Recommended reading:
- You Are The Placebo (Making Your Mind Matter) – Dr. Joe Dispenza (awesome book)
- The Mind & The Brain (Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force) – Jeffery M. Schwartz, M.D.
‘Law of the Lid’
If you are the leader in your business or team, you are also its ‘lid’ on growth. One of the great authors on leadership, John C. Maxwell, lists ‘The Law of The Lid’ as the first and primary law in his 21 Immutable Laws of Leadership.
So your career is stuck; you are overloaded with work trying to get your business to the next level; or your team is stuck in frenetic activity but not making those milestones.
We mustn’t jump to conclusions about whose fault it is, but the first place I look and listen is the ‘lid’ in the situation. Unfortunately, most situations we find ourselves in are a reflection of ourself as leader.
I have plenty of empathy with these situations as I have worked through some personally the last several years. What I can genuinely say is that I walk the talk in self-leadership. I certainly haven’t arrived, but facing my worst self in some deeply ingrained beliefs and attitudes has been a cleansing, lightening process. But also full of uncertainty and walking ‘blind’ in unfamiliar mental territory. Some of these beliefs were harsh, passive or highly self-critical. Don’t get me wrong – I had a large capacity in previous years, but I also had a very firm ‘lid’ of beliefs that were familiar (felt safe) but badly let me down.
The inevitable outcome of not resolving inner conflict is damage to physical health. Mine manifested as high blood pressure and degeneration of my right hip (osteo arthritis), which a Surgeon recently declared, “Irreversible…you are doing all the right things but will need a hip replacement….see you in 12 months if not before”.
Irreversible! The sentence was loud, clear and definite. The problem is, I had just started an exploration into self-healing through re-scripting my genetics (mind-brain work). All evidence-based practice…. Study, study, study. I am motivated.
Write a new script – don’t bother trying to remove the old
I’ve had a principle for some years that is seen from so many facets: “If you want to get rid of the dark, turn on the light”. It’s a deceptively simple but profound law of physics and life.
Dark is not opposite to light; it is the absence of light
Your ‘dark’ could be bad team habits, a destructive personal habit, a mental health challenge – that is, internal or external. But focussing on removing something just reinforces it. In fact, the focus (on it’s removal) wires it stronger in the brain!
The strange but true answer is to write a new script – into expectations, thinking processes and action habits. This is the process I am taking myself through – all new territory – re-wiring myself for new messages and physical outcomes.
‘Walk The Talk’ – journey unedited
So… I began this latest chapter in my journey 2 1/2 weeks ago (Monday 21st September)… with a new daily practice, that inspired me so much on my first morning that I filmed a spontaneous video clip, raw and unedited, which I’ve posted here. It’s transparent and honest, I hope you enjoy it. It is a journey of exploration where you will see what unfolds truthfully. But I am keen to travel these uncharted waters to ‘lift the lid’ in my life – physically, mentally and spiritually.
Feel welcome to leave a comment as yours and my quality of life rests on personal leadership. I believe I can teach my body to re-grow cartilage and new bone material, but I have no guarantees. What I can guarantee is that I am already getting flashes of new insights I’ve never perceived before, in this specific meditative process. And not noticing the time – that is probably close to miraculous for me!
Very exciting and purposeful, Liz. I very much appreciated your sharing so openly, clearly and pragmatically.
Thank you Lisa, authenticity is paramount to one’s walk. Lovely to hear from you!