When I was in Bali, I passed by a hostel with a sign hanging out front that said:
- Clean Rooms
- Hot Showers
- Good Vibes
It made me really really happy because vibes, or energy is something I’ve been thinking about a lot.
Like how you can get a feel for a city right away.
I’m sitting in a Hong Kong coffee shop and I’ve been in town less than 12 hours and I’m already thinking, “Yeah, I could totally live here.” (In case you forgot, I’m playing the worlds most interesting game of “Are you my city” so this is always a thought, anywhere) .
I mean, I’m sure once I looked at the cost of living I’d have second thoughts… but the vibe though.
I believe cities, like people, carry their own energy.
I knew immediately when i got to Lisbon that I didn’t love the energy.
It just felt… off.
Not bad, per se, just sort of… hollow?
Conversely, when I landed in Barcelona, it was like I could feel the entire city pulsing through my body. It was like walking into a dance club, except I didn’t see any Uggs and I didn’t hear Kei$ha playing. But it was still just a liquid, sexy, hot, vibrant, energy.
Chiang Mai? Retirement community with a college. Nice. Calm (ish). A little bland. Comfortable.
Hong Kong. Energetic + Dramatic, a little chaotic, but also strangely mellow – or maybe I’ve been in Asia so long I don’t know the meaning of the word. 🙂
Anyway, I’ve been learning & thinking a lot about energy this year:
- Masculine & Feminine energy
- Money energy
- Physical energy
- Locational energy
Our lives can really go pear-shaped when any of these energies are out of whack.
And it’s so easy to get out of whack. I spent the bulk of 2017 out-of-alignment. Swinging back and forth between “Good Vibes Only” and “watch out for the black cloud of doom.”
As such I’ve dubbed 2018 as my year of “RE.”
- Rebuilding
- Recentering
- Reparenting
- Relaxing
My aim is to learn how to consistently do less to have more, and enjoy my life even more… without having to check “relax” off of my to-do list.
If you’re a chronic over-achiever, you’ll know what I mean. And if you’re not, will you teach me how to chill?
I’ve known for a long-time that I “became” an achiever to please the men in a childhood. Particularly my emotionally abusive stepfather who told me on a near daily daily basis how stupid, fat and lazy I was.
We always have a choice in how we choose to interpret and respond to what people tell us.
I could have accepted what he said as truth, and settled into a life of mediocrity and worthless victimhood.
I chose to put two middle fingers high in the air and PROVE how smart and driven and worthy I am.
It’s no wonder I drank so much in my 20’s – it was one of the ways I could turn off the obsessive need to complete something.
But after more than 30 years of constant DOING in order to feel okay, I’m exhausted.
So I’m course correcting and learning how to relax and let things happen.
To “Let Go & Let God,” and stick around and “wait for the miracles to happen”.
And they always do.
Maybe not as quickly as my impatient self would like, but I’ve spent enough years focused on what I HAD to do.
It’s time to focus on what I GET* to do.
Which, right now is work with incredible people and create incredible programs while travel the world. This week when I’m not working, I get to explore Hong Kong a little and I might even go to Disneyland HK this weekend – because, Holy Crap, that’s a thing.
How about you?
Are you getting to do what you want to do enough? Or are you still doing what you have to do?
If not, you might try shifting your focus – I suggest starting your day with gratitude. Grab my other tips by clicking the banner below.
* One of the favorite things I get to do in my business is teach really awesome, creative and spiritual people how to think like business people. If you’re passionate about what you do and would like some help growing your business, let’s chat about it over (virtual) coffee.
