Here's my One Little Step, grab your favorite shoes and join me!

My One Little Step

I started reading a book this week and even though I am on page 85 I am already sensing the effects. I’m always on the lookout for great self-help books (though really I need to just STOP looking and start taking action!) *More on the book in a few! Action is what this year is about, put my ideas and inspiration into motion. As of February 6^th we’ll all be moving into different ki energy stations. Nine star ki is the sister philosophy to Feng Shui. It is a system that I’ve followed since 2001. I have to say it helps a great deal to know what my monthly and year themes are; I can be somewhat prepared rather than feel completely lost and scattered. (It isn’t a cure all, I still have times when I feel lost, scattered and insane, the difference is that I know when these times will end!)

This year I move into two themes that are already speaking very loudly to me. The three tree heralds accelerated movement, education, action, launching projects, travel, insight, and creativity. One water signifies the potential for deep spiritual journeys, connection with soul vibrations, self-improvement, visioning, and career aspects, art, music and writing (all things non-linear and water begin here!). We all return to our home stations this year, though each month will still offer us abundance opportunities for continued growth and awareness. Though the official shift doesn’t occur until February 6^th the energies are already tangible. My next three months are already indicative of travel: I head to Seattle in February, Las Vegas in March, Memphis in April and Durango in June. Those are just the ones that I am aware of today!

In terms of spiritual energies, those have always been running like a river through my being though now the flood waters are collecting and bubbling. And then I picked up this book, “One Small Step Can Change Your Life, The Kaizen Way, by Robert Maurer, Ph.D. Oh my. Yes. This is the Holy Grail for me. Something I’ve been looking for, asking for, wanting and needing for a LONG time. If you have a ton of GREAT ideas but lack in the execution of them-----this book is for YOU. I am not paid by the author and am receiving no kickbacks of any sort but Universe if you are listening, I’d LOVE to meet this man in person and spend a day month with him!

The idea is based on the Japanese technique of kaizen to introduce, simple, consistent focused change. By taking small, seemingly trivial steps toward a goal, we are able to override the body’s response to fear and change. Over time, through continual application, the body relaxes and opens it’s creativity and support, in other words we stop fighting ourselves! We work with the body’s natural rhythm to release blocks, shut-downs and procrastination. It’s simple and profound. It’s also my new motto.

Dr. Mauer invites readers to ask themselves questions, easy ones, to help open the mind and bypass the natural filters and protections mechanisms that are in place to keep us “safe”.  I started asking questions and we’ll just say the combination of the full moon, and the pre-activation of the water and tree energies kept me up most of the night! In fact, I haven’t been able to stop asking questions. I now have a Kaizen Question section in my life design journal.

So this afternoon, as I was organizing my journal pages and writing questions for career, home, body/food/nutrition/health I had an idea pop in…….What is one simple thing I can do to be more productive, more efficient? What could I do to inspire others, with the least amount of effort and still be FUN. The answer came though something like this:

1.     delete Facebook Ap from my phone (done)

2.     put phone in the other room. (check it after breakfast, lunch and dinner, then put it away again.) *I DO spend a lot of time on my phone, I’ll admit that. I’m interested in tracking how much time I GAIN by hiding it from myself! I’m also interested in seeing how much $ I save by not searching for things I want (sorry Zappos, I still heart you) *notice I phrased that in the positive---time GAINED.

3.     I’ll be sharing “This Week’s One Little Step” through my blog. I don’t know how many people read my words there but this is where I’ll be posting. I will place a link on my Facebook page so it is easy to find. (I am not deleting Facebook yet but I am going to be on there far less. I’ll have to access it from a computer, when I have internet…which may be off most of the time too.

This is all an experiment and my disclaimer as such is that I am creative and, the past, not all that consistent. That is probably why this little book resonated so deeply with me. I like the idea of easy and effortless. I love the idea of working with my being, and its amazing abilities already locked within my cells. “What small little steps can I take to open those cells and allow them to come out, dance and share?” Fun is the key here and if this gets to be less than fun, then I’ll be moving on to something else, soooo what the heck? It sounds do-able (which is the basic tenant of the Kaizen technique). I’m willing to give it a try and in the process perhaps others can find joy, inspiration, support, hope and purpose through my sharing. 

My One Little Step this week: Writing these words and posting them! If you’d like to follow along, feel free to share what little steps you are taking, either in the comment section below or on FB. I’ll check it eventually J