After running my business for more than six years, I’ve reflected on those things that have made the most significant difference for me as an entrepreneur and the bottom line of my business. I can say, without question, it’s daily stillness.
The power move in life and career is to spend time each day in stillness. It’s for the heart and soul, a practice rooted in the Bible and neuroscience, directly linked if you spend time understanding each.
The frenetic pace of life and business puts our nervous system into overdrive, and without daily stillness to let it settle, your normal state becomes “stressed out.” Think about a snow globe constantly being shaken; you can’t see what’s on the inside, and if you were on the inside, you couldn’t see out. Stillness allows the snow to settle, giving clarity inside and out.
You are the same as this snow globe.
This Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to set up this practice. There will always be a list longer than your time and energy to complete it. You’re never getting caught up, but you can get settled and clear, preparing to advance the next project.
Start with 10 minutes a day. I’m now up to one to two hours, and you couldn’t make me change this practice for my life. To start, ten minutes will feel like an eternity. Your brain will race, looking to be stimulated, addicted to busy. This is your detox. Trust the process.
An easy starting point is what I call the ‘mug hug.’ Sit with your warm morning beverage in your hands and experience it. Ground yourself in ‘what is’. You’re learning to be, not just do. Feel the mug in your hands, smell the aroma, and taste its deliciousness. Feel the privilege of how small and beautiful it is to sit in this moment.
Breathe in for four counts. Hold it there. Then exhale for six counts.
Feel your butt in the chair, your feet on the ground. Let your shoulders relax back down to where they belong. Let all of your limbs relax, one at a time, wiggle your toes. Show gratitude for your heart beating and your lungs filling.
Let your mind float from gratitude for the morning cup of coffee to your comfy chair, your beautiful house, your loving spouse, your loyal dog, the neighbor’s Christmas lights, a fridge full of leftovers, all things big and small that fill your heart with thanksgiving.
And like the shampoo bottle says, ‘lather, rinse, repeat’. Get up tomorrow and do the same, and the day after that, into eternity. As you become more proficient and crave this daily stillness, you can add more time and more practices, like meditation, prayer, or journaling.
Bonus points for your heart, brain, and collective soul for a walk outside, letting the fresh air align your energy with nature’s perfection.
My clients are shocked at how difficult this practice is at first and pleasantly surprised at the benefits of sticking with it. I’ve received a peace that surpasses understanding amid challenging times. I’ve received revenue-generating ideas and solutions to most of my problems or at least perspective on the scale of the issue. I’m confident I’m a better mom, friend, and business leader because of this process.
Try it, message me, and let me know how it goes.
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