When we see the words business and being in a phrase it usually goes like this: Being in Business. We all have a pretty good idea of what that involves; products, services, marketing, customers, clients, accounting, employees, long hours, stress, customer service, to name a few.
When it comes to the “Being” part though, other than being on time I don’t think we think about it much at all. It’s as if Being is part of a different realm entirely, i.e., being present, being in the moment, being in love (my personal favorite), being natural, being honest, being happy and fulfilled, being human. These are all wonderful things; ideals that we aspire to in our personal lives. We take workshops, go on retreats, and spend way too much on therapy in the quest to achieve these states of being. I find it fascinating that we don’t really put Business and Being together. Yes we put them in the phrase but not in our actions or ways of thinking, or ways of being for that matter? It’s like we’re paying lip service to Being. We put the word into the phrase and then ignore it. Why is that? That’s the question that came up for me today when I had to make a phone call I didn’t really want to make. I should note here that I do have a business with services and clients etc. I pride myself on good customer service. That includes being straight with my clients, about what they can expect and when they can expect it. In a word, integrity. Sometimes that means pushing myself when I’m tired or run down. That’s a choice that can appear to be good for business but is the price worth it? After all, being run down leads to being sick which leads to being NOT in business. I tried to fight this by continuing to work. I thought I could “will” myself through it but that was a fantasy. My productivity dropped and I saw myself spending time at work without getting anything done. My energy level continued to drop until my body took over and said, “That’s it, we’re taking a break.” I reluctantly went along with it (as if I really had a choice). By then it was clear I wasn’t coming through for my client. I was out of integrity and it weighed on me. I knew that I had to call or I would fall even further out of integrity. What would I say? I asked myself. My mind did what it usually does. It started strategizing on all the things I could say that would buy some time without having to reveal what was going on. None of that felt right. I felt stuck until it occurred to me that I was afraid of revealing weakness. I was afraid of being vulnerable. Why? What was I afraid of? I looked and looked and couldn’t find anything. The fear was just there, like a bad habit, hanging around for no reason. When I finally made the call I just started talking to my client, telling him the truth of the situation. I’ve been pushing myself for a while and I needed to rest and regenerate. I was surprised at how genuinely concerned he was. I could tell that he appreciated I was being straight with him. It wasn’t just about making the call. It was also that I wasn’t withholding or strategizing or talking without really saying anything. At that moment I felt my integrity return. I was surprised by this. I knew that integrity could be lost. I knew that it could be found too. What I didn’t realize is that sometimes it’s simply a matter of being real, being yourself. And that is what the Business of Being is all about. W. Peter Collins, May 2021
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This is the season of giving thanks. The harvest has begun. Give thanks to your tongue, this organ of the body allows you to speak and create from the power of language, song and conversation.
~Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. - Proverbs 16:24 Likewise give thanks to your taste buds for the joys of flavor this holiday season; sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent. I’ve even heard of a newly discovered taste bud called umami which satisfies our love of broth and gravy. This season of health and wellness keep in mind “You are what you eat and what we speak.” Let your food and your words be the medicine. The true creation lives on the tongue. Whether outward with spoken words or inward toward the taste and texture of food. Examine your tongue and you will begin to understand what you are creating. As this new paradigm falls upon you embrace the paradox of life. Multiple realities, multiple points of view! This is the season of diversity. A time to listen with an “and” rather than a “but” in conversation toward self and others. Cultivate and harvest the ability to hold more pieces to the puzzle of life and allow for others points of view. Lastly, let's give thanks to nature as she dictates evolution through natural law. A pandemic looming, climate change, the patriarch collapsing, currency redefined. It’s not hard to see the crumbling of a worldview inside and out. Allow for the discomfort to stretch and shape new ways of thinking and being. Be patient as the wings of transformation grow. Are you challenged by constantly running a “go-go-go” life? Is it difficult for you to feel calm, effective and efficient as a busy professional? You may think that in order to have these qualities you would need to belong to a gym or perhaps a yoga center. These are only part of the solution. What we are talking about is transforming your daily life to an organic and seamless flow with your own nature.
Please join me and several other wellness coaches for our “Awaken the 8 Pillars of a Healthy Life”. In this challenge you will awaken the 8 pillars for a healthier lifestyle: LIFE NOURISHMENT BODY SPIRITUAL CONNECTION RELATIONSHIP HOME WEALTH BEAUTY Each one of these pillars plays an important role in creating a healthy life. We will guide you step-by-step through the process of transforming in each one of these important parts of your life. This 8-Day Challenge starts on Monday, October 19, 2020. If you missed it, contact me and I will personally coach you and provide the tools you need. Enhance productivity, effectiveness, clarity, efficiency and longevity: Strengthen your Immune System Free your Nervous System for more Energy and Peace of Mind Cleanse your way to Health Redefine Healthy for Modern Living Lifestyle as Nourishment Food as Medicine Routine as Rejuvenation Connect the dots between Health and Quality of Life Join our team as we support the transformation needed for today's world. This isn’t a magic pill---it takes work and a whole support system to affect change. Awaken the 8 Pillars of a Healthy Life for Busy Professionals is the support system you need. Group support, coaching and recognition of your unique body type by trained practitioners is what creates measurable results on your path of optimal energy, effectiveness, efficiency, resilience and productivity. One in four American’s will die each year of heart disease. Over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. Studies show that people who live in Urban America suffer from higher levels of stress and inflammation, and now Coronavirus has upped the anti on our immune systems.
It is my opinion that Mother Nature has provided us with all we need for health and resilience. Through our five senses we get to taste the flavors of wonderful life-giving food. Smell the fragrance of fresh cut flowers in springtime. We get joy from seeing those we love smile and feel the heart-warming sensation of a tender touch and a hug. Find time to pause, several times in a day and listen to your breath, the sound of nature, or chimes in the wind. Did you know that the hum of a crystal bowl can rearrange the molecules in your body? Responsibility for what we take in through our five senses is our best attribute as human beings. When we invite nature in and in fact realize we are not separate from it we can claim our birthright of homeostasis. As a society we are waking up to the limitations of our medical institutions as providers of health and realizing their role as emergency care, pharmaceuticals and surgery. Now we can awaken to the truth of prevention and how it literally is up to every one of us to believe in our bodies' innate wisdom for health and resilience. With my best wishes for your continued health, It is March 15, 2020 and the Corona Wind is blowing crisis around the world. I choose the metaphor of the wind because like the wind, Covid-19 can seem uncontrollable. It’s an unstoppable force. It also primarily affects the lungs. Air is the common denominator in our lungs and the wind. Maintaining some sense of normal life in the face of such a threat is the challenge we all face. How we respond is the key. I believe the first thing to do is to realize that we do have a choice. We could succumb to the fear and panic. Or we could be creative and look for opportunity. This simple yet powerful change in point of view can have a profound impact on our quality of life. It puts us back in the driver's seat of our lives. This in turn reduces stress which is directly related to a healthy respiratory system. Stress causes the lungs to contract which restricts the airflow. This in turn causes major imbalance in our system. Just like a car with a clogged air filter, our bodies will not function properly. If we allow this to continue it will have serious consequences to our health.
Given that “Social Distancing” is recommended for all of us here are some suggestions for creative opportunities as we find ourselves spending more time at home. Catch up on reading. Start a journal. Take a class online. Explore the world of crafting. Spend time with loved ones. Dance. Play games. Go for walks. The outdoors is still not off limits even during the time of “Social Distancing.” Regarding food and other natural remedies, it’s important to eat well to maintain a healthy immune system. At this stage of Covid-19 the best defense we have is our immune system. Soups are simple, easy, delicious and many of the ingredients are full of antioxidants that boost the immune system. Sweet Basil, also known as Tulsi is an adaptogen, fever reducer and immune-system builder. You can also make tea with Tulsi. Turmeric with black pepper help keep the blood clean. Cooking is also a source of creativity. Find new recipes. There are lots of groups online centered around cooking. Entering the Spring season, it’s recommended that we eat light as our lymphatic systems can get clogged. Using a Eucalyptus diffuser in the house helps keep the airways in the lungs clear. Covid-19 is fostering chaos around the world. Another choice we can make is to create order and routine in our daily lives to help maintain health. Proper sleep, exercise, yoga and meditation all work in subtle yet powerful ways develop resiliency, so that like the bending blade of grass in the wind, you’ll bend but you will not break. |
AuthorKaren Barbarick-Collins is a Certified Ayurvedic Technician and Wellness Coach, an Accredited Neuro Linguistic Programming Coach and a Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher. She is the founder of Bending Blade Healing Arts. Archives
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