A little room for improvement this year

Hi there. It’s been a few weeks since I posted last and I wanted to assure you that I’m back. I hope you had a terrific break that involved considerable relaxation, connection and quiet.

My break was great. It wasn’t perfect, occasionally disappointing and even annoying at times. But over all, it was 17 whole days to focus on the big picture, on my heart, and on my loved ones. It couldn’t help but be full and good. You were definitely in my thoughts.

Although I’m not a fan of resolutions, several useful intentions came out of my time away. It might very well be a “big” year for Inspired Home Office if some of these intentions become reality. If you’re still thinking about what 2010 might hold for you, I offer these areas of focus for your consideration.

5 areas of focus for 2010

1. Hand over more stuff to the Divine. (Worry less.)

Maybe you can relate: if something isn’t quite right, I tend to worry it to a fuzzled nub. Obsessively. Day and night. This habit frays my nerves and splashes icko-energy on anyone within a 15-foot radius.

When you’re running a small business, delegation is an effective strategy at making the best use of your skills. So I’m delegating my worry to someone/thing that has more skill at dealing with problems than I: the Divine.

I’m beginning what may become a daily practice of writing a to-do list for God. I don’t really know if the things I write will get done, but I’ve got 36 years of worry that has proven completely ineffective. So, it’s a new experiment for me: delegating worry. I’m handing it off to the most skilled.

2. Take more time off.

My two recent retreat experiences have been so positive that, this year, I’m planning to go on a 4-day retreat every quarter as well as overnight once each month – retreats away from home for rest and contemplation. So much is gained from putting life on “pause” and coming back to it renewed.

I’m also planning to spend one week each month focused on the growth and operations of my business. Instead of focusing outward, I’ll focus on the creative projects I’ve put off because “there’s no time.” I’m setting it aside. I’ll be talking about this more in a future post. It feels pretty radical.

3. Do things slowly.

Recently, some researchers found that when participants chewed an almond 40 times before swallowing, they reported feeling fuller and more satisfied with fewer almonds. That’s like, 20 seconds of chewing. Per almond. I could down a bowl of mac ‘n’ cheeze that fast.

The part of the research that really intrigued me was the second part. With all my heart and soul, I want to report feeling fuller and more satisfied from consuming less. I don’t mean just food, either. I mean everything.

I’ve thought a lot about slow. It doesn’t mean pokey. It means present. I’m giving slow a whirl this year because going fast and speeding through everything with half a brain cell just isn’t feeding me or my spirit.

4. Say yes less.

And on that topic, I can only slow down if I am doing less. If I am less committed. If I am juggling 3 balls instead of 2 dozen.

My intention is to be conscious of all the things I’ve already said yes to wholeheartedly. It’s to honor that saying “no” to one thing means a big “yes” to something more important. It’s also to release the “why nots” and the “I guess sos”. Half-hearted acquiescence doesn’t make a life.

In the midst of saying yes less, it will be important to remember that it’s a practice, not a destination. Like many, I’ve over-committed all my life. There has been a pay-off, a reward for doing life this way. So it’s my intention to say less less, be willing to do it imperfectly, and learn from what the practice teaches me.

5. Bring more spirit into Inspired Home Office

In the coming year, you will continue to find comfort and insights on my blog, in my newsletter, in the social networking I do, and from the products and classes my business offers. The topic will continue to be about running your small business with creative order and sanity.

This year, look for an infusion of spirit and heart, a deepening of the reasons for creating order  that will help sustain you after initial enthusiasm wanes. It is my hope that this year’s offers from my business help your business grow and your life become simpler and more fulfilling.

Thoughts? Yeah, buts? Me, toos?