Last week, I shared how I decided to explore the design sprint approach for some personal business ideas and endeavours. I also shared, in the midst of it all, how I experienced staying open and ‘showing up’ in different and new ways brought some incredible insights and helped me connect some dots in ways I have not done before.
With that said, I was initially going to start with “If there is one thing I have learnt the past week…“. But to be completely honest, last week’s insights and learnings were quite a few and blew my mind to a point where it feels difficult to choose one overall insight.
But lets give it a go. It is a challenge but also an opportunity of taking an even bigger step back to reflect upon and on top of the many insights and reflections. I want to keep it reasonably short and sweet for now, while I plan to dive deeper and share my library of insights later and as we go, with timing in mind.
First of all, I don’t take the space and the ability to reflect deeply over experiences lightly or for granted. I say this, because I have also experienced the opposite. During times when you are so busy doing and ‘pushing’ to achieve certain things. You find yourself and your mind so busy, it feels challenging to pull yourself out of those situations and observe. This may happen during periods when we experience more stress and overload than usually, at work or outside. A different way is definitely possible. This is a big topic that will most likely keep unfolding, on the blog and in my work, and in various ways.
But in the light of what was I just mentioned, there are two key takeaways I want to highlight below on the journey and creating space, in relation to going for a new goal.
1) Learning from the journey + process OVER results & achievements: embarking on new endeavours, new territory and with new aspirations and goals, I’ve experienced that what I learnt in the process is far more valuable than simply achieving what I had set out to do. It is in being mindful of the learnings that I find I can move forward in a thoughtful, sustainable and more effective way. I may even have the privilege to question the goals that I setup for myself in the first place, as the learnings may I have given me clarity or even a new direction.
So, when I embark on something new and start exploring, I may ask:
– What am I learning about myself, the world and the way I approach things?
– With these learnings, what do I feel is right to do at this very moment?
– How can I move forward with these new insights and learning, in a way that makes sense?
2) Creating space to ‘be’: by allowing some time and space to connect with yourself, your body and breath, you can create distance from the day-to-day doing and strengthen the ability to observe, learn and move forward with clarity.
I check in on how this may look uniquely for me::
– However this looks for me, how can I create space and allow myself to just be?
– How can I create it in a way that feels right, just for me?
– What resources do I have access to right now and how can you get additional support tpo create this space, if I need it?
(Check my past blog post here, on various ways we may create and connect with our own unique space.)
The journey of learning is important to reflect upon when working towards something new and having access to the space is instrumental, to be able to do so in the first place.
Having just reflected about the journey, the ability to reflect and the space that is needed for it, it also feels right to mention the importance of receiving spaceholding from others. Sometimes we need that extra support and help to be able to step back from our own experiences.
