Recently a dear friend, told me a story about going to a mutual friend’s fashion launch in Sydney. This fashion label is high end and is now internationally successful.
Image from http://www.hellomagazine.com
At the event, our friend was asked how she was feeling about her first big fashion launch. After many years, long days, hard work, creating original design and strategic product development, negotiating manufacture using old artisan methods, honing her entrepreneurial business skills, building networks and strategic marketing to her customers.
Her response? “I’m just giving it a crack!”
Another Aussie saying for “giving it a go.”
And that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Stepping up, putting ourselves into the game, not being weighed down by anxiety and expectation. This first step could be a giant splash or a gentle breath. It’s about learning, developing skills, preparing, thinking, observing, doing our thing, being strategic with time, resources and action. But at the end of the day, it’s also about taking the risk, jumping in, embracing serendipity and just being yourself. Going with the process with an attitude of joy, lightness and grace.
Image from http://www.katekendall.com
This is certainly not to say it’s easy. But it’s about not being overwhelmed by the fear of failure and the anxiety of putting ourselves out there. We all experience this fear, but it’s about doing your thing anyway – being bold and game, yet being gentle and kind to yourself. Being your own frame of reference.
Recently, I talked about health and particularly the challenge of a regular exercise routine. Well, I’m taking a leaf out of my friend’s book, and just giving it a crack!
Not over-thinking it, just blending passion and action, which for me, means being out in the garden doing my thing. Here are some of the results…
A few months ago we went to a garage sale and found a great bargain about 60 square metres of pavers for $200. The catch… It didn’t include delivery – so each weekend we’ve been going in a borrowed van and shifting the loads by hand – this is the result – paving for outside of the studio we’re about to build.
Bit by bit, step by step, we got there. Back and muscles getting a good workout, but progress towards one of our goals.
Remember this disaster? The citrus orchard…
Well after digging out the weeds by hand with the garden fork, laying weed matting, mulching and planting, the bed now looks like this…
The shrubs have been recovered, (syzygium paniculatum dwarf, grevillea rosmarinifolia lutea and syzygium wilsonii) and i’ve planted the native blue flax lily (dianella brevipedunculata) which will form a great border as a tufting plant, interspersed with some winter flowering bulbs – jonquil and iris.
There’s still more work to do and my back is sore, but it’s my thing. It’s taking the first step and then keeping going. Not thinking too much, just planning and getting on with it, putting one foot in front of the other, savouring each step and trusting my intuition.
Image from http://www.dreamstime.com
One of the tips i’ve learned is not to set daily task goals.
There’s an overall goal for the whole garden to be completely restored using native revegetation and permaculture methods, but i don’t set task goals for each day. Instead, i decide what i’m going to start working on, bring myself into the present moment, walk out the door, start working and finish when it feels the time to finish. This way i’m not engaging the critical mind in what i ‘should’ be doing, i’m not setting myself up with any expectation or possible disappointment.
When I do this in my garden each day, it feels energetically lighter and the irony is that i achieve far more than self imposed goals that engage the judging self!!
This simple method was reintroduced to me in the book Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch
Be – do – have.
Image from http://www.megsmilieu.com
Here’s an example, if you’d like more happiness in your life – start by feeling happy or reaching for the energy of happiness, then do things that make you happy, which in turn creates more happiness in your life. Ok, so this might not be the magic panacea for everything, but I’ve found it a useful tool.
As for my foray into garden high fashion? Well these overalls fit the bill perfectly!
Looking at the big picture, the life changing transformation, leaving full time secure employment and stepping into the unknown, being my essence and allowing life to flow from this place with ease…
At the end of the day – I’m just giving it a crack!
Wishing you the very best in all your endeavours!
May they flow with ease and may you be filled with peace and joy!
Much love
Sarah
Hot garden tip
The syzygium wilsonii, a native plant of Northern Australia is an absolute cracker! :o)
Image from http://www.anbg.gov.au
Inspiring, grounded and down to earth pearls of wisdom Sarah. Thanks for the time you took to share your heart views xox
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thanks darling, you could add sweaty, smelly and sore, but love your description. Big love, hope you’re feeling much better. hugs sx
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Sarah, your blog comes at the perfect time for me. Yes, it is all about just giving things a go, feeling the fear, the doubt, the pressure and doing it anyway. Life is about opening up to the fun and the lighter side of things and simply getting in and getting involved. Thanks for your great insight.
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Shannyn, you’ve described it so well! I love how our journeys can mirror each other, like a beautiful cascading energy field, i draw so much from your writing, i feel honoured you enjoy mine! big hugs sx
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Your garden is looking gorgeous! I aspire to tame my wild lands (though the possums may not appreciate this!) but I still face each day with “how much energy do I have”. Letting go of the “daily goal list” is a wonderful idea. I now (try) to work on a to-do list and give myself permission to achieve One Thing Done on it – doesn’t matter which one and on a bad energy day, I give myself permission to just make dinner.
Baby steps and then when you look back, one can go “gosh”, look how far I’ve gone 🙂
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I can totally relate to the energy thing. One thing I’ve really had to learn, being so sensitive is to manage my energy, and create time to just rest and be (not my natural habitat!). I love your suggestion on baby steps, just one small thing to keep the momentum going. Sending loads of healing love. sx
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