May 16, 2010

Today is Tyler’s birthday. Happy Birthday Tyler, if you are reading this. Today marks another turn in the journey of the year of living intentionally. Already, after just two and a half month the journey has taken me places I would not have believed. Some magical things have happened – the most important being that I now believe that the future will be realized.

When I started the year of living intentionally, it was after 18 months of deep introspection. Virtually all my energy during that time was inward. It was a tremendous, and also very scary, journey. I looked deeper than ever before. I faced my own fears and anxieties. I faced my own dragons and demons and emerged victorious. I realize in hindsight that it was my own soul, longing to be healthy, that was the catalyst for the whole journey. I was ready to get healthy, whether I wanted to, consciously, or not.

Once the bulk of the inner work was completed my own soul again made the next turn. Realizing that it was time to move forward and begin focusing outward the question began to burrow from deep in my subconscious into the light of conscious thought. On the way to work with a client, early in the morning, it hit me. What would happen in my life if I lived for a full year very intentionally? Instead of thinking about doing things, actually doing them. Instead of running from fears and anxieties, facing them and creating a new future. After considering it for two months, I took the plunge and began the journey and this blog February 28.

What I have discovered over the past two and a half month is the transformation that occurs when you make a commitment to be very intentional about something – anything. Putting yourself out there can be a little scary, but it is the only way to make real change in your life.

This weekend marks the beginning of the next leg of the journey. I realize now that there is nothing final about the journey. There is no destination where I can cross the finish line and sit back. It is an ongoing journey with layer after layer of understanding. There are times of rest and times of work. There are also times for action. That is the essence of this leg of the journey.

I made a commitment to generate a set amount of business every month. It was based on my desire to grow the business and also get out of the debt that occurred during these past few years of economic chaos. Amazingly, four new clients came into the picture out of the blue. Guess what? We hit our goal for May.

I realized this weekend, though, that the new clients were simply a bridge to the next leg of the journey. To realize that goal month after month requires proactive marketing with prospects and clients. This leg marks a different kind of action. Prior to the blog the action was focused internally. It was a necessary action because I could never be where I am today without the internal work. Cleaning out my own attic was essential before I could follow my path. Now we begin the action of growing the business and actively making the future come alive.

In the past I wanted the future to magically appear. I did not want to actively market and work with prospects. I realize now that action is the place where the future starts. Right action in the moment is the place where the future begins. This part of the journey will involve actively inviting others to share this journey to transform their lives. It will mean building a new generation of leaders who not only get results, but inspire people to find and follow their path to do great things in their lives.

Enough for now. More tomorrow.