Going into 2019 with fresh eyes
As usual I was glad I had made it. In order to arrive at the gym, I feel I have overcome a mountain of resistance and a number of rounds with my lazy and self-determined selves. Sometimes neither of them wins and I end up doing what I know will make me feel less guilty in the end. Maybe weak, but works.
With my eyes on the goal I entered the sport club and tried to scan my membership card. I noticed a cone by my feet but pushed it impatiently out of the way. I scanned the card again but heard a beep that told me the gate was not going to open. I repeated the same action 4 or 5 times, totally focussed on the gate that always opened normally with one swipe of the card. My frustration grew. I kicked the cone away further and tried to manually push the gate open. Nothing. The gym was quiet, no staff nearby.
Then a gentleman walked by on the other side of the gate. He nodded gently with his forehead to the door beside the gate. Wide open it was. Wide open. I felt pretty stupid. I had been trying to open the gate that was broken (as indicated by the cone, which I also ignored), but I was too focussed to see the wide open door inviting me in. (afterwards I positioned myself on a piece of equipment near those doors- not to help others if I’m honest, but to see if I was the only one this had happened to!- I’m mildly pleased to say that many others struggled too next to the open door!).
You can’t see what you don’t look for. It’s so easy to get over-focussed on something that needs “sorting out”, that you forget to take a bigger view. The artist steps away from her painting regularly for overview and to see the whole image more clearly. With your eyes on the issue, you can only see the issue. The solution often isn’t found in the same place. If you enter the New Year with your eyes on the usual resolutions, then it is easy to focus on what you perceive needs fixing in your life. Your health, your career/business, relationships, lack of adventure. Step back and see the obvious door. Maybe the emphasis need not be on fixing but on flowing.
With the new year presenting itself as a large clean slate and set of opportunities, what every year itch would you like to really tackle in 2019? If you take in the bigger picture, what one thing can you address that will most definitely make the year a great success?
Are you ready to reinvent, re-shape, innovate and transition your life, your career, your business?
