by Erin Owen | Jun 25, 2012 | Ezine, General
I like to find meaning in most of my life experiences. However, right before I left for Bali this past May, I was quite confused by a series of events.
In a very short span of time, I was involved in breaking four different glass objects. Prior to that, it had been years since I broke anything.
Was I clumsy? Was I distracted and not paying attention? Was it partially the fault of my youngest son, who happened to be in my arms when three of the four objects fell to the ground and shattered?
I really didn’t understand why I was suddenly breaking so many things. However, once I was in Bali, I was able to gain some clarity about what was going on.
In Bali, I was outside of my normal circumstances, and I was able to get the perspective that only comes when there is little stress and lots of space to just be.
In that environment, I realized that the path I’ve been on had brought me to this current place of understanding. In particular, I’ve had specific opportunities in the past six months to learn more about the ancient Vedic and Taoist practices, and my new knowledge about human potential has shattered my previous ideas about what is possible.
I have been, in essence, breaking through my own glass ceiling. The glass ceiling that was defined by the thoughts and ideas I had about what’s possible.
What is your glass ceiling?
What are the self-limiting thoughts that keep you from realizing your potential?
Under what circumstances do you curb yourself with such thoughts as, “Oh, I can’t do that,” or, “No, that’s not possible for me”?
These self-imposed limitations are not absolute truth. They are simply a byproduct of cultural norms and what others have told you is possible. You might not even know they exist! Yet, your limiting thoughts create a glass ceiling that prevents you from living the life you really want.
For how much longer will you continue to live under your glass ceiling? Isn’t it time to break through and let go of the self-doubts that prevent you from attaining a more amazing life?
As long as you are caught up in the busy routine of day-to-day life, you will continue to live under the confines of your glass ceiling. Nothing will change and you will stay where you are. However, when you take yourself out of your normal environment, you give yourself an opportunity to see your life in a whole new light.
That’s what being in Bali does for me. Everything about Bali – the culture, geography, people – is so different from my everyday life. When I’m confronted with this entirely different way of living, my ideas about “the way things are” are turned upside down, and I become aware of possibilities that I didn’t know existed. In Bali, I’m free of my daily routines, and I can let go of the heavy responsibilities that come with having a career, home and family and really see my life.
This freedom, this change in perspective, creates heightened awareness of your senses, thoughts and actions. You’re able to gain a new viewpoint of how you’ve been living your life, and of the glass ceiling that blocks you from getting what you really want.
You CAN change your life. But to do that, you need to get out of your busy-ness and give yourself time and space to really see things in a different light.
If it’s hard for you to imagine how to do that, I invite you to join me this Fall in Bali and shatter the glass ceiling that has been holding you back. To help you make this a reality, I’m offering an “early decision savings” that is valid until the end of June. Click here to learn more about the trip and get details about how you can go to Bali this Fall!
by Erin Owen | May 26, 2012 | General
Today (Saturday, May 26) is my 10th wedding
anniversary.
Matt and I were married on Petit Manan Point in
coastal “Downeast” Maine on a beautiful Sunday ten
years ago, surrounded by people who loved us.
I am writing this short post to publicly express
gratitude for my husband AND for the delicious
recipe he made us for dinner on Thursday night.
(Scroll down below for the recipe!)
We each wrote our wedding vows from scratch, and
Matt included a very important promise — that he
would forever feed me.
When we first met, and in the early years of our
relationship, I only cooked well for special
occasions. And I was a die-hard recipe follower.
Matt, in contrast, loves to cook as much as his
schedule allows and has an amazing intuitive gift
for throwing together a delicious dish from what’s
in the kitchen.
Over the years, I’ve learned to cook and now have
much greater instincts for experimentation in the
kitchen. Thanks, in part, to his wonderful
influence.
Thursday night, Matt once again showed off his
talents. He made a delicious quinoa dish that
included grilled pears and toasted almonds.
So, in celebration of our anniversary. And in
explicit appreciation for the nourishment that I
receive on a daily basis from Matt through his
love, his cooking, his support, and more….
I share with you his recipe:
GRILLED PEAR and ALMOND QUINOA
(an all-in-one meal or a side dish)
Prepare 1/2 cup dry quinoa according to package
direction using vegetable broth instead of water
Grill two semi-ripe green pears, slicing them in
quarters and removing any core before putting them
on the grill.
Toast raw slivered almonds in a non-stick pan
over medium heat (watching carefully) until they
smell nutty and look a bit brown (but not burned).
Mix the prepared quinoa, grilled pear slices, and
toasted almonds together in a bowl.
Serve warm or enjoy chilled. At the dinner table
or as part of a picnic.
Yum!
Thanks, Matt, for everything! You are the secret
sauce in my optimum performance!
Love,
Erin
by Erin Owen | May 22, 2012 | General
For months, I have practically stalked different
professional handymen (including one handywoman), trying to get someone to
please — P – L – E – A– S – E –
let me pay them cash to come fix a long
list of things on my “house wish list.”
[“Is this “handyman” trade so lucrative, that
these skilled laborers need not return phone
calls, nor follow through on promises to show up
at my door?” “Was 2-3 days worth of work not
enough for them to bother with my promise of cold,
hard cash?” These and many other questions swam
through my mind over and over again – for months
and months!]
Finally, in January, one handyman and his son
spent a few days getting a bunch of stuff crossed
off my list (including patching a small leak in
our roof). They even started (but, sadly,
did not finish) several other small projects.
And, then – like a rainbow after a spring
rainstorm – they dissolved into nothingness. They
never returned to finish my list of projects. They
did not call. Nor did they return my phone calls.
And ultimately, the only phone number I had for
them was disconnected. (I am not making this up!)
Among the list of critical items not attended to
was fixing my doorbell.
I never did get this father and son duo to come
back – even though they left a crate of tools in
my garage and two giant cans of roofing material
on my back patio. And, then – when I thought I had
hit the jackpot – a handyman who not only lived
two blocks from me but also sent his child to the
same school my older son attends – even that did
not pan out.
[“Is nothing sacred? Neighborly relations? Shared
school community ties? Small town reputation?” I
quizzically pondered. But, I used every ounce of
my “have compassion and do not judge” yogic
training to not jump to conclusions or make up
baseless stories.]
While in Bali, I did the “write and burn”
exercise on the full moon – the same exercise I
wrote to you about in my post the week before I
left. Among the many items I wrote down on my
list of things I was ready to let go of was this:
“not finishing things.” I burned that piece of
paper and welcomed in a new energy that would
motivate me with joy to finish things.
My husband and I share an incredibly creative
side that makes each of us more interested in new
ideas and starting new projects than in finishing
the final details.
In fact, if I was in charge of laying a new
ceramic tile floor, I would be a whiz at designing
the layout, at picking out the tile, at even
laying it down and putting in the grout. But, I
would not seal the grout. This is what I mean
about not finishing things. It’s usually the last
teeny weeny (but critical) detail that I
have no interest in, nor energy for.
Thankfully, in my line of work, those final
details can usually be handled by someone else.
(Thank you, my support team!)
Now that I’m back from Bali, I’ve noticed a
desire to finish things. Really! I wasn’t aware of
it at first, but now I’ve put two and two
together.
First, I programmed the new garage door opener
that I had bought over a month ago, and said
goodbye to the sad-looking duct-taped one that had
been giving me fits and starts with its
non-responsiveness over the past six months.
Then, I cleaned out the interior of our car. By
myself. You don’t want to know what I found
underneath the kids’ seats or under the back car
seat – but let’s just say it would have made
interesting material for an 8th grade science
project.
And Sunday, I went to the store and bought a
new doorbell. And not only did I buy it, but I
followed through and installed it.
A simple job, all-in-all. But it did involve many
small steps:
- Turning off the correct breaker so I wouldn’t shock myself
- Finding and using the right type of screwdrivers
- Drilling a new hole, since the new doorbell cover was a different size than the old one
- Correctly affixing the electrical wires to the interior screws
- Finishing up the project by testing it and confirming it did indeed work
and (drumroll please) even….
- Cleaning up my work area and the floor between the garage and the front door after I was done.
Whew! I literally shouted with joy when it was all
done. Ask my husband! He heard me from upstairs.
What is going on with me? And what, you might be
wondering, does a doorbell have to do with you
performing at your best?
When you leave the small stuff unattended…
It weighs on you…
It distracts you with scattered thoughts and
takes your attention away from other more
important things…
Even in my situation where I had done what I
thought was the right thing: I had acknowledged
from the beginning that I might not be the best
person for the job, and that there might be other
activities that were more important for me to give
my energy to.
Heck — I had even actively sought out support
from a seemingly qualified person – six
times over, as I tracked down lead after lead for
a reliable, affordable handyman – with limited
success. This seemed at the time like a good thing to
“outsource” so I could focus on what I do best.
But, when you keep trying the same approach over
and over again expecting different results:
- It drains you physically.
- Maybe even exhausts you mentally.
- Frustrates you emotionally.
- Dilutes your effectiveness in all things.
- Sometimes leads to self-criticism.
- Perhaps even diminishes your self-confidence.
And when you multiply this type of situation
times the number of unfinished projects on your
official (or unofficial) “to do” list, the result
is that your energy gets scattered in far too many
directions at once and your performance takes a
nose dive.
Well, isn’t it time to reign it all back in?
Ask yourself: What is your doorbell?
[Metaphorically, I mean – although you too might
have a doorbell to fix!]
How can you change your approach to get it done?
Maybe even take the horse by the reigns yourself,
like I did with my doorbell.
I teach my clients that wherever you direct your
attention, energy follows.
So, I invite you to direct your attention in a
different direction that might result in you
actually finishing that project.
And watch – with curiosity and joy – at what
begins to shift and how “getting it done” frees up
your mental energy, your emotions, your time, and
more – to ultimately improve your performance in
the areas of your life and work that matter most
to you.
Right?
The Bottom Line
It’s not about the doorbell – even though it’s
important to have a working one if you want to
know someone is at the door.
It’s about you doing the work you’re here to do.
It’s about you making your mark on the world.
It’s about you performing at your optimum level.
Erin
by Erin Owen | May 11, 2012 | Events, General, Invitations
I just returned from an amazing trip to Bali, and I’d love to tell you about it.
Click here to receive the call information for a FREE call next Friday, May 18 at 12:15 PM Eastern time.
On the call, I’ll share with you:
- The amazing details of my trip, including:
- where we traveled and what we did
- a bit about the food, the culture, the natural environment
- the local healers, priests and friends I met there
- and how this trip transformed me personally.
- Balinese secrets for what I call “super performance” (and no, it’s not a drug or some weird herbal concoction – nor do you have to walk over hot coals!)
- What is so critical for YOU to do in your own life to perform at your best
- A preview of my next trip to Bali.
If you cannot join this call “live”, go ahead and sign-up anyway. We’ll record the call and email you the recording later that day so you can listen to it over the weekend.
I look forward to having you join me on this free call!
by Erin Owen | May 9, 2012 | Ezine, General
I am a recovering Perfectionist.
For years (okay, decades really) I swore up and down that I was not a perfectionist. Other people, yes, definitely: PERFECTIONISTS!
But, me? No way.
But, actually, yes.
I am a perfectionist.
And, I can say I am recovering because now –
after leaving behind the corporate world and
starting up and running my own business while
raising two young children – I have been forced by
circumstances to realize that I cannot do it all.
In fact, the simple strategies I share with my
clients are the same secrets I use in my own life
to Tame the Perfectionist tendencies that
previously impeded my platinum performance.
If you too are a perfectionist, then read on.
Here are 4 simple steps YOU can use to forego the
perils of perfectionism and improve your
performance:
One: Ask yourself “what is enough?”
Getting clarity about “what is enough” is
critical for drawing a line in the sand.
Is it okay to write an email without re-reading
it 4 times?
(Would re-reading it one time suffice?)
Would you be comfortable with making one phone
call to inquire about the possibility of working
together with your targeted prospect or partner,
even if you don’t have an entire plan for how you’ll
work together?
(Maybe you just say “Hi, I really love the work
you do and I wonder if we could find a time to
talk more about your vision for your business and
any possibilities for working together?”)
Can you give yourself permission to go to bed
without getting everything on your list done?
(Because the reality is there is always more to
do.)
Two: Take a deep breath and practice living with
“enough” for a few days.
Just because you drew a line in the sand, does
not mean it will be there forever. You drew it in
the sand, remember? And even if you drew the line
with permanent marker, I can tell you that it too
will eventually fade or wash away. (I know this
for a fact, because I have two small children and
I go everywhere with a Sharpie! I have to re-write
each child’s names on the clothing and on the
lunch boxes again and again and again.)
Three: Notice what changes as a result.
By not re-reading each email four times, what
space did you create for other things?
By not waiting until all the behind-the-scenes
details were “just right,” what was able to move
forward and what resulted?
By not getting absolutely everything done at the
exact time you decided it should get done, what
unfolded?
I’ll bet you discovered you had more time than
you thought you did, which allowed you to enjoy
more of life.
And that you actually do a pretty good job of
listening and thinking on your feet, resulting in
possibly even better results that you could have
imagined!
Most important, perhaps, is I’m guessing you were
able to re-direct your energy to other more
important and more inspiring activities and
experiences.
Four: Repeat, evolve, and prosper.
Ultimately, the more you let go of your
perfectionist tendencies, the better you will get
at making it easier for yourself, being more
adaptable, and reaping the benefits of just being
in the moment.
You’ll see your overall performance reach what I
call a PLATINUM level, where you:
- Have a steady, high level of energy
- Catch more green lights, get more business and laugh more
- And generally have a greater appreciation for all that is in your life.
So, try out this simple 4-step approach.
From one perfectionist to another.
And let me know what you discover.
Email me at Info@YourPerformanceBreakthrough.com
I’d love to hear from you!
by Erin Owen | May 4, 2012 | Ezine, General
This Saturday, May 5 is the full moon.
In ancient times and even today, among a small subset of the world’s population, people honor the powerful times of the full moon with rituals.
Rituals that have been almost lost because, in the words of my Taoist teacher “modern culture does not consider the waxing and waning of the
moon as events to be commemorated like the cycles
of the sun – the solstices and equinoxes.”
While I am in Bali today, I’ll be planning to take full
advantage of the cycle of the moon to let go of what
is no longer working for me in my life AND invite in what
I want more of.
I’ll be doing this by attending a full moon ceremony at a local Balinese temple. And by engaging in a simple exercise that you can do too.
Want to join me?
Here’s how you do it.
Step 1:
Write down on a piece of paper something (or many things) you are ready to stop doing, to let go, to move past.
Maybe it’s a harmful habit like smoking or excessive drinking or binge eating.
Maybe it’s self-criticism or perfectionist tendencies that limit you.
Maybe it’s a person in your life who holds you back.
Whatever it is, if it drains your energy and causes stress and anxiety, perhaps it’s time to let it go.
So, go ahead and write it on a piece of paper.
Step 2:
Then, burn the piece of paper.
Bye bye.
See ya.
Step 3:
Next, grab a journal or a nice notebook and write down something (or many things) you want to invite into your life.
Maybe it’s healthy eating or weight loss.
Maybe it’s stronger self-esteem and self-confidence.
Maybe it’s a support team who have your best interest at heart and support you in every way.
Maybe it’s more money to pay your bills, plan a trip, or buy something you’ve been wanting for a long time.
Whatever it is you want, write it down AND (this is important, so listen up):
Step 4:
Be specific.
If you want to lose 15 lb, write that down.
If you want to have unlimited self-esteem and self-confidence so you can do anything or go anywhere in the world, then write that down.
If you want a bookkeeper who is honest, ethical, timely, and fairly priced, then write that down.
If you want $677 to pay off a dental bill, then write that down. But, if it’s more like $17,300 for a list of things, then write down how much you want for each thing.
The Balinese believe that the time of the full moon is powerful because it’s when God comes down to Earth to support you.
Now, maybe you don’t use the word God or even believe in a higher power of any kind, but why not give this simple exercise a try?
The Summary:
Write down what you no longer want and burn it. Then, write down what you want (using as many details as reflect your deepest desire) and keep that.
Email me at Info@YourPerformanceBreakthrough.com to let me know what you experience. I look forward to hearing from you!
