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There are plenty of articles on how to motivate yourself, or stay motivated, on the internet if you look for them.  But there is one thing that spiritual business people need to do before any of these, and that is not ‘do’ anything.  Yes.  Just stay in the place you are at, that place of ‘can’t be bothered.’  It’s possible this might be a bit frightening; after all, you might go into that place and never get out of it. But it’s that fear that is causing some of the problem in the first place. This conscious ‘not doing’ is the first step of four that allows you to become inspired, rather than motivated, and then allows you to take steps forward that feel entirely natural, rather than forced in any way.

Step One: Stop

Take your courage in both hands and simply stop – wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, even if it’s just lolling around feeling guilty that you’re not doing anything. Stay with the feeling of lethargy, or apathy or whatever you have labelled it. By ‘doing’ this, you give your heart a chance to speak, your soul a chance to say ‘hallo,’ and your connection to universal energy to therefore be felt.

Step Two: Be Still

Be still for long enough to have a sense of what your heart and soul have to say to you. Being still is often a challenge in our society, particularly in our working world, where constant activity is applauded and recognised. I heard the other day of someone who expected his volunteer labour force to work from 9-3pm without a break.  OK, they then received a great lunch, and a long rest, but those six hours of constant physical work was too much. Not surprisingly, the volunteers didn’t last very long, causing high turnover of people with all the attendant problems that brings. Being still doesn’t necessarily mean your physical body, although that is often the case. It is really referring to stilling the activity of the mind, and this sometimes happens through physical exercise, or as a result of that.  So just see which kind of ‘being still’ appeals to you.

Step Three: Listen

Make sure you listen out for the messages from your heart. These may come in many different ways, and it’s helpful to know how they may present, so you can identify that this is a communication from your heart or soul. You might notice that a thought, seemingly unconnected to anything, pops into your head. Or maybe your eyes will get attracted by something particular that suddenly has meaning for you.  This happened for me recently, when I was eating with some friends and took some time out from the conversation; in that moment, my eyes travelled to my bookcase where I was drawn to a particular book which I haven’t looked at for at least 15 years.  Later, reading it, I found the perfect passage to help me with what I was feeling at that time.

Perhaps you’ll ‘hear’ words, as if spoken inside your head.  Some people find communication happens when they start writing; others use the power of images to help them hear their heart. If you haven’t done this ever, then you can ask your unconscious to give you an image of where you are at in your business, and see what that represents for you. Maybe you’ll just feel an inner nudge, or an impulse, or a good feeling about something.  And it’s possible that none of these will happen, in which case wait longer, if you can.

I have sometimes played with this idea of waiting at a weekend, deliberately setting up a day without any commitments, and then waiting to see what happens when I wake up.  How long does it take to get out of bed when you don’t have to (I don’t count the need for bathroom or food, these are simply survival needs)?  What exactly is it that motivates or inspires you to get out of bed at all?  It’s an interesting exercise to do, just to watch with curiosity, and no judgment.

Step Four: Act

This is where many people fall down. Having stopped, been still, listened, then it is time for action. But how many times have you had an idea, been inspired to carry it out, but then got distracted?  It’s the taking of the action that is required for that original heart inspiration to become manifest in the physical world.  So watch out for falling at this final fence. If you have been courageous enough to take the previous three, then follow through and take even just the first step necessary to have your inspiration become reality.

And there you are – that ‘can’t be bothered’ feeling has been given breathing space, and then metamorphosed into something else. Remember that the next time you’re overcome with lethargy, and see what action wants to emerge from you, rather than you trying hard to motivate yourself.

Since then, I have been listening out for instructions as to what to do. There have been none. Or rather, there have been some, and they were to do nothing.  Imagine how difficult that has been for someone traditionally used to making things happen and taking action when they don’t!

Anyway, it was a good thing I was being told to do nothing, because all my time from September onwards was taken up with caring for Philip. But the listening out for instructions has never stopped, and I was amazed to realise over the Christmas break that I was being asked to offer something I never thought I would want to do again. I did check this out, it was correct, and so here is what I am now offering for the next while:

a) Individual counselling/psychotherapy sessions: This was my sole profession for over twelve years during the nineties and noughties, and it has been bubbling up in me to offer these again. My speciality in this area has been in relationships, addictions and self-esteem issues, but I have many years of experience in all kinds of problems.

If you know about the different types of therapies available, my training and experience has been in the humanistic/psychodynamic models; and of course, that is all blended with my rich background of spiritual experiences. All sessions can be either face-to-face, by phone or Skype. If you are interested in exploring this option, or you don’t know what you want to do, please phone or email me and I can advise whether this is the best thing for your needs.

b) Spiritual Business Coaching Sessions: These will begin as the Stairway of Success Programme and continue, if you wish, on an ongoing monthly basis.  These are usually conducted via phone or Skype, but may also be face-to-face. Please contact me initially to arrange a Spiritual Business Strategy Session (free, normally worth £125) if you are interested in going up that Stairway of Success with me.

c) Groups: I will not be offering any groups for the moment; the energy involved in promoting and running these, whether face to face or online, is considerable and ‘putting myself out there’ is something I am just not ready for yet. Hence the April workshop Bringing Spirit into Business for Peace, Pleasure and Plenty will be postponed, probably until the Autumn.

So, please take a moment to be still, right now. Listen into your heart. If there is a yes to exploring further the idea of receiving my help and support in your life, in whatever way, then contact me right now. If you’re not sure, let me know and I can help you get clear. And if you get a no, then I hope you’ll continue to enjoy this weekly newsletter.

However, firstly you have to become comfortable with it. It simply doesn’t work if you yourself feel uncomfortable. If you’re not used to it, I suggest that you actively seek it out. Here’s some suggestions:

a) Switch off all background noise, and sit silently for just a few minutes.  Focus on the silence itself. Notice what you can and can’t hear, and identify it.  Pay attention to your body, and the feelings you notice within it – where they are, what kind of feelings, how strong they feel.  Be curious, not judgmental.

b) Visit a Quaker meeting.  Quakers,  or the Society of Friends, hold meetings for worship all over the world on Sundays. Their meetings are an opportunity to sit in silence with others, all quietening their minds so that the ‘voice of God’ can be heard. Traditionally, they got their name ‘Quakers’ because of the feeling of quaking that came over the body when it was felt strongly that something needed to be said. So occasionally you will hear someone stand up and say something. But it is a lovely opportunity to experience silence in the presence of others.

c) Go outside in the countryside.  Stop, be still and listen. What you might have thought was silence will, once you focus, probably be full of the sounds of nature. Experience how this is, and play with finding quiet times outside.  Hint: when it’s snowy, there is a particular quality to silence that is very beautiful.

But once you’ve become comfortable with it, how do you use it in your business?  I’ve identified three ways where being silent is likely to produce better results than if you open your mouth and speak, or listen to your busy mind chattering away.

1. When making decisions
Take time to be still and silent when you have decisions to make. Within that silence, ask your heart what it wants to do. Bring it to consciousness and see how it feels if you follow your heart’s advice, as opposed to simply your head’s. Or perhaps there is a way to bring both head and heart together.

2. When negotiating
Traditionally, you may have learnt that it is a good idea to keep your mouth shut when negotiating a deal with someone. It certainly can be used as a tactic to make someone else feel uncomfortable – the first to break the silence can often be perceived as the ‘loser.’ But if you approach negotiating from a ‘win-win’ perspective, and are comfortable with silence, your intention in using it comes from a very different place.  No manipulation, simply stating your case and waiting to see how the other person responds. There is a clarity and clean-ness in this kind of communication, and that kind of energy is picked up by all parties. It allows for a real feeling of delight and possibility to come forth.

3. When stating your fees
This is a thorny issue for many people. If you state your fees, and are either not comfortable with your rates, or with maintaining silence, then you will either rush the whole communication, thereby creating muddled energy in your relationship with your potential client or customer; or you will ‘fill the gap’ that naturally comes after stating your fees – with explanations, justifications, and sometimes even offering discounts before your prospect
has had time to say anything!  What I recommend is firstly, getting comfortable with your fees, and secondly, with silence. Then state your fees and keep your mouth shut!

I had reason to admire the undertaker recently when he visited to discover what was wanted for Philip’s funeral. He laid out what would happen, then stated his fees. I burst into tears, really shocked at how high it was, I’d had
no idea. Then I said tearfully ‘I don’t want to pay that much for something I don’t want!’  What did he do? Kept silent (probably had quite a lot of practice!). Even in my distress I noticed this — part of me could see that he was simply doing his job, and he didn’t make an already painful situation worse by justifying his prices. Even in that moment, I was grateful for how he conducted himself.

So, if silence is not your forte, then practice! Even just a couple of minutes a day of consciously listening to the silence, or creating it around you, will help you make big strides towards being able to use it more successfully in your business.

Cultivate an attitude of generosity and act as though there is plenty for you and for everyone, everywhere. Give freely and generously.

One of the biggest fears held within humanity is the fear of loss. This may be of a job, partner, image, youth, life style or death of the body. But, fear can also be healthy and serve us as it calls our attention to gratefulness and reminds us to take steps to care for what we have been given.

Holding tightly to what scares us produces heart-quakes and moves us out of the universal flow causing us to live in ‘scare-city’. The energy of wanting;  things a certain way, circumstances to change, feelings to be different — is an ineffective approach because we can only want things to change according to what we think we know.

The essence of abundance is rooted in dynamic openness and wonderment that infuses our desires with the optimizing force of Being.

Holding fast to particular identities and predetermined decisions fuels our conditioned selves and habitual behaviors. As a result, we can’t experience wonder or abundance. We can only at best feel sameness.

Wonderment arises when we open to something that is new, fresh, and mystical, completely letting go of all we know in that moment. This experience is exhilarating, prosperous, and freeing; inwardly turning us towards a sense of fulfillment. It offers a grander, more expansive vision of reality and relieves the restraints to generously offering ourselves allowing us to give to everyone, everywhere.

We hope the Angels continue to inspire your life. May you be filled with wonder and abundance and offer it freely.