A Satisfied Mind

So, Christmas. What at time - It’s certainly a new experience for me, it's winter in lockdown in a small apartment on the other side of the world with my partner who I met online 8 months ago and only met for the first time in person two weeks ago. Love in lockdown, it's been quite the adventure. 

How about you?  What are you doing, how is your experience? And what are you grateful for? But more specifically, WHO are you grateful for? Who has influenced you, supported you, inspired you, loved you, backed you, helped you...?

Tell them. And don't hold back, be generous with your appreciation and share it with as many people as you can.

This is the currency we need to be spending right now - the currency of kindness and appreciation. Give what you need. 

Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances right now, know that you are loved and appreciated. 

Merry Christmas.

What is something you accomplished this year – big or small – that you're proud you did?

Let's talk more about that. Let's acknowledge and celebrate these things, the things YOU did despite the clusterfuckery of the circumstances you did it in and the challenges you had to overcome to pull it off. 

That needs to be celebrated.  Write it down, and when you get on a roll, keep going...

And share it. Share it out loud with someone whose counsel you respect. Share it out loud to yourself - read it back. Stick it on the fridge, frame it, hang it from the Christmas tree, post it on the internet... just make sure you call it out and celebrate it.

You deserve it. 

This episode is released on a significant day. It's the 21st of December (and they're ringing the last bells, for the Paul Kelly fans), it's the holiday season, covid is fucking things up, restrictions are imposed, plans are thwarted, we're forced to reflect, it's the great conjunction, the planets are aligning to shake it up even more... it's all happening. 

It's a few days before Christmas, most of us are winding down work, planning a break, looking forward to some time with family and friends... and perhaps all of these plans and expectations are thrown into chaos by circumstances out of your control.

What a time. 

It might be too soon, but I've been reflecting on what's happened over the past year and the opportunities this has presented to learn, to grow. 

It's hard, growing is hard. It's painful, it's uncomfortable, it's unfamiliar, it's scary - fucking terrifying at times. 

But there are lessons to be learned. What have you learned, so far?

It's that time of year when we typically reflect on the year that was. And what a year it was. Holy shit. There's just so much that has happened, challenged and changed us. So much.

What of it do you want to leave in 2020 and not carry into 2021? Now is a good time to acknowledge how you've changed, how you've grown, how much you've evolved. With that growth there's some stuff that needs to be left behind. It could be a belief, a story you have on loop, a habit, a friendship or relationship... 

Visualise it, verbalise it, make it tangible. Honour it for the lessons it taught, call it out then burn it. Bury it. Set it free, set yourself free. 

Let it go as you make space for what you do want. 

Whether it be today, this year, a conversation you're having, the relationship you're in, your life – how do you want it to end?

If you have an intention for how you want things to end... the real question is whether what you're doing now is aligned to that outcome?

There's probably something on your heart that you feel strongly about, we'd love to hear it. I'd say that if it's important to you that we need to hear it. Perhaps your uncomfortable sharing it, it's vulnerable sharing what's on your heart. But it's there for a reason - whatever it is that matters to you is important simply because it matters to you. And chances are it matters to others too and they are waiting, wanting for someone to speak up, start a conversation, share what needs to be said.

This question was inspired by a conversation I had with Dan Price, Founder and CEO of Gravity payments, who in 2015 set a minimum wage for all employees at his company of $70,000. The impact this has had on lives is massive. Dan continues to challenge the capitalist system that drives an even greater wedge between the ridiculously wealthy and the increasingly marginalised lower income earners.

For more information on Dan and his work, check out the website here. Follow him on Twitter here, on Instagram here and find his book here. 

You might need a coffee, or a stiff drink for this one.  Maybe come chamomile tea, or some mushrooms?

We dip our toes into the deep end of awareness, consciousness and what we're making it all mean. This is not about prescribing a practice, it's not about telling you how you should think nor what you should be thinking.

Instead, it's an invitation for you to simply observe what's going on around you and then acknowledge the meaning you're making.

And what stories are you telling as a result – what's the narrative you're creating?

To dive deeper into this I mentioned a couple of books, here's the links:

The Power of Now - Ekhart Tolle

The Untethered Soul - Michael Singer

This question came about via a message from a mate. He was referring to a series of sunrise pics I was sharing a little while back, suggesting I share more, as the people need a reason to rise. That turn of phrase really stuck with me – 'a reason to rise'.

Got me thinking, what's my reason to rise? What's my reason to get out of bed in the morning? What's my reason to stick with the hard things, to lean into fear and frustration, to persevere, to be patient, to do what it takes?  What's my reason to rise?

How about you, what's your reason to rise?

It's the choices we make that define our lives. I don't know of a single context or circumstance where this isn't the case. All day every day we're making choices with what options are available to us as to what we'll do, what we wont' do, how we'll respond, what we choose to believe.

It's both liberating and empowering as much as it is perhaps a burden of responsibility. Depends on what choices you're making and whether they're aligned with what you value.

For more information on Peak Persona and the Next Level program click here. 

This question is inspired by a series of talks presented by David Whyte. It's a beautiful question.

I speak more about the context of this question and the nature of invitations in this episode. It's a perfect morning question - listen to this before you get out of bed. Or late at night with a glass of wine.

Either way, enjoy exploring the invitation that is being made to you now.

For more information and links to David Whyte's November series I mentioned throughout this episode, click here.