The Unknown

Here I am in the third week of starting Blue Heron Transitions. I'm still a little at a loss, going to an office where I don't have any clients as of yet. I say yet, because I've been working diligently on my marketing, mailing out letters and brochures to my friends letting them know I've finally taken that big scary step into the unknown. I've taught a couple of classes, and have another class set up.

I've mailed out letters and brochures to a few doctors, chiropractors, and counselors that I've met along the way, hoping they will refer me to patients that have asked about or need what I offer.

And I mailed letters and brochures to bridal shops and photographers. I can see it now, you're gaping at the screen saying "WHAT?"

I did a relaxation, hypnosis on my future niece two years ago to help relieve the stress that occurs when you are planning a wedding. Every little thing that could go wrong, does go wrong, creating more stress and anxiety in your life, until, at times, you become a bit unbearable to live with. So I helped her out. We did a session - one session- and I made a cd of that session so that she could listen to it if she started feeling the least bit anxious or stressed out.

For the next few weeks Sally listened to it off and on until the big day arrived. A few things happened along the way, but she kept cool and calm, taking everything in stride. The day of the wedding, she was serene and very calm. She completely enjoyed her own wedding without becoming a basket case.

For her to take what I offered as a gift, and allow me to hypnotize her was a step into the unknown. She took a leap of faith into an area that she didn't know much about and let it work for her, creating a happy ending.

For me writing letters, making up my brochure and mailing them out is easy. I'm comfortable with doing the clerical aspect of setting up my business. Marketing - making cold calls to introduce myself and promote my business is not comfortable to me. This is my unknown. Yet, I'm willing to work on the discomfort, and turn this discomfort into a positive for me. If I can make those calls, go out and introduce myself face to face to the people I've already mailed brochures to, then I can pretty much do anything.

Or, I can hide in my empty office and hope that people will come calling. This may work, but then again, maybe it won't.

We all have things we're afraid of doing, or even trying because we don't know what may happen, how it will all work out in the end. If you're anything like me you have a vivid imagination and can visualize at least twenty horrifying scenarios that would curl your hair.

What I propose that each of us do is to pick one of those things that we are afraid to step toward and write out a list of ten things that bother you about going after this desire. Things that you visualize going wrong, or make the job harder to do. Number one is the least difficult to do and number ten, of course, is the most difficult. This is the one that really gets the stomach churning.

Now, let's start with number one. This is the least worrisome of the lot, but yet you may feel it's an obstacle to get past to reach that goal that you want to achieve. Sit back, relax and close your eyes. Imagine or visualize that you are completely involved in this action. You are actively participating in whatever scenario you have that has created this obstacle for you. But as you are visualizing the scene, you visualize it turning out exactly as you want it to be. Go through this visualization several times until you've taken it from being an obstacle to a minor challenge.

Then move on to item number two, and repeat this exercise. You are desensitizing yourself to the unknown, the things you imagine could happen to prevent you from achieving your desires. You are making them manageable challenges that will spur you along on your path to success.

This exercise can be used for anything that you want to become easier in your life, your job, a relationship, even just wanting/saving for something that is important to you. Or possibly something you've always wanted to try, like skydiving, or scuba diving.

Now me, I know I can talk to people, selling myself is a bit more difficult, so for now I'm going to sit back, relax, close my eyes, and imagine....

Namaste,


Sue