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Are You A Lover Of What Is?

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Can I share my latest read with you?  It makes such complete sense to me that I felt compelled to tell you about it.

Loving What Is
This is an excerpt from Byron Katie’s Book – Loving What Is:

“I am a lover of what is, not because I’m a spiritual person, but because it hurts me when I argue with reality.  We can know that reality is good just as it is, because when we argue with it, we experience tension and frustration.  We don’t feel natural or balanced.  When we stop opposing reality, action becomes simple, fluid, kind, and fearless.”
My Dear Friends…
Doesn’t this free you up?  Doesn’t it give you permission to say, “Ah, yes, it is all OK – I am not going to argue with “what is.”  I can accept it and then take the steps that are necessary with ease.
Living an untruth is always stressful.   So many times haven’t we denied or tried to control our reality instead of just accepting it.  And how has that worked out?  Usually it becomes at some point very painful.
The process of Life Recovery is just like that…loving it all…loving every broken piece of it and then some.
Maybe it’s your career, relationship, environment, finances or health that’s causing you anxiety, frustration and confusion.  But if, just if, we take this approach of Loving What Is, doesn’t it feel gentler and more peaceful? Doesn’t clarity begin to focus in? Then inspiration possibly?
If you are struggling and would like to learn how to overcome your challenges and recover, I would love to share with you all the valuable tools that help me.
In Healing,
Patricia
xoxo

Acceptance…

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Maybe the sign of maturity is understanding that you don’t always get what you want but you get what you need…

and your grateful for it.

Body Doubling

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Body DoublingWhile sitting opposite from one another during our scheduled work session, a relatively seasoned client of mine looked directly at me and said “I think I like it better when I write in my own personal handwriting rather than you printing out labels for me.”

“OK” I said. “May I ask why?”

“I think I find it too impersonal and sterile. I find myself feeling more drawn to the files and want to pick them up when I see my own signature rather than unfamiliar printing.”

Since we already established a relationship with one another, I felt comfortable enough to ask her if there was anything else she wanted to let me know.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” she said, “I think I would really like it if I could try working for a while just on my own, while you sit there. Is that alright with you?”

I smiled back at her and said “Of course. Take your time and let’s see how it goes.” We agreed that we would try this for one hour without talking unless she needed my input.

As I sat there, I started to imagine what it would be like for me to have my assistant just sit in my office while I worked. But that image didn’t last long for me. Unlike my client, I am an active participant when it comes to my work and like to engage and interact with my staff and also require and enjoy their input and feedback.

So, I started to question in my mind what was really going on for my client. Was she beginning to feel more secure in her own sense of style and wanted to try it out while I was present or was it something more profound than this?

Fifty minutes into the hour, she asked if I would like a cup of tea. Sure I said, that sounds good right about now.

We took about a 15-minute break and sat outside on her deck. We talked about the weather, her new landscaping of shrubberies and a little about family.

As we walked back into her office, I asked her if she ever heard of the term “Body Doubling.” Her eyes widened and she just about whispered, “No, what is that?”

Well, I began; I believe that is what we are doing right now.

Having a person who is present and acting like and anchor, not an active assistant, allows the other person to stay focused and ignore distractions. I asked her if she agreed that was what we were doing.

“Absolutely,” she said. “Having you here somehow gives me permission to finish what needs to be done, and I don’t feel the urge to walk away.”

She wanted to know if the practice was common or highly unusual.

I explained that it depended-sometimes it is woven into the organizing practice quite naturally and in other circumstances it is introduced right away. One thing that is certain is that body doubling is highly effective and actually mirrors what organizing looks like.

With this new-found understanding, it made it easier for my client to accept that her initial request was in essence a particular organizing practice. Body doubling offers alternative solutions for people to succeed in their organizing endeavors, when they recognize they are challenged with distraction.

It was safe to say, my client and I worked silently for the next hour and a half and when I left, she felt empowered and satisfied with her accomplishments.

-Patricia Diesel
Keep It Simple Now