It’s often been said that the biggest breakthroughs come out of the deepest breakdowns. And it’s been my experience that couldn’t be more accurate.
Case in point, that time in 2012 that very nearly killed my will. Read all about it…y’know, if you want.
I wanted to share something a little less dramatic this week. It’s a breakthrough I wasn’t quite working for, but nonetheless was quite powerful.
The weekend of May 20, I sat in on the new training class for Accomplishment Coaching. We offer open observation every program weekend for a couple hours.
I went into the session feeling quite nervous. I had a lot of anxiety. How would I come across? Would I be seen as the transformed, powerful man that I am? Would I be able to leave an impact on the new team with my words and actions?
The biggest breakthroughs come out of the deepest breakdowns.
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Could I open my mouth and have words come out?
I had every one of those thoughts before I went into the room. And let me tell ya, they were loud!
But my fears were assuaged a little bit even before the session began. I had a brief chat with a guy who I’d met a time or two before. He also happens to be married to my coach, but that’s just an ironic side note.
The conversation was brief but enlightening and surprisingly comfortable. He’s a fellow coach and graduate of Accomplishment Coaching. This is also a man with whom – at the surface – I don’t have a ton in common; except for the mutual connection of my coach.
After the participants did their work, the observation guests were introduced and we got a chance to speak. I received a truly beautiful introduction by one of my colleagues in the program. It was heartfelt and beautiful and it choked me up a little bit.
Like literally. I was incapable of words for a couple seconds.
I shared a story from my program year that related to the topic for the weekend. And I believe the participants got some value out of me sharing my experience.
Was I smooth, polished, and big? No, no, and no.
But I spoke from the heart and it made a difference.
After the morning session, I met one of my colleagues for lunch.
During that lunch, I shared from my soul and we both got a lot of value out of our time together. We exchanged phone numbers and we’ll be staying in touch.
Okay, let’s pull back a little bit and apply a little Coach Ryan logic to this.
One of my biggest stops as of late has been my fear of sharing myself wholly and completely. Speaking from my heart has always been a fear of mine.
My line of thinking and reasoning (and believe me, there is plenty of reasoning and overthinking behind it) is that if I ever share myself completely, I’ll come across as arrogant and obnoxious. And people hate arrogant and obnoxious people.
I unconsciously went into this interaction with an intention to practice open sharing. I mean, I didn’t intend to practice this, but I think in the back of my head I did.
Was that last paragraph written in words? Just checking.
After my colleague and I separated, I sat alone on a park bench in New York’s financial district for what felt like two hours. And, to be honest, I was floating. I was floating on a current of possibility.
My state of being was quite interesting at the time. The visceral feeling was that my chest was wide open and my heart was shining forward. I was breathing freely and easily.
One thing about personal transformation: it doesn’t have to be heavy and significant. It doesn’t have to be painful and dramatic. Because when it’s heavy and significant, it may not take.
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I was deeply and completely connected with my highest self. I know this because I could breathe without any constriction. And I felt like I’d lost a ton of weight.
When I experience a big breakthrough like I did, I want and need to capitalize on the momentum. I need to bottle up the new energy I have so that I can drink it when I feel like I fall back to the pack.
How do you practice living in the moment like this? How do you practice simply being?
It’s quite easy if you think about it. What do you need to do in order to simply exist in the world?
I believe the practice is this. Pull back and remember how you connected with this situation to begin with. Remember the feeling. And keep practicing in these situations over and over.
It’s all about power. It’s all about connecting with your highest purpose.
Does it sound easy? Does it sound simple? Does it sound like something a child of four could do…y’know, even if it requires breaking into that mayo jar on Funk and Wagnall’s porch?
I’m sorry about that one. I’ve been watching a lot of old Carson bits for research into my new novel.
My point is that you can choose to visit the fainting couch if you want to. You can make it dramatic and painful if you want.
Or you can simply choose to be present. You can choose to let your truth shine through. You can choose to just make it a thing you do.
That’s one thing about personal transformation. It doesn’t have to be heavy and significant. It doesn’t have to be painful and dramatic.
It can just be a thing you do.
I’ve become so very present to this lately. The transformation I’ve had over the past year and change has been because I chose to do it. When it’s heavy and significant, it may not take – probably won’t. But if it’s just something you choose to do on a Saturday in May, then it’ll take a lot easier.
Because this should be fun, right?
I’d love to support you to create some transformation in your life. Easy and simple transformation. [email protected] is the email. Shoot me a message and we’ll connect. Let’s see if we can support each other.
Gratitude, love, and surrender. Imagine if we can bring that into every interaction we have. Personal transformation would be a cinch!
And you too can float on currents of possibility.
Photo by David Fulmer