We know that money buys only so much. You can’t buy trust and a safe environment with monetary benefits only. Nor superficial smiles and small-talk will do on the long term. People feel!

Some years back I worked with a European steel company. It was interesting to see how people worked as they worked habitually without realizing their daily loss of energy. Quite a few employees of the department suffered from stress-related and psychosomatic health problems and had gotten used to them, just like we get used to a bad smell with time. Nobody really cared.

Incredible, how old believes could maintain over the decades. People were convinced, they were more valuable for the company for knowing the system for years and years instead of daring to consider improving the system. The atmosphere in this company was seemingly friendly but not nice, not to say hostile. There was no trust, no hope, no confidence to talk the truth. It was somehow feeling cold. It is not enough to renovate the kitchen area and install a gym at work to create a safe space for change. It takes the leaders on board to create an inspiring environment for safe human interaction, openness and trust.

How can you create an environment that invites people to bring out their best, to invest their energy not just to get a paid in exchange but to deliberately serve the system with their gifts? Manipulation by inducing fear or money works only limited. Creativity can quickly be compromised by pressure and competition. What’s the golden path?

Systems versus Goals

It is belief systems, communication systems and appreciation systems that keep the treasures hidden. Systems change by changing individual parts and/or their inter-connections. People can change, communication flows can change, work style can change, attitudes can change, even values can change. With the willingness to innovate, new doors open. How do you open people for change? One way is facing the fears.

We finally realized that the cutting-costs-strategy is too limited and that people are our greatest asset.

People versus Figures

Today, learning to balance the tension-relaxation-system and the thinking-feeling-doing game may be just as important as having a consultancy change your numbers.

A Safe Environment and Quality Relationships

Financial benefit tend to be a very temporary motivator. More money doesn’t help to get up in the morning and really look forward to go to work, if there is nothing to look forward to.

Creating a healthy environment of trust takes time and honest intention. It can’t be faked. The importance of a nurturing environment in the workplace has been widely ignored. It’s not just about the color of the wallpaper and the brand of coffee in the cafeteria. It’s a culture of open communication that we miss so much, yet we’re so used to the empty phrases we exchange to maintain a certain image. In our business culture, we can have it all and are slowly finding out that the most exclusive gadgets and the best champagne only make us feel good until we are no longer distracted, sober and lucid. The good news is that energy sapping habits are easy to identify and can be changed naturally.

Phone-Consulting to kick-off Positive Cultural Change?

Is it enough to invest in Coaching over the Phone in order to change systems and cultures? I don’t think so. You can’t expect a person change their way of thinking, feeling and acting by receiving personalized information. It takes an experience to make a real change, a combination of thinking and feeling. That’s why I insist on initially working outdoors in nature to do my job as a facilitator.

Did you ever dare to investigate and look at your environment closer?
Is there room for improvement?
Are you aware what you would really like, what is really important to you at work?
Are you looking forward to go to work in the morning? What bugs you most at work?
Is your company culture safe enough to share your ideas for improvement?

What are your first ideas?

TheWalkingGuru
+34 661 682 888

Sounds obvious, yet many don’t seem to get it:

“YOU CAN’T SEPARATE THE HEAD FROM THE BODY”. I heard myself say during walks in nature with Coaching clients. Sounds ridiculous. Of cause you can cut of the head from the body. But people don’t seem to be aware of physical laws, that exist beyond biology: Every quality of thought has a quality of physical response in the body. Physics. Energy, waves and frequencies.

YOU CAN’T SEPARATE THE WORLD YOU SEE FROM THE LENSES YOU LOOK THROUGH, or PROGRAMS we run automatically, according to genes, past social conditioning and experiences. Normal.

I wrote 3 books now, out of the urge to share what I had learned. In one of them I share my own story and how I (kind of logically) managed to create a false, limiting image of myself, according to the information available at the time. The idea was, that readers can check out their own stories, realize that their idea of themselves, others and the world is also based on many assumptions, probably lies (often used hoping to protect others) and misconceptions.

Obviously, it is not that easy to see your own blind spots. “Why am I acting the way I am, what is wrong with me”, I hear people say.

“How can I make sure to see my blindspots?

Life throws situations towards us and we react in a certain way or we consciously respond. The thinking mind tries to control the situation to keep us safe – that’s the idea. But we stay trapped in unconscious behavior (thinking, feeling and reactive habits), unfree and kind of reproduce our own problems. To switch from reacting unconsciously to responding consciously is work. It takes consciously FEELING what you feel and being ok with it. It most probably takes feeling uncomfortable, an indicator that you are leaving your so-called “comfort zone ” (which kept you trapped) and being ok with this state of discomfort. Like a growth pain, it hurts to grow beyond a limitation, like a sore muscle, probably worse.

Unfortunately, writing books doesn’t mean that I know and know how to apply it all at all! The more I know the more I realize how little I know. And that helps to accept that things don’t go the way you want, no matter how “hard” you try or how “good” you are. Each major “set back” turns out to be a major “set free”. Forgiveness is part of the lesson. Forgiving doesn’t mean to be ok with what was not ok. It means to let it go.

What about you? Does that ring a bell?

DO NOT TRY TO CHANGE YOURSELF! Your nature is unique. You are the way you are for a reason. And even if you think it was an accident, haha, there is no doubt that you are unique. What is not so unique is the fact that you too, probably copied what you saw and do or (insist not to do under no circumstances) what you were told as a small child, just like everyone else. This is how we carry on old memories and habits from generation to generation collectively, no matter in which culture you grow up. Plus, we are convinced that we “function” solely on the basis of genes just like our ancestors. An excuse to change habits?

We CAN change the way we think, feel and act when this is no longer helpful, if we DECIDE to do so, if we WANT to do so. We just need a good enough reason to motivate for the effort to go through the pain of letting go what we thought would keep us safe. Motivation such as some kind of suffering, major curiosity what else is possible or a probing unmet need to express your Self in the world.

Don’t follow me! ***
Follow your SELF your inner voice, that which you can only listen to, when the mind is silent
without thinking
without distraction
without obnubilating or clouding with substances

Silence is required to hear or feel intuition – what is really going on, without assumptions – the energy of the truth.

My job is to inspire you to transcend the IDEA of identifying with those programs that run your system. How can you transcend that which is mostly unconscious?

CHANGE HABITS! Start with the “small stuff”, clear out useless habits that keep you from freeing yourself…. You know what I mean…. NO, it may not be easy but it is simple. Life sends “invitations” in form of crisis, pains or suffering. Learning opportunities. Openings for new possibilities. Changes to let go of the old program and dare to look deeper, beyond that which you know. Possibly scary stuff. Who wants to accept discomfort and “ugly” feelings? Well, e.g. those who are tired of the mouse wheel syndrome. Those who are more curious than afraid. Those who are willing to bring in the work it takes to create a new way of doing what you do. Those who are willing to face their (addictive?) patterns and what they are really looking for.

The POWER OF EACH AND EVERYBODY is that we can reflect on ourselves and CHANGE OUR OWN THOUGHTWARE, feelings and actions. It takes awareness to do so.

No need to become a yogini, or start a new religion. The awareness muscle needs some form of ritual though… Awareness is not the same as thinking. Practices such as Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong or Walking Meditation are helpful. There are many ways. Everybody makes their own way.

You can choose the ripples you create

We are not machines. We are sentient beings.
We can change the world by purifying our own lenses, our own thoughts, feelings and actions, the way we respond to the world, the quality of ripples we create. No longer denying parts of ourselves. No longer hiding in addictive behavior hoping we cane space the feelings that keep us trapped. No longer copying what is not ours, hoping this would give us what we want most….

***

More curious than afraid?
Feel free to follow my blogposts and share with a friend.
Make up your own mind!

http://thewalkingguru.org

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Thanks!!! For staying tuned in. For sharing your gifts! For sharing!

Clarity. Focus. Direction

The Walking Guru

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#entrepreneurcoach #entrepreneurlife #hustle #goals #businesstips #startup #smallbusiness #inspiration #businesspassion #businessminde #entrepreneurlifestyle #lifecoach #entrepreneurmindset #businesscoach #motivation#Mallorca #onlinehealthcoach #stressmanagement #enjoysuccess #enjoyment #morejoy #personaldevelopment #spirituality #coachingonline #walkingguru #coachingoutdoors #balance #healthyhabits #corporatecoaching #changemanagement #emotionalintelligence #mentor #positivity #proactivity #resilience #joiedevivre #coachingtools #trainthetrainer #changehabits #continuousdevelopment #lifecoachingonline #compassiontraining #empathy #empathsatwork #systems #managementtraining #teamtraining #organizationaldevelopment #culturedevelopment #corporateculture #communitybuilding #co-creating #agilemanagement #crisismanagement #creativitytraining #leadershiptraining #spiritualdevelopment

What makes you get out of bed in the morning is one of those dangerous coaching questions. It is easy to forget what is really important.

Heck, looking and feeling closer, you may find some discrepancies that you didn’t allow yourself to notice before. Are you getting out of bed for the right reasons? What are the right reasons, really?

Survival comes first, definitely. Work, money, stability, security, paying the bills….

Love and belonging is important. How we relate to ourselves and others. Hm, I make a the relationship to yourself a point. Why? Because it doesn’t go without saying. It wants to be appreciated as well. How can you expect respect, love and understanding if you don’t respect, love and comprehend yourself?

Live at your Best – bring the best version of yourself to the world. But what is that? Finding out ours strengths and weaknesses and working hard on them? Finding out our passion and trying to make it fit into the Maslow’s hierachy of needs???

We need a safe base.
Expanding the base without growing upwards can lead to a financially rich, poor existence.

There are endless possibilities to survive, thrive, be content and love life more than you fear it.
Function in the world.
Feel good about yourself.

Coaches tend to ask: what do you really want? I like to ask: What do your really need?

What makes YOU get out of bed in the morning?

Thanks!!! For staying tuned in. For sharing your gifts! For sharing!

Clarity. Focus. Direction

The Walking Guru

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#entrepreneurcoach #entrepreneurlife #hustle #goals #businesstips #startup #smallbusiness #inspiration #businesspassion #businessminde #entrepreneurlifestyle #lifecoach #entrepreneurmindset #businesscoach #motivation#Mallorca #onlinehealthcoach #stressmanagement #enjoysuccess #enjoyment #morejoy #personaldevelopment #spirituality #coachingonline #walkingguru #coachingoutdoors #balance #healthyhabits #corporatecoaching #changemanagement #emotionalintelligence #mentor #positivity #proactivity #resilience #joiedevivre #coachingtools #trainthetrainer #changehabits #continuousdevelopment #lifecoachingonline #compassiontraining #empathy #empathsatwork #systems #managementtraining #teamtraining #organizationaldevelopment #culturedevelopment #corporateculture #communitybuilding #co-creating #agilemanagement #crisismanagement #creativitytraining #leadershiptraining #spiritualdevelopment

Unleashing team potentials beyond the average, beyond the known and beyond the habitual requires soft skills. But is it possible to “train” respect, trust and communication skills? Or are some people just not open for change when it comes to soft skills? Is setting soft skills free something you can push or work hard on? The opposite may be the case.

New Approaches to Open up for New Skills

Use curiosity instead of installing fear, to inspire to explore beyond the presumingly safe space of the known, the box, the habitual, the way we always did the things we do. Imagine, if your organization would promote the idea of exploring new possibilities continuously. How would you feel? Would it scare you to possibly never lean back again and relax in the old routine? Does it excite you to never feel stuck, bored or frustrated at work again, since you are part of a growing and continuously developing environment? Or do you find yourself somewhere in the middle? How do you assess your colleagues? Do you think they see the opportunity and are open and willing to engage in new approaches?

Imagine your organization and the members of it: can you imagine what influence such an awareness of attitude, emotional intelligence and know-how might have on the future of your work-life? Can you imagine what impact members of your organization have not only on the future development but also on a daily life level, if they felt inspired and “safe” to show up as who they are? Are you aware of the impact of lack of awareness of those soft factors, both on the individual and on the company?

You Form the Culture you Live in

I work for companies whose leaders are willing to be engaged personally in the change process, by looking at themselves and their attitude, habits, strategies first. I believe you cannot delegate Cultural Development by hiring a coach to make the employees “function”. Look at yourself, understand and know yourself, before acting, if you want to inspire others to bring out their best.

A Safe Environment requires Trust

Creating an inspiring environment takes building trust first. Positive or “non-violant” communication skills, constructive feedback, applied emotional intelligence and openness are delicate topics to be treated with sensitivity lead to building trust. You can trust someone who walks their talk, someone who shows up as who they are. Someone real.

Huge potential of extra energy can be released and applied constructively in a positive way, when we address those unconscious, unattended issues of lack of trust.

That’s where thinking stops and flow starts…

We are all Leaders

I believe a good leader has a profound self-knowledge, engages in continuous development and applies know-how, intelligence and compassion.

Leadership that inspires fear won’t get the most out of potential talent. There is space for growth between survival and thriving. Leadership that inspires curiosity inspires creativity and even a sense of community. It is not just about writing those numbers but being seen and appreciated as a unique human with a unique approach to things.

What else is possible?

What else is possible? How can we make things better? How do we dare to go beyond imagination and allow new ideas to come up? I believe you don’t inspire that safe space by pressure. It takes a culture of understanding, trust and positive, open communication and a space for playful exploration to allow brand-new ideas fall into our awareness.

For a leader it takes openness, willingness and courage to experiment and de-velop him-or herself continuously first.

Know Thyself

Showing up as who you are and being a role model for others is more potent than taking smart decisions and delegating from the background. I guess it is for all the same: by being who and how we are, we can bring our unique authentic self to the play.

There are unlimited tools available in order to teach how to create a safe environment for trust, open communication and creativity. The first step is in becoming aware of how open your and your colleagues mindset is and playfully examining the pros and cons of the current mindset.

How to create a Safe Environment

It is about inspiring the adventurer’s spirit that dares to explore the potential of the unknown. But how do you create a safe environment to instill this spirit?

There are many ways leading to Rome: Interesting, inspiring and challenging games, experiments, volunteering opportunities, creative experiments, team-building incentives or individual or team coaching work as incentive are some.

Change starts as a mental phenomenon.

Letting go of ideas and image, daring to share your true self!

(Photos: Improvisation training at Trampa Teatre in Mallorca)

This is the real secret of life, to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.

Alan Watts

Imagine if every member of your organization could use their mind the way they choose instead of being slave of a compulsive or pre-programmed thinking. When we experience moments of mental stillness, creativity can flow freely, a very pleasurable experience. To help people switch from feeling pushed or forced, into feeling pulled or inspired is a delicate skill. Yet, this training opens minds for the unknown and creates a safe environment, where trust and community can develop.

Coming up next:

How to Build Community

Shared resources, joint interests, joint needs, joint goals

More about “co-creating”

Help Others

Helping others in times of crisis is powerful. Whatever your talent or resource is, if you can share it with others, not only for personal benefit and not only during crisis, you can appreciate more who you are and what you do. Serving others without getting a personal benefit from it makes you feel rich. If you don’t have much income right now, there are simple ways to serve others and enhance their wellbeing:

Inspire others to join you on a 30-Day-New-Habit Challenge, e.g. going for daily walks, Cook a meal for them.
Invite them to eat more consciously with you (go to last post)
Offer a massage.
Offer to spend time together. Take time to listen without agenda.
Open up yourself, show your vulnerability, share you thoughts and feelings and invite them to do so too.
Offer kind words and kind actions for people in need.

How to Help Others in the Professional Environment

We used to think, we don’t have time for “happiness at work” or relating in a kind way with colleagues during work. The latest lockdown situation has shown how important human interaction is, also at work.

Small Things you can do

Ask for your co-workers’ current situation, both, what’s new, positive and what challenges.
Ask what they wish to change, what could be changed, and what ideas they have.
Listen from the heart without prejudice and judgement. People feel wether you really mean what you say or if you have a hidden agenda.
Dare to ask for help as well and give them the opportunity to apply their talents and resources. Share your problems, thoughts and feelings, needs and wishes concerning work during breaks.
Ask them to join you introducing more healthy lunch breaks and get committed.
Notice when others are stressed and offer help or at least a kind word.
Be practical: suggest innovative ways to better work processes or brief meetings to discuss possibilities. Be proactive. Inspire.
Dare to share your view, learn to give constructive feedback and coaching.
Make work connections more human behave honest and kind yourself.
Include human interaction as a value in your personal work ethics.


Contributing to other people’s well-being without getting anything in exchange makes you feel rich and healthy. I believe everybody has the resource and ability to improve their own and other’s experience of life. It is a question of making it a point, wanting and deciding to do so.

And even though you don’t expect anything, you do get something in return: a deep sense of connectedness and purpose.

http://theWalkingGuru.org

Clarity. Focus. Direction

Better Together in one Direction
By Being Proactive

Most of us are forcefully thrown out the the habitual. Many experience this as a very threatening situation, financially and health-wise. Quick restructuring of processes is needed. People need to come up with new ways of doing their job, working from home or even change jobs. Everything seems even more technical and less human, less interactive.

What Can We Do?

Now is a time where proactivity and creativity is of huge value. Not just to raise turnover, profit and income and lower costs. Now, it is also about “surviving” or simply continue to live in a healthy way.

How can you make a difference? At what place are you?

This 5-Step-System how to be proactive at work by Chrissy Scivicque intends to help becoming proactive. Here is the idea for you to check out if it is for your. Personally, I believe in a good balance of pre-planning and staying agile on the way according to the situation.

1. Predict

First develop foresight.

Learn to anticipate problems and events. Right now, you can’t anticipate how regulations change due to the Virus situation. However, you understand how things work; look for patterns; recognize the regular routines, daily practices and natural cycles that exist in your business. Don’t allow yourself to become complacent.

Anticipate future outcomes by imagining scenarios. The past is not always a valuable predictor for the future. Therefor use creativity and logic. Come up with multiple scenarios for different possibilities. Let others share their perspective and visions.

2. Prevent

Proactive people foresee potential obstacles and exert their power to find ways to overcome them before those obstacles turn into concrete roadblocks. How can this look during times of Covid? New markets, wider range of products and services? Expanding your range abilities to form new cooperations? What is your colleagues view?

3. Plan

Proactive people plan for the future.

Avoid one-step, “here and now” thinking and instead, look ahead and anticipate long-term consequences. What can you do today to ensure success tomorrow? Every decision is a link in a chain of events leading to a possible final conclusion. Mindmaps and cause-and-effect-loops in order to visualize consequences and make the best decision. You have to know where you came from, where you are, and where you want to end up. Include your company and your own values and must-haves in your planning.

4. Participate

Make a contribution

In order to be proactive, you must get involved. You have to take initiative and be a part of the solution. Cooperate. Inspire. See the whole picture, the system. Recognize that you are only a piece of the whole and that you influence—and are influenced by—the actions of others. Don’t simply react to them. Engage with them. Exert your influence and make a contribution.

5. Perform

Focus on effective action.

Be decisive and willing to do the work NOW. Procrastination is not an option. Be responsable for your performance and hold yourself accountable. Stand behind your decisions. Being proactive means you have taken careful, thoughtful steps to choose the appropriate path, planning steps through; you’re not reacting impulsively to your environment.

Let us know your thoughts!

What concrete action steps do you plan to take?

Is room for improvement in your work life?

Is there a gap in your plan or mind-map?

What factors have you been missing to take into consideration in the past?

How else can you engage others to join the planning and creative process?

What tools do you suggest for better cooperation (E.g. new technical tools such as WordPress P2)

What are your tips to co-create an environment that enhances proactivity?

From Thinking to Acting: Work on yourself!

By doing something new, that is good for you, you won’t eliminate your responsibility to take care of your urgent and important problems.

Introducing a new healthy habit helps you to gain clarity, focus and energy to do so.

Simple, Doable, Healthy Habits: Eating more consciously,
Practicing Regular Smooth Physical Exercise,
A brief Morning Meditation Ritual.

Awareness of Unhealthy Habits: Sitting in front of a Computer for hours and hours without break,
Numbing yourself.

Even though most of us are aware of what we can influence directly and what not, it is hard to stay balanced, clear and strong in times of crises. Emotions can overrun intelligence and we keep digging in the same whole even though it is not useful, going around in the same circles.

Accept it, change it or leave it

If you have no hope, vision or energy in a difficult current situation it is human to get lost in self-pity, depression, despair or blame. Sometimes, we need to reach out for help instead of getting stuck or freezing.

What Keeps You From Positive Change?

What does it take for you to spend at least an hour a day with the intention of doing yourself some good by experimenting something new?
What keeps you from doing so?
What thoughts, expectations or feelings sabotage your way?
Yes, you won’t change your external situation immediately. You will learn to get into a more positive internal state, become present here and now and give doubts, fears and worries a break. That’s the benefit. A gap to use your energy in a positive way to nurture your system and gain clarity, focus and direction.

What New Habit Can You Experiment With?

Experiment something new helps to keep mind and heart open and fit to adjust to new situations. You can learn to wake up into a new day without repeating yesterday’s story. Now, during this world-wide incredibly challenging situation, it is a great moment and chance to engage in keeping your body, mind and spirit fresh and strong.

Are you Aware of Your Habits?

Simple actions can get you into a state of being present. Use a break from thinking in order to empty the habitual box-thinking-processor.

Drawing mandalas can help to focus and center. By coloring or painting without expectations of the outcome you can explore how creativity works for you and whether you sabotage the creative process. Hypnotic writing exercises help you explore the space beyond habitual (box-)thinking and see what else is there that you are not aware of yet. Some simple breathing techniques can help you relax, not just physiologically but also the diaphragm.

Explore different types of meditation or yoga to connect with your essence, so you can relax from ego-patterns and enjoy yourself.
Updating the way you do the things you do, helps to stay innovative, creative, overcome fear of change and find joy in the process. E.g. prepare your presentations in a new creative or innovative way.

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, this current crisis can be a chance to reconnect with the body. Try regular walking exercise/meditation for 20 minutes or start slack-lining regularly to train core, focus, physical and mental balance. If you can’t get outside try regular Tai Chi or simple Yoga exercise online. Be amazed how quickly your body, heart-rate and wellbeing will change if you stick to it!

Stay Motivated by Honoring Small Positive Changes

Inspire your neighbor and people who lack motivation to join you!
Drink water with lemon or a healthy shake during coffee-break!
Take a little walk around the block at lunch-break!
Listen to relaxing music!
Honor that you do what you do more consciously and less impulsively!

Pick ONE to start with TODAY! Repeat tomorrow!

What are your coping strategies? Please comment below and share what works for you with others! What healthy changes have you introduced in the last years?