It's early Wednesday morning and I can't sleep. No particular reason, I don't think, but there's a feeling of fall in the air and the change of seasons always renews me. In the fall, the children are back at school and adults, for the most part, are back at work after a more leisurely summers schedule. Things happen in the fall. We're concentrated on work and goals more than hanging out and relaxing. Since I couldn't sleep, I got up early and prepared breakfast for Dharma and me. The rea was brewed and I had set the table with an attractive fall arrangement. I was excited to begin my lesson for the week.
Dharma arrived right on schedule looking relaxed and calm. After a few brief hellos and how are you's, we sat down to eat our meal. "Tadpole, fall is often the time when frogs...humans too, I suspect....get back into the swing of what we call "real life." We start new projects and set new goals for the coming months. Problems can arise, however, when we try to take on too much all at once. We can lose patience and become frustrated when we don't see any progress. The Frog who wants to move a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. He doesn't simply try to move the mountain all at once. Does that makes sense, my boy?" I gave it a little thought and then nodded my head in agreement. My lesson for the week was all about learning how to obtain our goals in a careful and effective manner. It starts by naming your mountain.
Here is Dharma's advice, should you have a fall goal or project of your own.
You might, at first, think that naming your mountain is the same thing as naming your goal. It isn't. If your goal is to start a new business but you fear failure, then that fear of failure, is your mountain. So how do you move that mountain, that fear? You don't. Not all at once, anyway. Dharma explained that every obstacle needs to be chipped away in small pieces, that it doesn't work to try to remove it all at once. And, believe it or not, that can be easily accomplished! All it takes is patience and the desire to remove the mountain, whatever your mountain may be. If it's fear of failure, what's the first thing you can do to help chip away at the fear? Perhaps it's as simple as looking at the fear square in the face and telling yourself that you can overcome it. Often, though, it needs more work. Trying doing one thing that you know you can do an be successful at. Something like giving your business a name. If you plan on having an online presence, register your domain name. Get whatever business permits are required. Usually, that's as simple as going to the county records office. These are all necessary steps in starting a business and they are easily accomplished. Every time you make one of these things happen, give yourself a pat on the back because you have removed one small stone! Then keep working on your list; going from easiest to more challenging, and then to most challenging. By the time you reach the bottom of your list, you'll be surprised at how much courage you have found. All the little stones you've moved will look like a fairly substantial pile if you turn and look at where you've come from.
Some mountains are more easily tackled than others which means you may have more small stones to carry away. But, like the baby learning to walk, it's a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sure, you may trip up and fall occasionally, but know in your heart that all is well. You fell a bunch of times as a young child, I bet, yet here you are...an upright and walking adult.
The big takeaway from Dharma's lesson today is to start small. If you think about the Great Pyramids in Egypt, each stone was carried my hand and placed on top of the next one. Eventually, the tomb was complete. It took time and patience. The goal here is to think big but start small.
After we drank our tea and finished our meal, Dharma hopped off my pad until next week. As always, we left me with lots to ponder. Like many of you, I have goals and projects I want to accomplish this fall. And now, thanks to the wise teaching of Dharma, I know how to accomplish those tasks and move whatever obstacles that may pop up along the way. I invite you all back here tomorrow for a blog about another hard worker...the humble little ant. Until then, I wish you a day filled with minimal struggle and lots of
PEACE.
Dharma arrived right on schedule looking relaxed and calm. After a few brief hellos and how are you's, we sat down to eat our meal. "Tadpole, fall is often the time when frogs...humans too, I suspect....get back into the swing of what we call "real life." We start new projects and set new goals for the coming months. Problems can arise, however, when we try to take on too much all at once. We can lose patience and become frustrated when we don't see any progress. The Frog who wants to move a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. He doesn't simply try to move the mountain all at once. Does that makes sense, my boy?" I gave it a little thought and then nodded my head in agreement. My lesson for the week was all about learning how to obtain our goals in a careful and effective manner. It starts by naming your mountain.
Here is Dharma's advice, should you have a fall goal or project of your own.
You might, at first, think that naming your mountain is the same thing as naming your goal. It isn't. If your goal is to start a new business but you fear failure, then that fear of failure, is your mountain. So how do you move that mountain, that fear? You don't. Not all at once, anyway. Dharma explained that every obstacle needs to be chipped away in small pieces, that it doesn't work to try to remove it all at once. And, believe it or not, that can be easily accomplished! All it takes is patience and the desire to remove the mountain, whatever your mountain may be. If it's fear of failure, what's the first thing you can do to help chip away at the fear? Perhaps it's as simple as looking at the fear square in the face and telling yourself that you can overcome it. Often, though, it needs more work. Trying doing one thing that you know you can do an be successful at. Something like giving your business a name. If you plan on having an online presence, register your domain name. Get whatever business permits are required. Usually, that's as simple as going to the county records office. These are all necessary steps in starting a business and they are easily accomplished. Every time you make one of these things happen, give yourself a pat on the back because you have removed one small stone! Then keep working on your list; going from easiest to more challenging, and then to most challenging. By the time you reach the bottom of your list, you'll be surprised at how much courage you have found. All the little stones you've moved will look like a fairly substantial pile if you turn and look at where you've come from.
Some mountains are more easily tackled than others which means you may have more small stones to carry away. But, like the baby learning to walk, it's a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Sure, you may trip up and fall occasionally, but know in your heart that all is well. You fell a bunch of times as a young child, I bet, yet here you are...an upright and walking adult.
The big takeaway from Dharma's lesson today is to start small. If you think about the Great Pyramids in Egypt, each stone was carried my hand and placed on top of the next one. Eventually, the tomb was complete. It took time and patience. The goal here is to think big but start small.
After we drank our tea and finished our meal, Dharma hopped off my pad until next week. As always, we left me with lots to ponder. Like many of you, I have goals and projects I want to accomplish this fall. And now, thanks to the wise teaching of Dharma, I know how to accomplish those tasks and move whatever obstacles that may pop up along the way. I invite you all back here tomorrow for a blog about another hard worker...the humble little ant. Until then, I wish you a day filled with minimal struggle and lots of
PEACE.
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