I didn’t realize it would make such an impact. This was a few years ago when I was beginning my coaching journey. I was intrigued about what Personal Foundation was about and how it could benefit me. Some learning moments in life are more meaningful than others and this was certainly a valuable example for me and I would like to share with you what I learned.
Lesson #1
It was a simple thing that bothered me. I didn’t think just how much it affected me until I sorted it out! For the longest time I’ve been intending yet postponing to remove clutter in the cabinet. It was becoming difficult to find what I was looking for and each time it became more of a hassle. Most of us have more tolerations than we realize and most of us tend to just accept them because they are not such a big deal (at least that’s what we tell ourselves); however beyond a certain point, they drain us.
– Handle Tolerations –
Tolerations are things that bother us, zap our energy and could be eliminated, if we just handled them! For me, when it was all organized, I felt energized and it was all easier as there was no more hassle and it became the space I loved and wished I had handled it sooner! We tend to magnify the difficulty and so action is delayed.
Lesson #2
Sometimes we spend more of our time and energy on others’ needs than on our own. I observed this in a colleague who would take utmost care to strive to meet each of her family members’ needs, but when asked what her needs are, she didn’t really know. Do you know someone like that?
– Get Your Needs Met –
Needs are what we need to be our best and is essential not just for ourselves but when our needs are met, for example, to be acknowledged, to be loved, it allows us to be even more supportive for others we care about! After all, if we are not fulfilled, there can only be less of us to give. For my colleague, when she learned about this principle, she became more focused on meeting her needs. She was feeling more confident and happier than she had been in years.
Lesson #3
As we get started on meeting our needs, being supported and fulfilled, we then also get on this great path to building resources. So we have a bonus here!
– Create a Reserve –
Reserves can be material and nonmaterial things like love, as well as happiness, time, money, space, cars; leisure as much as work. Imagine knowing that we have a constant supply of all it takes to have a satisfying life… wouldn’t that be a comfortable way of living?
Lesson #4
In today’s 24/7 world of work, we are constantly multi-tasking and paying attention to several things at the same time. Can we really be as effective and an energized as we can be?
– Simplify Life –
Simplify life. Abandon or set-aside (for now) one project, goal, problem, role or dream that hasn’t been moving forward easily, by being selective, we can focus to get the greatest possible return on any energy we spend. When we have simplified our life, we bring full attention into it and that puts us in a sustainable position toward success!
Lesson #5
This is not an easy challenge: When we accept that things are the way they are and when we recognize this and see that the present is all we really have then try to believe in the present….
– Perfect the Present –
Maybe it’s not optimum but it’s perfect to learn from and to grow from. When we accept and embrace the present – we are in touch with who we are in the present and helps propel us to optimize our future towards our desired goals. When we live this principle, we save energy because we relax and enjoy the present, even if it’s not what we wanted.
In summary, these few key learnings made me see things differently and as I applied them to my life, I have gained more clarity, confidence, felt happier and stronger in managing my life, even to the present. I hope you found this helpful. There are more Personal Foundation principles which I would love to share with you.
Photo Credit: Brooke Hoyer
