Are You Solving Future Problems? đȘ¶
I joined a business webinar last week. The speaker said something that I felt deeply. She was talking about business debt and how so many business owners take on debt to solve future problems. Problems that have not even happened (and may never happen). She said, âyou canât solve a problem if you canât define itâ. I probably canât define it if it hasnât happened.
That same theme continued to show up all week in various conversations, emails and calls. Holy buckets, no wonder we are all so full of anxiety in our culture. We are living in a future that hasnât even happened and worried about solving future problems⊠like all of the time. We think we are being wise if we are prepared for any problem that might arise while we are consumed with worry.
We know the mantra, âjust live in the momentâ, but our modern life sets us up to live for those scary âwhat ifsâ out there in the future. What if I donât understand marketing or business concepts or AI and I fall behind and never catch up, what if age or health prevent me from doing or teaching bodywork at some point, what if I donât have enough insurance, what if the rules change in my industry and I donât know about it, what if the person I trust changes or leaves and my life or business falls apart, what if I lead someone astray because I donât have all the information I should have had, what if I havenât put enough money away for retirement. The list goes on and on. Iâm sure you have a good long list of your own.
In business, my worries about future problems have caused me to hire services, purchase yet another course or coaching platform, and make choices dependent upon a potential issue someone told me about and my worries cause me to start solving it without being able to define it. Itâs like being in a pinball machine and the balls keep bouncing off the potential problems while new ones come from the source. How do we keep up with all those future problems in our head?
If you have been around me very long, you have most likely heard me talk about my friend Maynard. Maynard died several years ago in his 90s. He was an old teamster from way back (as in driving teams of horses) and had horses up until the end. He taught me to drive when I was 21 and over the years I drove lots of teams with or for him. There were so many times that I was pretty sure I was going to die because Maynard would try just about anything. Those of us who worked with him would start to worry and fret about how things were going to go, but Maynard would non-chalantly say, âItâll all work out. Or it wonâtâ. Then, off we would go and somehow it worked out because I am still alive to tell about it. Ha!
I ended this week ready to get off this crazy roller coaster that I didnât realize I was gripping so tightly to. Iâve always been pretty good at solving problems when they happen. If future problems occur, Iâm pretty sure I can figure them out. Itâs time to take a breath, remember Maynardâs words, and let those worries drop off at the edge of my energy field. I can pick them up one at a time if they are worthy of getting any closer.
To help me make this real, I removed Facebook from my phone this week. I realized how easy it was becoming for me to keep checking and looking for future problems. Imagine what I can do with that time instead.
Today, I will create a small fire ceremony and I invite you to join me.
I will use a candle and a small stick (even a toothpick will do) because where I live, we have fire restrictions in place. If you are lucky enough to have an outdoor fire - all the better.
Create a space that feels special or sacred to you.
Find a moment where you can be uninterrupted. Take some deep breaths to bring you into the present moment.
Light your candle (or fire). Be sure you have a safe container to place your stick if you are indoors or using a candle.
Think about all those worries you are holding onto (especially future worries) until they bubble up into your consciousness. Blow them into the stick three times.
When you are ready, place the stick in the flame and allow those worries to be transmuted by the fire. Feel them leave your body and mind and breathe peace and safety into this new space.
Know you are capable of handling problems when they come up. If it feels right, you might even say a prayer or invocation asking for guidance and protection.
Deep breath and gratitude.
-Kim
Responses