Change Can Be Messy, Especially in Texas

Dear Friend,

Things often fall apart before they come together and can look quite messy in the process… to a new and better way.

I know life looks crazy now, but consider this.

If there’s an infected wound, it must be cleaned first before it can heal properly.

There is a silver lining to our current time of changes, from a virus that quarantined the world to a damaged economy and an overworked energy grid.

Time will reveal more of what that lining looks like after a much needed, overdue cleaning.

The clarion call to respect life is finally being heard. What’s a life worth? Let’s put things in perspective.

• Respect life of those who are more susceptible to a virus or reopen an economy? Do older lives matter? I watched the Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick say, in essence, that older people should be willing to give up their lives for the sake of the young people’s future economy.
• I read about a college student who was saddened because of COVID-19. He couldn’t graduate or get a job and had to live with his parents. I thought about the movie I’d seen, 1917, when men his age were getting blown apart in WWI. Not for months, but for over four years.

The process of change and healing often is messy.

Have you ever cleaned a room, or anything, and partway through the process found it looked even messier than when you began? Stuff got moved around, some piled up to be discarded. But then a reorganization shifted the environment to something better.

Some Texans have experienced extreme hardships because of an Arctic blast that left many without power and water. Homes are left flooded. Broken pipes. Broken dreams.

However, although it’s often difficult to see while in the midst of challenges and as many are licking their wounds, somewhere, somehow, this will bring us to better days.

Priorities change. I’ve observed, for example, how many people are taking care of each other more, and there’s a greater sense of community.

If some don’t shift away from thinking about themselves first, they have an opportunity to learn some harsh lessons. This includes politicians.

Things that annoyed us before take a back seat to current needs during stressful times.

Years ago I was in a business transition, and I was worried to tears because I didn’t know what to do. My marketing pipeline of how clients came to me finished months earlier, and I felt emotionally and financially vulnerable, distraught and directionless.

Then a FEMA-level flood came to my town. I ended up with mold in my house and me for six months. This was followed by six months of sleepless nights because of caretaking my sick cat whose weight dropped from 14 1/2# to 4 1/2# in three weeks because of an untreatable thyroid condition.

I asked a teacher of mine in the first few days of what was to be a difficult, year-long journey, “Why did this happen? What was this about?” 

The reply I received was something on the lines of, “You stopped worrying about money.”

I used to have fear running in the background like a software program in a computer that’s always on.

By the end of that year, I learned to let go of fear and worry. They only add to problems and don’t help anything. Amongst other things I learned is to trust that it all works out. Now it’s part of what I coach, and it’s made me a better teacher.

Remember that all of us have things to learn personally and collectively during challenging times.

In addition to people reaching out to each other, could there be other silver linings from the effects of the Texas Arctic blast?

With deep respect for the suffering of my fellow Texans, this event may provide a turning point in the way some Americans consider how we generate energy. While the United States is about to embark on addressing our infrastructure and climate change policies, perhaps more people will be open to alternative energy sources.

What are you learning?

With gratitude,

Virginia

If you’d like help overcoming fear or worry,
so you can enjoy your life more,
contact me for a free consultation at:
virginia@soulgoals.com

I work with people who choose to share
their gifts or business in a BIGGER way
but don’t know how, feel stuck or could 
use new tools or support.

I help them ignite their Soul’s goals
and be richly compensated doing what
they love.”

www.soulgoals.com

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TIP: My Trip on National Day of the Cowboy

National Day of the Cowboy was on July 23rd, and The Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, celebrated. As I’ve been watching old westerns on YouTube, I thought I’d check it out. Among the many paintings, exhibits and artifacts, there was a Wells Fargo stage coach. People traveled in dust, cold and heat with the possibility of being stopped by Indians, robbers or a broken wheel. A chuck wagon on display brought images to mind about the trek of the pioneers as they traveled west in their wagons. Why did they do it? Then I heard at an audio exhibit: a reason people came west was to change their concept of themselves.  Think self-concept such as being a city folk versus the imagination of going west. It was one way to leave behind how they saw themselves and their lives. And this brought me back to Soulgoals. A former masterminder and influential professional planned to launch a new career. She said that she knew her results would be defined by what’s going on in her head, so she came to me for help. In changing her concepts of self-doubt, fear of not being good enough and other mental noise, her current business soared. Now she decided her new career will be even better if she waits to start it. Because she changed the way she sees herself, she’ll be able to springboard from the phenomenal, new opportunities coming to her. What concepts do you have of yourself? For example, if you choose to get in shape, what’s that voice in your head telling you when you look in the mirror? Which do you think will help you attain your hot body faster? Beating yourself up for the %*@^#! you see in the mirror? OR Approving of yourself just the way you are while envisioning your ideal body and taking action? We’ve been trained to worry and be hard on ourselves with the erroneous belief that it will whip us into shape. Actually, it will either hold us back or make us unhappy. The movie Whiplash about a drummer in music school is a good example. Driven success created calamitous results. You have the ability to change how you see yourself. By doing so, you set your success ceiling. All your negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs come from your ego – a false identity everyone has. The ego is very wily and knows exactly how to trick you into believing lack, limit, anxiety and fear. You know if your ego is running your life when you’re not getting the results you choose. A businessman completed his side of a negotiation, and the transaction was to be finalized at the beginning of the work week. He gave clear instructions that everyone had to wait for papers to be signed before taking action on the new deal. That weekend, one of the parties brought in carloads of people to help in the transition, and the other party was furious. They totally blamed him. Although he was faultless, they wouldn’t listen to or believe a word he said. He played out the situation in his head over and over again about what went wrong, what he could’ve done differently. He put in weeks of work to give outstanding service, going above and beyond the call of duty. Now all that was lost, and he looked like the bad guy. While in a group session, he connected the dots and had a big aha moment. A concept emerged that the voice in his head often repeated:  nobody ever listens to him. His energy had attracted a circumstance even though he wasn’t present. When he changed his self-concept, he became empowered. He recognized his worth. No longer would he play the victim. Weird how he wasn’t even around and this happened to him, right? It is until you see that you’re more than a physical body. Your energy creates. Your feelings create. The conversations in your head create. Want more success? Shift your energy. Change your concept of yourself. Your TIP is to observe one negative story you tell yourself, and rewrite it. Any negative way you talk to yourself, any depressing feelings, come from your ego. Your ego acts as if it’s being rational when it tells you negative things. Your ego lies. There’s a perspective to make you the hero of your story. Find it. By doing so, you put your core Essence, your Soul, in the driver’s seat of your life and business. Especially for the masterminders, how high can you open yourself to receive? You don’t have to leave town or travel across the country in a wagon to change your self-concept… and enjoy the life and business of your dreams. Copyright © 2016 Resolved for Results, All rights reserved.

TIP: My Staycation in Mexico

Don’t have time or money to travel? I enjoyed a trip to Mexico minutes from my home and discovered traditions and a rich culture that I never knew existed – especially meaningful in our divisive times.

Guelaguetza is a like a big party of cultural exchange. Indigenous folkloric dances and performances honor the diversity of traditions from eight distinct regions of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

After two years of planning, this festival was proudly shared for the first time in Austin, Texas.

The audience spontaneously sang beloved songs and stood while they sang the national anthems of the United States and Mexico.

Between a couple of the performances, colorfully costumed women served mezcal, a cousin to tequila, in orange peppers that were the size of jalapeno peppers.

Another first for me, just one sip went down very warm and smooth.

When we finished the drink, we ate the pepper.

Well over 50% of Oaxaca’s population is native indigenous, compared to 20% of Mexico as a whole.

Another way of seeing this, more than half of the people come from distinctly different cultures.

As it was described to me, “these tribes gather annually to celebrate good wishes, goodwill, friendship and love between each other.”

This photo was taken as the women completed their dance. Each wore a different costume representing her region. Their headdresses represent food they brought to share. Apologies for the fuzzy picture. I thought it better for you to see it rather than not include it because it wasn’t perfect.

“This event celebrates cooperation with each other instead of war.

“Our planet is filled with people who are different. Guelaguetza acknowledges and revels in our differences.”

What a gift we’re given in our modern times to witness people who honor their differences through celebration!

Let that sink in a moment.

If other humans on our planet can co-exist, respect and honor differences, so can we.

We don’t have to be afraid of people who aren’t like us.

What if we had conversations that opened us to each other’s uniqueness?

Think what this can mean in your business and life.

Instead of feeling anxious because you don’t know somebody and don’t know what to expect because they might be different than you, enjoy the contrast.

What are your chances of creating a better business or personal relationship if you approach people in the spirit of appreciating their uniqueness?

Here’s an example of this giving spirit before the event began.

My friends and I arrived early, and I ordered a Oaxacan specialty dish from a food trailer.

Although there was no line when I ordered, it took 15 minutes to receive my food.

When my friend inquired about the delay, she reacted uncharacteristically with a disapproving tone.

I received my food and found a place in the shade to eat it.

But where were my friends?

I watched an ever growing line of people waiting for food.

When my friend saw that the guy was working by himself because he wasn’t expecting a crowd, she felt she needed to help him.

He didn’t look at the long line of people standing in the direct sun of over 100 degree heat; he wanted to cook.

But he couldn’t do it all by himself.

It was taking 15 minutes per person to receive food as people waited in the hot sun.

She didn’t ask if he wanted help as she went into the little trailer.

She told the overwhelmed, young man that she’d take orders, and he could focus on cooking.

For the next two hours, she worked in the “sauna” taking orders and managing the kitchen as family members came to help.

Her older brother stood by the side door. Instead of going to watch the performances, he cheerily said he was standing there to be entertained.

Actually, he was watching out for his sister and smoothing the emotions of the customers who questioned the wait time.

Later, when I asked why she did it, she replied.

“I had a feeling that someone had to help him. When you’re some place, there’s a reason. I felt in the moment, I need to help him. And, I enjoyed the experience of taking orders.”

She refused any payment and accepted some soda and water for us.

We had lots of laughs about it later, and no one even hinted at a word or sentiment of complaint.

Your TIP is to take inspired action by doing something you feel guided to do. Be open to allow your inner spirit to lead you… not because of duty or what you think you should do.

Let’s take it another step.

When you take action have a feeling of goodwill and appreciation in your heart.

Imagine how powerful, productive, compassionate and loving your business and personal interactions can be.

Do this often enough and you’ll feel so great that your life can be as if you’re on a perpetual vacation.