Unhook From The Perpetual Progress Grid

I have been a member of a group called the Women in BusinessConnection (WIBC for short) in Cambridge, MA for about fouryears. We get together for lunch meetings once a month. Lastweek at our December event several of the women commented to mehow much they liked my newsletter. It is always nice to hearcomplimentary feedback but one woman went even farther - shesaid it was like getting a "Zen moment" in her email. (ThanksCibeline!)

Her comment got me thinking. That is exactly what I want toprovide - Zen moments for my readers. I am in no way a Zenexpert but I do hope that reading my monthly messages mightoffer you a moment to temporarily unhook from what I call thePerpetual Progress Grid of life. My wish is to share with you amoment of reflection, appreciation and calm.

So today, I will describe for you how I "unhook from the grid"for brief moments of time and at random intervals. I believe itis this short but consistent "unhooking" that keeps merefreshed, creative and ultimately at peace. By sharing mytechniques with you, I invite you to borrow, create or identifyyour own.

I "unhook" from the pressures, desires, thrills, and obligationsof the Perpetual Progress Grid when:

-- I hear my dog pitter-patter up the stairs to join me in myoffice and I stop what I am doing for a few minutes, pat herbelly and thank her for coming to visit me.

--I take a work break, drive into town and get coffee at myfavorite independent coffee shop with my husband.

--I turn off my phone, ignore email and descend into creativebliss when writing.

-- I take a moment to stare out a window and notice the way therain, snow or sunshine is reflecting off the glass at just thatmoment.

--I attend a yoga class and gratefully stretch both my mind andlimbs to their full expression.

--I take a deep breath and feel it extend my abdomen.

--I drive slowly and in silence.

--I rhythmically clean my house, cook a meal, wrap a gift or washdishes (yes, I sometimes like the feel soapy hot water on myhands).

--I sit anywhere and watch the world for a moment - the people,the trees and the clouds...whatever is happening in front of mefrom my vantage point.

--I sing (badly too, trust me).

When I do these things I am temporarily "free floating" and mymind is at some level disengaged from the need to achieve. It isa place where small moments of joy live.

Deirdre Maigread McEachern is a personal coach who helps herclients experience more joy in their lives. You can contactDeirdre for a complimentary consultation at 207-439-4280 orjoin her free monthly newsletter at http://www.vip-coaching.com.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Coaching Information:

Related Articles

Reduce Anxiety About Decison Making
What's the alternative to making decisions?Allowing someone else, or circumstances, to make them for you.And that is giving up control of your life.
Coaching Can Help Teachers At A Crossroads In Their Careers
Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others, but after years in the field it can lose its luster. If it's no longer offering satisfaction the way it once did find out how you can get the joy back.
Self-contentment Leads to Confidence
Being self-content means accepting and acknowledging who you are at your core and becoming satisfied -- maybe not perfect, but satisfied -- in all areas of your life. When you learn to better understand, better appreciate and eventually love yourself, you exude a quiet confidence that will open doors to what you want in life.
How to Make $100,000 as a Personal Trainer
In the movie, "The Gladiator," Emperor Commodus' rose to power early on because he realized what was most important to the people of Rome. Most would believe influence would be gained by the accumulation of wealth and fame.
Could You Be A Workaholic?
If you need to put on boots and grab a lap-top computer to relieve yourself at night, you might be a redneck workaholic.It never crossed my mind that there could be such a thing as a redneck workaholic, until I read a column on "Are you a workaholic?""Did you read this?" I asked my wife.
Priorities: Are You Living Yours?
In the Charles Dickens classic, "The Christmas Story", Scrooge is given the opportunity to examine his life and his priorities before it is too late. Upon being shown his grave by the ghost of Christmas Future, he asks "Spirit, are these instances of things that will be or are they of things that might be? Is it too late for me?" How long has it been since you have examined your life and its direction? When the day comes that you leave this earth, how will you be remembered?Have you ever noticed that once people have something life-changing take place in their lives, an illness, death or tragedy, how quickly their priorities change? It is amazing how instantaneously things that were so important yesterday, fail to cross their radar screens today.
Addiction to Thinking
Randall sought my help because he was stuck being miserable and had no idea how to get out of his misery. In his life he had experienced moments of great joy and sense of oneness with all of life, but those moments were infrequent.
How to Choose the Right Coach for You
So you want to hire a coach but with so many choices it's easy to feel overwhelmed. How do you find the coach that is right for you? It can seem like a daunting task so here are some guidelines to help you make the right decision for you.
Coaching: Change Made Simple
Here's a story that I think gets at why we have such difficulty with change.I was 8 years old and my parents gave me a dollar to go to the toy store with my best friend and his mom.
Walt Disney, the Inspiration to Form a Better Life?
You, like many others, may have come to this article because you want more from life. In this sense, you and I may be alike because we're searching for greater happiness and a stronger sense of fulfillment.
Why Bosses Dont Get All the News
Not long ago, a friend who works in television complained that the industry has no interest in real business stories. And, I had to agree with him, since we don't see much coverage that doesn't involve stock prices or some sort of scandal.
Do You Make Less Money Than Your Taller Peers?
A recent study at the University of Florida found that over the span of their careers short people earn less money than their taller counterparts. In terms of cold hard cash, each extra inch in height equals roughly $800 difference in annual pay.
10 Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Went Into the Real World
I must confess, I laughed when I saw that Maria Shriver has come out with a book called, "Ten Things I Wish I Had Known Before Going Into The Real World." The real world? Come on, she grew up a Kennedy and married the biggest action movie star of all time! That aside, it got me to thinking: What are ten things I wish I would have known before going out into the real world? So, here they are.
Are You Addicted to Anger?
Michael was raised in a home where anger was used to control. His parents used their anger to attempt to control each other as well as their children.
Drop and Gimme Ten!
Every one of us have dreams, desires and goals that we put on the shelf. In front of them are a litany of excuses -- but not one reason -- why they aren't being pursued.
What Dost Thou Speaketh? Hey, Affirm This Way!
Articulating repetitive statements with emotion will inevitably connect you to your primary focus. Your destiny is guaranteed, when you repeatedly, decree a seed.
Sheep Do Not Start Out Lost
Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even with a shepherd, they still get lost. How does this happen? The one thing I know for sure is that they did not start out lost.
How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think Things Over
How to Control Your Anger: Retreat and Think Things OverJim and Mary Jones loved each other deeply, but often went into horrific verbal battles over any number of issues. They would argue and yell for hours, often into the night, leaving both of them exhausted, emotionally disconnected, hurt and resentful toward each other.
How Does Sports Coaching Differ from Corporate Coaching?
Athletes Versus EmployeesMost athletes are young, open to improvement, eager to learn and anxious to receive what a coach can provide. For the athlete, there is a defined season and something tangible to compete for.
How Stella (Laurie) Got Her Groove Back!
Being a Life Strategy Coach doesn't mean I'm always on top of my game, completely balanced and without my own challenges. Building a website, writing an e-book, getting a newsletter off the ground and securing clients required a great deal of work andcommitment.