yourself to a focus on the bait to attract the big fish--you open up oceans of possibilities for you to pursue without giving yourself another thought. 

Swimming in Possibilities

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

                                                            

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: The Ageless Wisdom of John Adams (Stumbled upon by...

Lightarted Living: The Ageless Wisdom of John Adams (Stumbled upon by...: Vincent's a Real Cool Cat While seeking a place for morning meditation Vincent finds a most harmonious and peaceful perch  ...

Lightarted Living: The Ageless Wisdom of John Adams (Stumbled upon by...

Lightarted Living: The Ageless Wisdom of John Adams (Stumbled upon by...: Vincent's a Real Cool Cat While seeking a place for morning meditation Vincent finds a most harmonious and peaceful perch  ...

The Ageless Wisdom of John Adams (Stumbled upon by Vincent the Cat)

Vincent's a Real Cool Cat

While seeking a place for morning meditation

Vincent finds a most harmonious and peaceful perch 

atop Sue Fynn's cello music

simply humming with good energy

to tune his purr, and quietly waits.

Quietly Attracting the Best Mind-Set

With the sun, moon and stars in alignment,

good fortune places the book John Adams

adjacent to Vincent's meditation space for contemplation.

He positions his head to more comfortably align with

 John Adams and better absorb his wisdom.

"One only has to stare at a book 

to absorb the contents within", he thinks.

Thus Vincent begins his daily ritual of lying about, 

quietly attracting the best mind-set to help him 

be a better mouse trap and cat on this day--

another in a long line of auspicious days.

A Simple Melody in Harmony with Life Flows Through Us

Vincent purrs and effortlessly stares at the book's spine

before closing his eyes to consider the first bit of 

Adams wisdom to tickle his ears--

a simple melody in harmony with life:

🎜🎝

"To be good, and to do good,

is all we have to do."

John Adams

Vincent thinks it's okay to judge a book by it's cover. 

"Why look deeper when all you need to know is 

observed at first sight." 

Purring, he closes his eyes and contemplates

the perfectly articulated words to live by~

Doooooo Gooooood.

Within You is Everything You Need

Vincent allows the words of John Adams 

to gently flow through and around him:

"Let every sluice of knowledge be opened

and set a flowing."

John Adams

"Let us dare to think."

John Adams

That gets Vincent's tail twitching 

as thoughts of action surge through him.

He purrs thoughtfully as images 

of carefully orchestrated mouse trappings

parade across his mind preparing him 

for purrrrfect hunting success today.

Vincent relaxes in the knowledge he has within him

everything he needs to successfully meet the challenges of the day.

Seek an Open and Enlarged Mind

With his eyes still closed, Vincent quietly breaths in and out, 

while zeroing in on the tail-end of his John Adams meditation leading him 

to face his daily adventures with calm enthusiasm:

"I must judge for myself, but how can I judge--how can any CAT judge-- 

unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading."

"Let us tenderly and kindly cherish therefore, the means of knowledge. 

Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write."

John Adams

Vincent yawns and stretches as he allows Adams' thoughts 

to course through his veins. He accepts the importance of 

reading the situation and having his mind opened and enlarged 

so he can judge for himself the best way to attack life.

'Seek an opened and enlarged mind' 

seems to fit 'all we have to do is to do good', he purrs.

Be a Good Cat and Useful Citizen

"You will ever remember that all the end of study 

is to make you a good CAT and a useful citizen."

John Adams

As the clock chimes, 

Vincent opens his eyes, and slowly blinks 

as he contemplates Adams' final thoughts 

about the purr-pose of studying life--

'to make you a good cat and a useful citizen'.

Armed with the ageless wisdom of John Adams 

Vincent starts the day calmly and thoughtfully before he pounces.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.
                                                            

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list. 

Lightarted Living: Rumi: What You Seek is Seeking You

Lightarted Living: Rumi: What You Seek is Seeking You: Yield to Life Why resist?  What you seek is seeking you.  Rumi Laisser-Aller Create ease and unrestrained freedom in ...

Rumi: What You Seek is Seeking You

Yield to Life

Why resist? 

What you seek is seeking you. 

Rumi

Laisser-Aller

Create ease and unrestrained freedom in your life

through yielding to what seeks you.

Stop struggling.

Enjoy the flow.

 

Sign Up for Free E-mail updates

                          

For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.

                                                            

Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.

Lightarted Living: Positive Words for a Negative World~Right Up My Al...

Lightarted Living: Positive Words for a Negative World~Right Up My Al...: What Do Your Words Say About You? Your words, both spoken and unspoken have a powerful influence on creating the world you ...

Lightarted Living: Positive Words for a Negative World~Right Up My Al...

Lightarted Living: Positive Words for a Negative World~Right Up My Al...: What Do Your Words Say About You? Your words, both spoken and unspoken have a powerful influence on creating the world you ...

Positive Words for a Negative World~Right Up My Alley

What Do Your Words Say About You?

Your words, both spoken and unspoken have a powerful influence on creating the world you live in. You might say what you think is what you experience. 

The old children's ditty 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,' only got it half right.

Words can hurt you--especially your own.

Your words are the single-most important factor determining how well you'll get through life's challenges. 

So what's up your alley? When you consider your inner alleyways, what road signs do you have to guide your way through life? Is your world a friendly or hostile place? 

If like attracts like, what are you attracting into your world through your inner thoughts today--positive or negative experiences?

Is Your Inner Alleyway a Place of Darkness or Light?

Consider your most frequently repeated phrases and words as you go through the day. What words stand out? If you were to turn them into street signs what options would they show you have for life? 

Which grouping of inner alleyway signs below most closely fits your inner world?

A Dark Alleyway

👎Self-fulfilling Prophecy Circle 
😡Dark Place Circle
👎Doomed Drive
😡Anger Alley
👎Glum Pass
😡Railroaded Way
👎Pissed Off Pass
😡Dead End Cul-de-Sac 
👎Blind Alley
😡Screwed Street
👎Loser Lane
😡Let Me Down Drive
👎Rejected Road
😡Rage Road
👎Poor Man's Pass
😡No Use Highway
👎No Hope Terrace
😡Jumping Thru Hoops Cul-de-Sac
👎Left Behind Blvd

A Bright Alleyway

💓Serenity Lane
💙Peaceful Place
💚Harmony Lane
💓Tranquility Terrace
💛Sunshine Lane
💜Good Fortune Road
💓Destiny Place
💙The Merry Mall
💚Good Nature Way
💛The High Road
💜Good Outlook Vista
💓Sunnyside Up Way
💙Starlight Terrace
💛Sun Way
💓Lucky Star Way

What do your words say about your view of the world around you? Is it a friendly or hostile place to live?

Take a Detour Around Negative Thoughts to Positive Ones

If you live in a dark internal world but want to create a brighter one--or if you usually live in a brightly lit world but have recently hit a dark patch--begin your journey back to a brighter outlook by first consciously noting and accepting the words you currently live by before you strive to improve them.

Once you acknowledge the negative talk leading your thoughts, consciously embrace an attitude of compassion and forgiveness towards yourself--then graciously let the negative self talk go. 

Accept there isn't anything wrong with you because you harbor negative thoughts. We all do. The issue is when you want to create a more positive environment for your life it starts with changing the words you use to frame your life experience.

What We Dwell on we Create

What we think about all day is what leads us; What we dwell on we create. 

If you want to create a positive path for your life, tune in to what you want in your life and spend more time thinking about how to create it through actively engaging in activities that move you down your desired path. 

Choose your words carefully knowing what you think about you attract into your life. 

As If!

You are the one who makes decisions for your life and the faceless 'they' can only influence your decisions if you let them. You are the driver of how you deal with the world. You decide whether to deal with the world as if it is hostile or as if it is friendly.

'As If' thinking is a very powerful tool that can work for or against you. Since you're in charge of your thoughts you are the only one who can turn your negative 'As If' thinking into positive 'As If' thinking.

Practice Experiencing the World 'As If' it is Friendly and Full of Light

When you catch yourself fighting that invisible enemy out to get you on your way to a brighter future--pause--and practice acting as if the world is a bright and friendly place. Find your way to Good Outlook Vista.

Start by playing 'what if'--what if everyone in my world was out to help me achieve my greatest desires?

What if today was the day sunlight filled my day? 

What would your world look like? 

What options and opportunities would open up for you? 

For example:

'If everyone in my world is out to help me achieve my greatest desires' then:

💓Everyone who posts a job I want is writing the position with me in mind.

💙Interviewers want me to stand out as a candidate. They're secretly rooting for me.

💚When I'm laid off or unhappy in my current position, the universe is lighting the way for me to create a better situation. I am now free to invite creativity and more challenging work into my life.

💛Wherever I go I meet people who are looking to be my friend, my partner, my client, or employer.

Seek Help from a Trustworthy Person 

If you have difficulty transitioning from experiencing the world as hostile to friendly, seek the assistance of a person in your life you and others know to be trustworthy and ethical.  Sometimes it helps to practice seeing the world through another set of eyes--ones you can easily trust and safely learn from.

This is Your Year to Shine

This is your year to shine! If last year failed to provide you with a positive and energizing environment in which to contribute your gifts and build loving relationships, find ways to get a fresh start. 

There is no time like the present to go out there and give generously of your gifts.

What are you waiting for? That friendly world with people who mean you good is waiting for your contributions and gifts.

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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life easier than ever before.
                                                            
Do you know someone who could benefit from uplifting messages? Please share Lightarted Living with them. If you or someone you love is interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, join the FREE Lightarted Living mailing list.