The Art of Hartful Living
Are You Living in Your Right Brain or Your Left Brain? Piles or Files?
May 21, 2008 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Where are you most comfortable living… in your left brain or your right brain?
Left brainers, elbies, are more comfortable linear thinking, number crunching, logical, facts, details, math, science, rules, thinking, reality based and safe.
Right brainers, arbies, are more creative, free flowing, mind mapping, artsy, musical, big picture, visionary, risk taking, feelings, imagination and fantasy.
I recently was directed to this website from an Australian newspaper that has a graphic of a dancer. Whether you see her spinning clockwise or counterclockwise can tell you which side of your brain you’re living in at that very moment.
Check it out: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html
I found I could only see her spinning in one direction. I couldn’t for the life of me visualize how she she could be seen spinning in the other direction…. until I started reading the words that represented the other side of the brain. When I read those words, I could then see her spinning in the other direction automatically and immediately. How weird is that??!!
That’s how fast you can switch from using one side of your brain to the other. From all these kinds of tests over the years, I’ve found I sit right in the middle on the fence and can easily swing from one side to the other depending on the situation.
To help you access and integrate easier for problem solving, creative thinking or number crunching; try throwing something between your hands or juggling. Throwing something back and forth helps you integrate. Growing dendrites on both sides of your brain can also be accomplished by little activities such as brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, eating with the other hand or European style, crossword puzzles, Soduko or other memory games.
Elbies and Arbies also store things differently. To be most efficient, figure out which side is more comfortable for you to live in. Elbies tend to store things vertically behind closed doors such as file cabinets, closets, drawers, hangers etc. These are the neat desk people.
Arbies tend to store things horizontally and within plain view – these are called piles. Right brainers need the visual stimulation to remind them to do something. If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. They prefer hooks to hangers and shelving to drawers.
The rest of us in the middle are the anal retentive creative types – horizontal stacking in-boxes that are labeled. A mixture of both styles.
Figure out your style and your preference, then organize your space around your style to feel most at ease, to find things more easily and then know how to access your other side of your brain and call in the reinforcements when you need them.
Time Management vs. Self Management
April 19, 2008 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
After reading and ruminating on the book The 4-Hour Workweek for a few months; I’ve been keenly aware of how I spend my time. Time, unlike money, once spent can never be recovered and so I guard my time more fiercely than ever these days and really watch my boundaries. Putting boundaries on my time and allowing people, things and stuff to enter the forcefield is more of a conscious decision at this point in my life.
We really cannot manage time, we can only manage ourselves in the space of our time. That means getting very clear on what to do and what to drop and what to outsource and what is important and what is urgent and what doesn’t really matter that much at all. My business partner often says, “If you don’t have enough time, you don’t have enough team.” I also think if you don’t have enough time, re-think the things you’re stuffing into that time and make hard choices.
To help manage myself in my time, I use a color coding system in my hard-copy Daytimer. I also use a Google Calendar so my virtual assistants can see my schedule and when I need time, I just block it out on the schedules so nobody else can grab that time slot. I use a paper method as well as digital because I’ve had many computer gremlins and I need to know I have a back-up system in case the computer or internet goes down. Select colors that represent personal, professional, deadlines, obligations etc. If one color is dominating your schedule – analyze why that is and make changes.
Since moving to the beach, I’ve decided that I won’t take any incoming calls or work until after 9am. A purposeful choice that this is the time zone in which I live and just because the East Coast is up and running, doesn’t mean I need to be at my desk by 5am so they can call me at their convenience. I’ve also adopted the motto – no more rushing. I’ve rushed to catch planes, make deadlines, be available to everybody’s emails and calls for over 20 years and I needed a break, hence no postings for a couple months while I decompressed after I moved out to California. I realized it was me allowing all those other things to take my time and it was only me who had the power to take back my time. It’s our choice.
I’m reminded of the demonstration I saw about time management in a workshop – by having sand represent all the little schnitzy things you need to do and having ping pong balls represent the things that matter in your life. If you fill a vase with sand and then try to put in the ping pong balls, they won’t fit. But by putting in the ping pong balls first – putting the things that matter most to you first in your life, then pouring the sand into the vase; the sand fills in the empty spaces and everything will fit in the vase. It fits snugly, but it fits and anything that doesn’t fit is only the sniggly things that don’t matter so much anyway.
So how are you managing yourself inside your time zone? My friend Kathie makes phone dates to catch up with friends – she uses her beach walking time to talk on her cell with good friends so she can exercise while talking. My friend Beth uses her treadmill time to chat. A realtor buddy takes no incoming calls before 11 – he reserves the morning for himself. I’m working on only taking calls and appointments Tuesday – Thursday so I can have Mondays and Fridays completely to myself. I’m not totally there yet, it’s a work in progress, but I’m conscious of it. If I need to do things on these days, then I’m blocking out time during the week to do as I choose.
I will not get to only working 4 hours per week- I don’t thing I would even like to choose that. I truly enjoy what I do and it keeps me energized. Often people ask me if I work “full time”. Full time and part time are mindsets of the W2 working world. As an Entrepreneur, I just do my life. I have several companies and I just do some more than others as things dictate. Sometimes I focus on my work 60 hours in one week and sometimes 3 hours in one week – it all depends on what is happening in my life at the time – go with the flow. Entrepreneurs don’t do rules very well.
So how do you set your personal boundaries, your time boundaries and how do you manage yourself within the time you have? What is your time zone? Are you in the zone in the mornings or evenings? When are you brain dead and when are you most sharp and creative? Work your stuff around your bio-rhythms and when you are most productive and be very conscious of who and what you allow inside your boundaries in order to keep your energy for the things that really matter most.
Ditch Your Security Blanket, Enhance Your Innergy
March 24, 2008 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
We all have security blanets. Our own version of a binky that we hold dear, or just hold onto and may not be conscious of why we’re holding onto it. Your security blanky may be a job, material possessions, magazines, clothing, furniture, ways of thinking, certain behaviors, specific meals or foods, habits or perceptions about who you are and what you do or don’t do or what you like and don’t like.
Sometimes we need to ditch our binky and have the courage to move through life without that old net that doesn’t necessarily serve us or comfort us any more. The conversations I’ve been having with friends in transition lately – that includes conversations with myself – seem to turn up a few themes. One of the themes is: that which we most coveted once upon a time is now a burden. Another theme is that we are tired of some of our old ways and are itching for a change. Either a change of pace, a change of scenery, a change of challenge, or a change of lifestyle or partner or whatever. We are just itching to ditch our old ways and break free of our comfort zones. As my colleague Annette announced after she went skydiving, “we need to foster eccentricity”!
I feel like goldilocks and the four climates. In the past few years I’ve moved from the East coast to the desert, to the mountains and now to the beaches of the West coast. You won’t know if you don’t go…. so I had to experience all the zones to find one just right. I realized I didn’t want to live in a harsh climate. Along with all those moves came lots of purging and re-discovery of what matters. Sometimes it just isn’t time to let go. Give it another move and a few thousand dollars spent in schlepping stuff around, and you may change your mind about just how important something is in your life and you’ll soon decide to unload it.
My security blankets as it turned out were the European antiques I brought back from my decade spent overseas. I realized after 20 years with them, that they no longer represented who I was now. Other comfort items were my books and articles I’d collected over the years in the journey to becoming an Energy Expert. Each move I gave about around 50 books. This move it was 200. It was a challenge to give away information at first. I would be flying solo if I needed to write a book or article without backup material. Once I decided I’ve absorbed enough info and that it was enough, it was easy to let go. I also gave away most of my dishes, crystal, furniture and all the stuff I collected over the years that didn’t suit my creatively cool, casual simplistic lifestyle. If it doesn’t fit into that category, it’s outta here. What doesn’t fit your style any more? What are you still holding onto that isn’t who you are today? Just like old hairstyles, old home styles, work styles, communication styles, clothing styles etc need to be updated as we grow and change.
What ensued is that I feel much more innergized, lighter, unencumbered, able to breathe easier and move freer in my space that is congruent with who I am now and not who I was when I acquired all that stuff. I jettisoned about two-thirds of my belongings in the last 2 moves and now out goes much of the rest of it except what is functional and I’m just fine with that. Know when there is a time and a place to be able to let go of your “stuff”. Sometimes it’s too early to let it go. You will know when things become a burden, or at least don’t bring you joy or offer something positive in your life – your work, the people around you, your way of moving through the world. Take a good look at all the security blankets you have in your life. Is it time to let go of some of them and run through the world without clinging onto something that doesn’t suit you any more?
Mindset is Also in Your Body
March 18, 2008 | Posted in Leading Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
I returned from The Missing Thread Intensive with a newfound sense of powerful “innergy”. All I can say is WOW – a workshop like none other I’ve ever experienced. And working in the personal development field for a dozen years, I’ve had my fill of workshops. You’ve just got to experience The Missing Thread for yourself. Their perspective is that mindset isn’t just in the mind, it’s in the body. We hold our life stories in our body and it affects us on many levels. When we release those stories, we really get in touch with our “innergy” which helps us manifest what we need and quiet and de-energize those things that don’t serve us well any more.
What is your body telling you? Where do you hurt, where are your little aches and pains? I found I was having lower back aches and learned through this workshop that lower back stiffness/soreness usually means a feeling of lack of support. Yup, that’s exactly what I was feeling – that it all landed on me to support myself. Being a fiercely independent type with the “I don’t need any help, I can do it myself” attitude. I’d been not asking for help for so long, I didn’t really even know how. After learning how to powerfully ask for help instead of feeling weak in the asking, was a breakthrough for me.
Now I can more easily ask for support and help from the people I know have the capabilities to provide exactly what I need. My back is feeling much better, thank you very much. I’m guessing the new ease of beach living and doing 3 beach walks per day doesn’t hurt – it puts my mind at ease, surrounds me with negative ions which makes me feel better. Other worries or woes seem to melt away when doing meditative walks near the rhythm of the waves.
I’ve recently heard that worrying is nothing but praying for something you don’t want to happen. So get your mindset in the right direction and your body will follow suit. Be pro-active about what you’re doing with your mind and your body. Make tough decisions about where your mind and your body both need to be in order to heal and be set free. Where are you now and where do you need to be? With me, it was the beach – not just any body of water – the dynamic, powerful yet soothing aspects of the beach and the ocean. How about you?
I used to be a full-blown mountaineer – living at 8000 feet, doing everything outdoors and living to be in and near the Rockies or the Alps. It was a total immersion lifestyle for my 20’s and 30’s. In my 40’s when I was looking for a place to BE, I thought the mountains were calling me again, so I moved. What I found is that while the masculine type of mountains in Colorado were good for me in my hard-charging 20’s, I now sought the more feminine California coastal mountains. A kinder, gentler, softer side of being in the hills. I felt uncomfortable in the harsh weather of the Rocky Mountain winters. I had become a candy ass while getting used to the moderate winters in Arizona. Part of the aging process and wising up as to what comforts me, I guess. I thought a mountain lake was it and now I know I need more ocean and less mountain. My mind and body told me where I needed to BE at this time in my life and I feel it to be true. I’ve landed in a place where my mindset and my body can be at ease and at peace. A soft place to land after dealing with the world each day.
Take a look at what you body is telling you and listen to it. Sore throats – what are you holding back, or not saying? I had a pain in the neck leading up to my short marriage and the entire time I was married – nothing could resolve it, even weekly massages and chiropractor visits for 2 years … except divorce. Once I was free again, the pain left. Amazing.
What are your body stories? For guidance down that path, I suggest taking the intensive lead by Donny and Kirk – truly gifted guides and pioneers in this realm. Donny and Kirk run The Missing Thread and they also are the guardians of the Crystal Energy Jewelry and Power Pendants that I’ve posted about earlier.
I’ve come to be a great believer in the power of their jewelry as a support system using the healing crystals contained in them. Another way of supporting myself. One ring that caught my attention is one that supports life balance, cleansing, healing, spirituality and strength, Goddess energy, a clear channel for Earth magic, harmony in nature, self esteem and growth. Now those are things that I would like to have around and be reminded of each day as it sits on my hand. What I’ve also found is that wearing these energy talismans is that they attract people and conversation and you just never know where those conversations may lead. I’ve never experienced anything quite like the attraction factor of this jewelry. At least knowing these things about what you’re wearing also puts you in a good mindset and after all, our mind is our most powerful healer.
Gratitude & Creative vs. Competitive Thoughts
November 28, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
The topic of gratitude comes up often particularly at this time of year. My mastermind team suggested we cover the book The Science of Getting Rich
Here’s a paraphrased excerpt from one chapter:
We must convey our wants to the universe and relate to it in a harmonious way. The whole process of mental adjustment and atunement is summed up in gratitude. We must believe that there is one intelligent substance from which allthings proceed and this substance gives us everything we desire and we relate to it through a deep and profound feeling of gratitude. Living in thankful acknowledgement brings us closer in touch with the creative energies of the universe and our source and keep us from falling into competitive thought.
Gratitude can keep us from falling into the limiting thoughts of lack and hopelessness and keep us focused on abundance. Keeping your mind fixed on the best is to surround yourself with the best vs. dwelling on the inferior. Faith is born of gratitude andt he graeful ind continually expects good things and expectations becomes faith. Passing from the competitive mindset to the creative mindset is necessary in order to be in harmony with the the universe. A person must form a clear and definite mental image of the things he wishes to have , do or become and hold this mental image in his thoughts while beeing deply grateful to the universe for granting him all he desires. It starts with creative spirit of thought and gratefulness.
Riches can be defined as financial success, personal enrichment, friends, love, enlightenment or other forms of prosperity. Dwell in the realm of possibility and gratitude and shift your mindset from competing with others for limited quantities to creating a bigger pie for all; and you will be well on your way to a more energized life at all levels.
Take a look at how you perceive others in your industry – are they your competitors, or do you collaborate with them to create something bigger than either of you could have dreamed of? In the speaking industry we often collaborated and created bigger programs when we joined forces or shared ideas and expanded our universe. The same holds true in the fastest-growing business model on the planet – network marketing. It’s a team effort where you help others become successful. How are you perceiving your colleagues? Do you hold your future visions in your mind or are they on paper? Do you consider gratitude in your daily living? Are you ushering in creative or competitive thoughts…thoughts of lack or thoughts of abundance?
Improve Your Happiness
November 26, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
How happy are you really? After meeting hundreds of people in the past couple months in my sessions, at tradeshows and over Thanksgiving hearing their stories; it’s interesting to note just how many people are not happy with their situations. They seem to be lumbering along at mediocre not willing to seek out alternatives, yet not wanting to completely accept their position. I’m here to share some insider secrets to happiness.
There are several books on the subject. One in particular is What Happy People Know by Dan Baker & Cameron Stauth. There is also a terrific website by Dr. Martin Seligman at Authentic Happiness. Dr. Seligman’s main mission has been the promotion of the field of Positive Psychology. This discipline includes the study of positive emotion, positive character traits, and positive institutions. Take some of his surveys about general happiness, gratitude, grit and strength.
There are two main building blocks to happiness: pleasures and gratifications. Pleasures are sensual and emotional while gratifications are those activities that call on our skills and strengths and give us a sense of a job well done. Gratifications can be further divided into our signature strengths – marks of character such as perseverance, kindness, curiosity and humility. We are most fully engaged in life when we are part of something that isn’t just for ourselves. True happiness lies in building on our strengths and not rooting out our flaws.
In researching true happiness, Seligman noted that the benefits from these 3 simple exercises lasted for as much as 6 months:
- Write a letter of gratitude to someone from your past who has been particularly kind to you , but who has never been properly thanked and deliver the card in person.
- Every eveinng for a week, write down 3 good things that happened that day and explain what brought them about.
- Take the Signature Strength Quiestionnaire at Authentic Happiness to identify your own strengths and then use one of our top 5 strengths in a different way every day for a week.
A creative way to send a gratitude card or lots of them for the holidays to help shore up your happiness and spirits is at BizBuilder Cards. You can even put your own photo or photos of your recipients on the cards and include a gift card or have the company insert the card into a box of gourmet goodies to pack a real punch. The best part is if you don’t know anybody to send a card to, they have a section called Send Your Love where you can send a card to somebody who needs to know others are thinking about them and sending support and love. Sending a card of acknowledgement is like driving a vehicle for the Law of Attraction – it puts you in an attitude of gratitude when you write it and also brightens somebody’s day when they receive it – a twofer!
One of humanity’s greatest needs is to feel loved, acknowledged and appreciated. Who needs to hear from you today? Why not send a card or postcard and start improving your happiness as well as the happiness of others who receive your greetings. Check out these custom greeting cards for an easy way to spread joy at holiday time and any time. Cheers – I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with happiness and pecan pie. (that makes me happy :-).
What Value Do You Add to Energize Others?
November 10, 2007 | Posted in Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Where has the time gone? I’ve been meaning to update the last post for some time now between coast to coast and international junkets lately.
The rest of the story about waiting in Columbus for the flight to DC while sharing an outlet for my laptop. It seems the flight was delayed 4 hours…of course 1 hour at a time, so passengers tend to gain a sort of camaraderie of us against them. I noticed a sharing of granola bars, people watching luggage as others stalked food and brought it back for the luggage guardians. My outlet pal shared some local phone numbers of nearby hotels and insider shuttle info in case we had to stay over.
As it turned out, our flight was cancelled. Hoards of us hovered around the hotel calling board, sharing info on what was booked and then passing around our cell phones once we reached a hotel with vacancies so the rest of us could make our own reservations. At the curb, we were a herd of tired travelers waiting on the hotel shuttle. One bright parking attendant shared his own wisdom…the shuttle only holds 7 people, and since we were all going to the same hotel, we may as well share a taxi. That one little tidbit of information he shared made all the difference. Four of us dove into the first taxi and one woman who was only in town for a day shared that she would pay for the ride.
Inside the lobby was mayhem and our fellow passenger who generously paid for our ride mentioned she had no luggage. Sensing she was not the type to sleep without jammies, I dug into my suitcase and gave her a T-shirt my client had given me as a gift that afternoon -still tied with a bow. I ceremoniously handed it to her as her formal evening wear and applause went up in the crowd.
The next morning we greeted our fellow taxi ride share passengers and once again shared a ride to the airport.
It was not an idea situation, but the attitude of the people involved, their willingness to share information, cab fares, clothing, food, cell phones and good humor made all the difference in the world in turning an unpleasant and unexpected situation into a memorable life lesson. What value are you adding to others lives and in return energizing their lives? Is there something a little extra you could be contributing to the cause or the situation or to an organization or individual that will improve the situation or the person? What is your contribution today? How are you energizing others? Remember that you are part of your colleagues or friends or stranger’s environments and you affect their energy with your choices.
Now I’ve got to dash to a 95th birthday party for Max. I’m told he likes salty snacks and sappy love songs so I’m in search of some old sappy standards to bring to the party along with some snacks.
The Velocity of Energy – Giving it Away
September 28, 2007 | Posted in Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Having discussions lately on the velocity of money and how it can do more good the more it’s circulated. I believe the same is true for positive energy and giving it away and giving to give.
Recently I visited Max, the 95-year-old father of a friend. He’s curently living in an assisted living facility, in one room, while I live in his house he built sometime in the 40’s or 50’s. It’s a part of that velocity of giving and helping each other out – I needed a place to live while my house in the mountains is being built and my friend needed somebody to rent her vacant childhood home.
Max has jettisoned most of his belongings – you can’t keep much in one room. Although he doesn’t own much any more, he insisted on giving me some free bus passes that were sent to him – he doesn’t get out at all any more. He also wouldn’t let me leave without giving me some wooden suit hangers – said he doens’t own suits any more and the curved hangers take up too much space in his “closet” – a hanging rod that is 2′ long. He was very happy to give what he had and it made us both happy.
Even when you don’t have much to give – just giving your energy, time, attention, an ear and some laughs or understanding means the world to others and it enhances your energy too. My new coat is hanging on Max’s hanger in his former home, and I used his bus passes on my trip back East this week.
Thanks to Max for continuing to share his energy, his bus passes and his wooden suit hanger. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to share my electrical outlet with a passenger while we wait for our flight to DC.
What are you sharing today?
