veronica's gems newsletter - april 2007

Stuck? No, Just Sheer Potential Waiting to be Transformed

We live in unprecedented times, don't you think? There is much upheaval going on, and at the same time, we have the ability to create what has been previously unimaginable. I do believe that never before have we had such sheer potential open to us. Technology has opened up global opportunities to even the person in the most remote areas. Someone can now be famous through the technology of youtube, and people everywhere are connected up world-wide through the help of Skype and myspace.

There have also been a whole myriad of stories that have deeply touched and inspired me, like the Free Hugs campaign that you may have already heard of and seen. (See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4). There's also "Internet by Bus" - bringing internet to the developing world - http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/internet_by_bus.php. And this one, "To build a school, it takes three cups of tea" - http://www.theglobalintelligencer.com/mar2007/society/3cups - I love this one.

Yet, sometimes, in our day to day, we can feel stuck.

As an example, I have been wanting to write you a newsletter for the past couple of weeks, but somehow, although I found topics to write on, I found neither the right words nor sufficient words to fill more than a sentence or two. And yet I can usually easily talk on the subject for hours on end!

As I reflected on it, it seemed to be that a variation of a similar pattern was showing up again. I have often had this in the past in relation to creating and running workshops. The creating isn't an issue - I get brilliant ideas and inspirations on workshop topics. I even outline the content, and then it gets stuck. I don't seem to give it any more life than that. It seemed that I was doing exactly the same thing with my writing of this newsletter. I'd written down topic headings that I felt I wanted to share, yet nothing came.

Have you ever found yourself repeating the same pattern, seemingly stuck at some stage of the process of something you know that you want to do?

As Synchronistic Living has become more and more the norm for me, I have come to discover that at the very core of this "Go! No!" syndrome are two elements - acceptance and self-expression.

We are so used to looking outside of ourselves for the answers, and comparing ourselves to others, that we get to thinking that we aren't good enough or smart enough or something-else enough.

When a baby takes its first step, is that a great feat? Or just a little step to dismiss?

When we take a step forwards, is that a great feat? Or just a little step to dismiss?

Often, we dismiss the steps we take. We qualify it with comments like, "It shouldn't have taken me so long," or "I could have done more," or "It should have been better." Or we see other obstacles. The effect this has on us over time is that we become increasingly less keen to take those steps , sometimes not even the first one, because we don't want to feel like we aren't good enough every time that we do , and then the obstacles never go away. You see the irony of it?

In not accepting ourselves as we are, we quell our self-expression.

This is exactly the opposite of Synchronistic Living, which is sheer potential waiting to be transformed into reality, through our self-expression. (Just as an aside, have you watched the film, Pleasantville? Do watch it. It's a great movie on self-expression).

When we accept ourselves just as we are, when we stop comparing ourselves to others, when we stop expecting any more of ourselves other than that we simply take joy from the process, and when we choose to focus on something other than the obstacles, we release ourselves to be more self-expressive and so transform that sheer potential into reality.

So when you're feeling stuck, what's the flip side of it, the sheer potential waiting to be expressed? You have the answer to this already within.

But why look for the flip side? Because you can't de-activate ingrained beliefs (that is, if you even consciously know what they are), but you can activate a different perspective and corresponding set of beliefs that are going to empower and inspire you instead.

Perhaps when it comes to running workshops, I have an underlying fear of failure - what if no one turns up? Or maybe it's because I'm afraid of the potential of astounding success? It really does matter as such. It just is; I accept that that is part of me. But there is a flip side - sheer potential waiting to be expressed ! All it needs is a first step - like the baby taking its first step.

For me, the potential in both the workshop and the newsletter was captured in this question, "What do I really want for people to get?"

With that focus in mind, this newsletter came easily and effortlessly; I decided to write on this topic of being stuck and that it is simply potential waiting to be transformed. Interestingly, the content of two entire workshops came too. I've decided to run these as a course of weekly "Gem Cafe" tele-sessions.

The first one is "The True Power of Your True Being - Self-Discovery & Self-Acceptance for Playing a Bigger Yet Easier Game in Life", and I 'm ready to run with the pilot. Would you like to play? It's a 6-week tele-course, and you'll be able to enjoy the first two weeks for free. Watch out for details in your inbox in the next week.

I'm rather excited by the whole thought of it now. All it took was that first step - looking for the flip side, and then starting.

Now more importantly, you. What have you been stuck on or what repeating pattern have you noticed in your life? Instead of trying to figure out why you're stuck, instead of trying to suppress that "shadow" side of you, accept all of you. Look for the flip side, the sheer potential waiting to be transformed.

Give it a go and write and let me know how it works for you.

Have a wonderful day.

Love