Is It Time For A Pit Stop?

Have you been feeling off-balance lately? Feeling like you are running on empty? Does it seen like all your efforts are not pushing you forwards in the direction of you dreams?

This last week, I found myself feeling frustrated and annoyed as I put a lot of effort into marketing my business and wasn’t seeing the results that I wanted.  As the weekend approached I found myself craving some down time.  It felt like if I kept on going in the way that I had, I was going to run out of steam.  So I decided to give myself permission to take a Pit Stop.

My Pit Stop was about taking the time to reconnect with my values and ensure that I was acting in congruence with all the intentions that I had set for myself.  I didn’t want to carry on feeling frustrated.  I desired serenity and sense of being grounded in the positive power of my life.  I had been chasing and chasing and meeting brick walls head on.  I had been taking things too personally and that had heightened my sensitivity towards the things that were not going to plan.  By focusing on the negative aspects of building a business, I realised that I had forgotten what had led me to the entrepreneurial life.

Taking a Pit Stop is about taking the time to pause and breathe.  It is a chance to recharge your batteries and realign your course.  I spent the weekend reviewing my successes and noticing al the things that I had learned so far on this journey.  I took the time to identify back with my body and soul.  I set myself some new challenges which were not about the business, but instead allowed me to focus on balancing the needs of my whole life.  I did yoga.  I meditated.  I journalled.  I did all the positive things that I urge my clients to do.  I tended to myself.

Today, I am feeling refreshed.  I forgive myself for pushing too hard and wanting too much.  I feel a greater sense of faith in the idea that my energy has not been wasted.  I feel happy releasing some expectations and fears.  I feel renewed.

It is so easy to feel overwhelmed when we are putting ourselves out there.  The world can be a scary place if we allow ourselves to become disconnected from our own wisdom.  It can all feel so personal when others reject our offerings or look elsewhere for their answers.  Sometimes impatience can make us lose sight of how far we have come and when we are making any journey which requires growth and change, it is vital to recognise your successes and give yourself credit for how much you have already achieved.

I am reminded of the story of a group of pilgrims who set out to reach a sacred site together.  As the road became rocky and steep, gradually the pilgrims dropped by the wayside.  For some it was too much of a physical challenge.  For others they became besotted by the place in which they found themselves and so decided to stay where they were because their faith in the ultimate destination had wavered.  For some they became disgruntled and questioned why they were on the journey at all.  Others got pains in their feet and blamed their shoes for not serving them well.  By the final leg of the journey, only those pilgrims with faith and determination were still in the group.  They were not the most physically strong.  They were not the fastest walkers.  They had taken the journey at their own pace, mindful of their physical needs and able to reconnect with the loving vision that had ld them to this path.  When they reached their sacred place, they were tired but not overwhelmed.  They were able to look back on the journey and recognise their success.  They had stayed the course.

This week, think like a pilgrim and recognise that the path to change is littered with challenge and distraction.  Give yourself a Pit Stop and:

• reconnect with your core values – ensure that your actions and your words are congruent and authentic.
• recognise your successes and the lessons that you have learned – think back to where you were before and realise how far you have already come.
• reach out for help in those areas in which you are struggling – no journey needs to be made unaided, there are always people ready to lend a hand.
• rest and rejuvenate your body – take time to do activity which energizes you and restores a sense of physical balance
• be kind to yourself and remind yourself that Rome was not built in a day.  Change takes time and commitment.

When working with my hypnotherapy and coaching clients, I often have to remind them of the idea that positive change is not instant.  We are so used to instant results that we forget the need to rest and integrate new ways of thinking and being into our subconscious.

Give yourself a Pit Stop this week so that you can be strengthened for your journey ahead.