awareness Archives - Cara Lumen | Sing a Deeper Song

See the Pattern and Then the Potential

Adventures in the Unseen World

Experiences keep repeating because we keep doing what we’ve always been doing. To change our experience and our results, we only have to change our actions.

However, there is another way to look at patterns. We can see patterns as potential. You become aware that what continues to show up – for better or worse – is a result of your actions and thoughts. The patterns you have set up by your actions and thoughts are working to create the results that appear.

You are the creator of the results you experience. Change your patterns and you will change the outcome. All change comes from within you.

What is working?

Because I’m retired there are a great many things about my life that are working. Because I’m old there are a few things that are not working as well as I would like. Let’s begin with the positive.

I’m a much better writer than I was even five years ago, let alone 50 years ago. That’s a positive that has built over time because it is a passion and a constant calling that I heeded.

Over the course of time, I now know myself well enough to know I like to write in short forms so I do not undertake long detailed projects. That’s a powerful realization – knowing what you like to do and what you don’t like to do. That helps you make good choices.

I love to do shamanic journeying so I do that nearly every day. I love to play my flute so I do that every day. I love to write so I do that every day. See how easy it is to fill your day with things that you love to do!!

Notice what you love to do and simply do more of it.

What is not working?

Because I spend so much time encouraging my mind, my body has taken a bit of hit. I’m smart enough to know what I need to do but I have to find more clever ways to get me to do it. My inactivity is working to make my body less strong. I need to make changes in my viewpoint, my expectation, and my actions.

Look for the pattern

I have to look for places I am willing to put in new actions that will correct the things that are not working. If it means doing some Qi Gong when I stand up from my desk, then I begin there. If it means a few yoga moves at the kitchen skink every time I am in that room, I can build on that pattern and add new designs.

Create a pattern of reminders. I call them pulse points. Walk through a doorway and let it remind you to stand up straighter. When you see the sun set out the window, turn and play your flute and offer gratitude for the day.

A pulse point. Something you do often that will serve as a reminder to begin to establish new choices, new habits.

Look for the potential

There is potential for strengthening my body each time I move around the room. There is potential for stretching even while sitting in a chair.

I have a pattern of preferring to write in relatively short pieces. But the potential becomes a collection of posts to make a book. Use what you are drawn to.

I am doing very unusual shamanic journey work and the potential seems to include processes to teach others. Explore how you will share your passion.

My exploration of vibration healing has moved beyond tuning forks and humming and drumming. I am exploring the Unseen World for guidance and information and your next steps. Let your inner voice guide you.

Every thought you have is filled with potential. It may or may not be yours to do, but if the idea appears, it is certainly yours to examine and perhaps explore a bit.

What is the potential for the idea you just got?

Know what is stopping you and see if it can be released

Thirty-five years ago I was told I could be a very strong motivational speaker.

I did not pursue that because I was bogged down with a bit of shyness. Perhaps a lack of confidence, perhaps not feeling I knew enough to motivate anyone. In order words, I did not understand or know my own value, my own gifts, my own potential.

The result is that I am not a motivational speaker, but I am a motivational writer.

Find where the gift fits and do that.

Identify the pattern and then explore its potential.

Deeper Song Affirmation

I take conscious stock of the patterns in my life and look creatively at their potential.

Deeper Song Process

Take time to make a list of the things you do or think about what you want to do.
Pick one and go exploring. Look at some training videos to see if the idea really appeals to you. What more could you do with the idea? Where could it take you? How could you make it uniquely yours? What is in your way? How can you get rid of that?
Find what is calling you and do that.

To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:

Individual Curiosity and a Willingness to Change.

Believe In The Power Of Your Own Ripple

Expand You Own Power Through Self-Leadership

Walk the Sacred Path Within Surely and Steadily and Leave a Trail

Come Sing a Deeper Song

I help people who are consciously raising their vibration
to explore the Unseen World
so that we can help create a New Reality.

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by Cara Lumen

My quest for a way to make room for change was prompted by the need to schedule more time to do copy writing for my clients. The first question was how much time do I schedule when I don’t know how much time it will take to do the job? In order to make room for change, I had to rethink what I already had in place.

1. Rethink your own rules

I have used an Excel spread sheet to block off times for client appointments, creating new information products, writing client copy, writing and posting articles and working my business. I have been setting Mondays aside to work on expanding my own business. But maybe I should rethink that. Maybe Mondays are not the best day, maybe I need to choose Fridays instead. Maybe I have to spread my business development time over several days. I began to let go of what I had in place and began to rethink my own system.

2. Make use of your fritters

The first thing I noticed in creating my new self-schedule was that I like to watch The View on TV every day at 10 AM. Now frankly, 10 AM is too early for me to take a break and as I looked at my schedule I thought, "That could be a whole hour out of my work day. Unless…." I very much need to put more exercise in my life so guess what…I’m going to bend and stretch and move my body while I watch the intelligent women on The View. It’s a win-win solution.

I started tracking my "fritters" — those things I take time for that do not move me forward in my business or my work load. I began to look at why I was doing them – was I putting off something hard or did I simply need a change of tasks?

Not every time out is a fritter. I talk to my friend/ web designer partner every day. We talk about our lives, our families, our clients and our business decisions. Every conversation nourishes and balances me . It’s a meaningful pause in my productive day.

3. Get real about what’s NOT working

Just as I found a way to add another dimension to an hour of TV that would make it contribute to my life, I began to look at what’s NOT working.

It recently took me a long time to create an introductory email to a new client about an element of my services. I have now saved that in a New Client Start Up file and when another new client appeared I found that it was easy to adjust.

I have developed very strong intake forms that make starting with a new client easy and effective for both of us.. I have another intake form for gathering the information I need to write strong sales pages. And every time I have to write a lengthy explanation about something to one client, I create it as an article for my Magnetic Marketing Coaching Library so it’s ready for the next time that question is asked. I keep an eye out for information I am repeating that could be automated, even if it’s as simple as having a few often needed responses already written than only take a few minutes to adjust and send.

I need to keep myself clear from interruptions, particularly when I am writing copy. What are my choices? I could use my voice mail if a call comes in. I can look at my email at noon instead of first thing in the morning so I use my fresh, creative mind time to its best advantage. I could go to my desk earlier and get in an hour or two of uninterrupted time. I can set boundaries with my clients so we agree on a time to call rather than have them call me spontaneously.

I have options. I have choices. I can make changes.

4. Do the math – what do you need to attract

What does it take to create the income you need and want? How many clients? How many hours of copy writing? How many actual income-producing hours do you need to schedule into your week? Get that number in mind, hold that intention and make room for them in your weekly schedule.

Be clear about what is producing income. I may love writing articles and doing podcasts but I also need to be clear about how much income they are measurably generating and balance the time I spend on them accordingly.

If I want more copy writing assignments then I have to be certain my web site reflects that. That may mean additional keyword research, new copy, and setting up new intake systems so I can do the job efficiently and effectively.

Your job is to stay close to the money. Put your time into actual client/customer interaction. Farm out the administrative stuff if you need to. Stay active where you can most affect your business.

5. Re-think your system and be willing to change

Cluster your clients and pick specific session times to fill. Mine are 11, 1 and 3 PST on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. That leaves me Mondays and Tuesdays plus other times to write copy for others, prepare talks, write more information products and work my own business.

A fellow copy writer who does ghost writing said he knows he has to write 1,000 words a day to finish a book in four months so he blocks off his entire morning. He doesn’t answer the phone, he doesn’t answer email, he just writes. His afternoon is more flexible. When his children come home he does his Dad thing but he often returns to work in the evening when his family activities have slowed down. I often fit in another two hours of work in the evening.

Create a schedule that works for you and your family.

6. Make a new plan and try it out – then schedule a time to check it again

Your plan is just a plan; it’s one way to do it. I always love it when the Universe hands me an unexpected opportunity. I lovingly rethink my whole system to accommodate the new invitation.

I also follow my moods. If I’m in the mood to devour a new business book I sit down and do it. If an article starts popping in I sit down and write it. If an idea shows up I stop and take time to write down enough about it so that I have captured its essence. I definitely allow for the creative muse.

Take one step at a time. Get that never-ending "to-do" list out and schedule some of those things onto your calendar every week. Allow them to organically pop to the top. If they don’t get done in a reasonable length of time, take them off the list, they’re not going to happen..

My new plan feels great. It has given me new perspectives and new priorities. I’ll try this one out for awhile and then reexamine, rethink and recreate and make room for more change.