But I get it!!
It's really not that complicated.
I just make it that way...when my ego lies to me; when I worry about what others think; when I let the drama queen in me take over; when I go against or ignore my intuition; and when I lose sight of my true path, calling or vision and let everything else pull me in all directions.
I could come up with more...but this is probably enough for now. The point remains. Life is not really that complicated. I just make it that way...for a variety of reasons (most of which, I'm not even conscious I'm doing).
If I take one good, long, hard look into my own eyes - things become "crystal" clear to me.
Literally.
Tonight I had a staff meeting to iron out some wrinkles...little things that all come down to a lack of communication within the team.
I thought about how to handle the meeting all day, while working on other things. Initially, I was not be involved. (I really am not involved on the day to day operations of the hostel.) When I woke up this morning, though, the thought came to me that...this is what I do for a living...in my consulting business! I help organizations and teams reach their potential and find greater joy and happiness on a daily basis. Maybe be involved in the team-meeting of my own business to sort out a few things...
So...I went to the hostel and expressed my interest in being a part of the meeting. Invited them to my house at 6pm. Bought snacks. And got creative.
I thought about the basic messages I wanted them to know. The most important reasons why the hostel exists. It's purpose. My vision. My philosophical principles. Then I posed a few questions on big paper posted on the walls: what's working? what's not working? What do you want from your experience on the team? Suggestions?
It was a fantastic day. Rather than letting life be complicated, I found a way to simplify everything!
When the team arrived at 6pm...I shared my vision with them: that the hostel be the happiest place on earth.
Mom, I thought about my basic philosophy of life that, in part, comes from the way we grew up...You instilled in us a feeling of gratitude and refused to allow any thought or notion of "entitlement" anywhere. You made sure we focused only on ourselves and not what the others were doing. There was no score-keeping. And then there was the cabin - where we learned to "leave it better than you found it". We cleaned up more when we were leaving than most people clean in a month...so when we came back out to the summer cabin, it was so perfect, clean and welcoming. You had a 100% commitment in everything...you live that every day! You're also gentle with other people, and I hope, yourself...and then there's your sense of humour! You also had a lot of space between any stimulus and response...so you had enough time to do the right thing rather than react. Mom - you live intentionally every day. That's just want you do...and you are indeed...brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous. And you made all of your kids feel the same! Thank you. I love you.
This is where my basic philosophy of life came from...and I decided to share it with the team.
First, I shared the 2 reasons why any business exists plus 2 more of my reasons:
Basic reasons that any business exists. If it doesn't do these two things, it has no long-term sustainability, in my opinion:
1. To make a profit
2. To serve it's customers better than anyone else
Plus my reasons for wanting to own the hostel and work with travelers from around the world:
1. To create an environment for a team of travelers to run the hostel and have an experience that changes their lives for the better. When they look back at their time spent, I want it to be "the best time of their lives". It's that simple.
2. To make a difference in the world (locally and around the world).
Then I shared my "Basic Philosophy Of Life"
1. Have an attitude of gratitude
2. Start with yourself first; get out of your own way; realize that we are all "contributing or contaminating" in any situation (words from Dr Phil)
3. Leave "it" better than you found it for the next person. Now this specifically relates to the hostel...but it can relate to anything...from the campsite you stayed at to a public bathroom to your kitchen or home.
4. Commit to doing your best. Using the words of a program I took at Inside Out Leadership..."100% is easy. 98% is a bitch!"
5. Be gentle with yourself and others. Give everyone a bit of grace...and have a sense of humour for pity sake! Laugh! Especially at myself.
6. Again, using a phrase from IOL, to describe how my mom chooses to respond in most situations..."Create some space between stimulus and response" by being more aware of what's going on in my own beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, etc.
7. Live a little more intentionally!!
8. Share the message that "we are all brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous"! (Maryanne Williamson quote - the rest of it is below)
Then the team talked about what's working, what's not working, suggestions and ideas for the future...and everyone ate, laughed and left smiling. I don't know if they really know what hit them. I did give them lots of snacks...so they were happy...and I think (hope! pray!) that they got a few ideas out of the meeting as well.
It's really not very complicated.
Just a few questions:
1. What's my purpose (for business or life)?
2. What's my basic philosophy?
And then...if I put my tiara away and look into my own eyes...I'll find my truth.
Mom, it was a great, great day! You would have been proud of me.
I love you,
Crystal
PS thanks for making us clean the cabin so perfectly when we were leaving....so it was so clean and welcoming when we came back the next weekend or time. I get it now.
Marianne Williamson Quote:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God who is within us.
It’s not just in Some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates
others.
Marianne Williamson
as quoted by Nelson Mandela in his inaugural speech in 1994
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