I mentioned this phrase the other week, and it bares repeating, my friend Jen Kline Clark said it to me on one of our monthly Mastermind** sessions “You’re three feet from Gold” as in, you are so close to nailing the thing that you are almost too close to see how near you are.
Have you ever had that feeling? Like you’re on the precipice of something major, something life changing, something so phenomenally brilliant, that even if your brain is screaming at you to give up, or that it’s too hard, or that it’s a kind of success created for other people not for you – whatever Neggy Nora story your ego is telling you, you KNOW you have to keep going…you’re just not sure how…
I’m writing a book at the moment. (Ha! Oh my gawd! I said it out loud!!!)
It’s drawn directly from my experience of being a floaty, nurturer, healer type, with my mad skills of spinning magic whilst simultaneously doubting my ability to be a ‘success’. (So many ego stories going on under this swan-like surface I’m telling ya!). Basically I have a tendency towards being a Hot Mess Alchemist – all of the magic making and transformative powers plus the drama, the doubt and the overwhelm.
However, having been in business for a suuuuper long time (it’s literally decades), and spending at least the first 15 years of that wailing and gnashing my teeth metaphorically underwater as I navigated running my business, I’ve (eventually) learnt how to kiss that overwhelm buh-buy!
Aaaand I know I’m not the only Alchemist tendencies, with maverick nurturer streaks, trying to do ‘big things’. Which is why I’m writing a book.
It’s going to explore the strategies I regularly use to avoid overwhelm (with printables you can download and use yourself), give you a permission slip to step away from the patriarchal systems that hold us in thrall, and generally offer you loads of handy techniques and tools to get out of a state of over thinking and back into your body.
Because this I know for certain – when you’re feeling slinky and grounded in your body you have a clearer connection to your intuition, you stop over analysing which makes decision making a far less sucky experience. Indeed it makes all of life far less sucky. Fact.
Anyhoo, It’s good.
It’s the book I needed to read a LONG time ago. It’s the culmination of a lot of hard earned wisdom and experience.
Today is a writing day and I found myself stuck this morning. I was writing about the importance of being in nature, our connection both to it and ourselves. However, I couldn’t feel whether I was heading off on a tangent or being true to the story. In front of me I had a print out of my writing so far, covered in changes, edits, inclusions that need to be made. It felt like too many words.
So close but so far.
Three feet from Gold.
I sat back from my laptop and considered how to proceed. Then I got up, headed downstairs and slung on some shoes and a jacket. It was time to follow my own advice and get outside.
Living where I do, it’s an easy walk to the woods, as usual I noticed that I was charging along the busy streets. Intentionally, as the traffic calmed down so did my step rate. Once I was in the trees I took a moment to pause. Sometimes I worry I might look like a massive weirdo being stood on my tod, but then I remember it’s not my job to worry about other people’s opinion of me and do it anyway.
The air was heavy with the smell of privet blossoms. Birds twittered. The green of the leaves was stunningly vibrant. I took a short loop, then decided to extend it, cutting up towards the old gas lamp built into the stone wall, which always reminds me of Narnia.
As I headed back I took a route through a residential area and then into a park. I focused on nothing and yet allowed myself to be open to all. Somewhere along the path, a substantial piece of the book’s narrative dropped into place. It was as though I had set down an unknown boulder. I rounded a corner that led to the park’s exit to be met by an extraordinary sight – a flock of chickens scratching around in the undergrowth. In a park. In a city.
I stood watching the little cluckers for a while, enjoying their apparent ease, seemingly unaware that nearby walked dogs and toddlers, before heading home myself to sit and write to you.
Why am I telling you this? Because sometimes a completely different tangent is required in order to reach your stash of gold. Often times the answer is just under your nose and just requires you to tap into your body and listen. Ignore the obvious answer and go for the one you can feel is right.
This of course will look different for everyone, dependent on how and where you work. But being aware that you can accomplish more by tacking in a different direction is an amazingly freeing thing.
If you need me, I’ll be neck deep in edits, working on walking you along a cohesive path from Hot Mess to Slinky Alchemist.
Big love,
Carrie
**oh my gawd, if you are looking for progression in your business and aren’t sure about working with a coach, may I recommend you find yourself a Mastermind – seriously, it’s world affirming stuff to meet with the same tribe every month in a non judgemental space where you can receive wisdom and redirection that actually gets you unstuck from the drama and moves your business forward. I reeeeally love Masterminds (even though I felt intimidated to f**k to begin with) so much so that I’d love to run an in person Mad Hatter inspired one someday soon – let me know if this speaks to you, hello (at) carrieekins (dot) co (dot) uk.
Hey! Need a 1:1 session full of wisdom and tea drinking? Ready to let go of the old gunk that’s holding you back, but not sure how? Need an epiphany? Book here
