Sorry I missed posting last night. I just got home today from an epic road trip to a seminar in northern California. I honestly can't remember how much I've shared if any about the new venture I'm undertaking in 2014, but this weekend was a seminal moment in its development, and a huge breakthrough weekend for me personally.
One thing I love is that no matter what I've been through, what books I've read, courses I've taken, etc, there is always another level to the game of life. That is what makes it so endlessly beautiful! I have been working on my own personal growth throughout my life; I remember going on church retreats in high school, wilderness school, heck, even Boy Scout camp was personal development. I remember being deathly afraid of water I couldn't see in (ponds, lakes, oceans). In fact, I'm still afraid. However, I purposefully took canoeing merit badge, because as part of the badge, I had to swamp my canoe in the middle of the lake, then get back in it and paddle it back to shore still submerged. I still remember my heart pounding in my chest throughout the whole experience, but I also remember the feeling of adrenaline when I reached the shore. I was 13.
Now, I'm 41, and I'm still as committed to having those same breakthroughs as ever, and this weekend, I had not one, but two.
My business partner, Kat Fulton, and I have started a new venture called Empower U Academy where we teach business skills to clinicians, therapists, and professionals who have degrees in helping people, but never got the skills to learn how to get paid to help people. We have been teaching these skills to our fellow music therapists for the past 4 years at conferences and online, and now we want to help an even wider group help even more people. So we went to San Francisco to a 2-day seminar put on by a company called - interestingly enough - Thrive Academy.
We thought we were simply coach shopping; we were looking into a couple of different business coaches to help us launch our new venture this year, but we found much more.
There were two breakthrough exercises that we did that left nothing to question about the new year. In the first, we had to think of what our main disempowering belief about our selves was. Mine was, "I don't deserve to be successful." Then we had to hold our chair up in front of us with our eyes closed and imagine that the chair were bars from a prison cell that we had sentenced ourselves to as a result of this belief. From that cell, in my mind I could see all the people I have touched, helped, served, and treated over the years from either coaching, speaking, performing or treating. There was an army of people amassed all looking at me in my cell, and they were all very confused. They were asking each other, "Why is he in there?" and when they found out that I put myself in there, they were baffled, confused, and stunned.
With that, they started cheering and shouting for me to GET OUT! of the cell. In my first attempt, I failed. The facilitator said that if we were ready to break through, to go ahead and do so, and I just started crying. For some reason, I have held onto the story that I don't deserve success my whole adult life, and it seemed impossible to just 'let go of.' Then, the facilitator had us imagine we were like a wild animal in a cage, and that it was time for us to bust out. Somehow, that imagery connected me to a more primal, less analytical side of myself, and when he told us to break through a second time, I summoned all the animal instinct I could, and SHOT OUT of that cage! When I did, the crowd that I imagined erupted with joy, and there were two people that were happiest… my dad, and Bella. I sobbed with happiness, and my negative belief was replaced with…
… I am worthy.
The peace and humility that accompanied the statement calmed every cell in my body, and I felt a stillness and peace throughout my entire being the likes of which I'm not sure if I've ever felt before. It was so calm. When I got back to my hotel room afterward, I walked in, looked over at the mirror, and froze.
I didn't quite recognize myself.
I saw a different person. I saw a man. A happy, peaceful, loving man. It was weird! I tried to snap a picture to see if I could capture the moment, but the camera didn't capture what I was seeing in the mirror. It was genuinely like I was looking at someone else, not me… and I really liked the guy I was looking at.
I'll tell you about experience number 2 next week; I am drained. However, before I go, want to close by saying that if you work for yourself and your purpose is to help treat others, Kat and I are giving a FREE online class tomorrow evening on 4 key tools every owner/clinician needs if you want to have your best year ever. We're giving away a few gifts on the webinar as well! Please, if that would benefit you, come over! Just go to our website and sign up, and hang out with us online! If you can't make it live, we'll give you a link to the replay, but only if you sign up. We have something FUN cooked up for the new year!
Just CLICK HERE to head on over to our site to reserve your spot, and we look forward to serving you tomorrow.
God night.
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