Vol 5 Iss 1

Welcome to the New Year! If you’re thinking of making great changes in 2008, you’ve picked a good time. The article below on chaos calming will help you begin. Change happens when we put action behind our thoughts.

2008 began with amazing changes for me – I transferred away from the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and landed in the Department of Biology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. When I saw the job announcement, I knew I’d kick myself if I didn’t apply. This is the school that has the degree program I want to pursue.

Remember a couple years back I was applying to graduate school? I guess patience is a virtue because it looks like I’ll be starting classes this fall, learning exactly what I want, with the side benefit of having some of my tuition covered by my job. Amazing. Everything fell into place as though invisible strings were being pulled on my behalf.

What I’m sensing right now is that we are at the bottom of the downturn. Things are looking up. I led a class this weekend full of eager folks ready to make a change in their life. You could feel the energy in the room. The newspaper has gloom and doom stories, but the conversations I have with real people don’t reflect that attitude. I see a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

How is your energy level for change right now? Are you glimmering? Isn’t it time now? Please know that a glimmer is the first step and I can help you take the next one. Call or email and schedule a quick conversation to see how I can help.

“ We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures ”

These past few weeks, I've been thinking about entropy. One of the definitions in my dictionary says it’s "the degradation of matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inert uniformity" which I have always heard named "chaos."

Think of it, when you allow something to fall prey to entropy, it will degrade into chaos. Hmmmm. My desk could be a good example of this principle. I bet you have spots you could name as well.

So, I've begun a period each morning that I call "entropy prevention time." This is when I do the mundane housekeeping tasks that make such a difference to my life. I wipe down the sink and clean off the counter top in my bathroom; I put the dishes into the dishwasher and I bring in the newspaper so it’s there to read when I get home at night.

This is physical space entropy prevention. There are other areas that need attention as well. My health begins entropy when I forget to exercise or go for a walk or when I eat something that I know will come back to get me later. My spirit needs entropy prevention too. Time spent outdoors is always good for my soul, as is time spent journaling or writing. I also crochet to quiet my mind with the added bonus of lovely lacy objects d'art.

The things I do really don't take a lot of time, but they do take attention. It's necessary to notice that what is happening is entropy degrading into chaos. Noticing where your life is a little frayed, and discovering the small things to do that can prevent it, will free up energy for the rest of your life. And of course, the important part is consistent action. Nothing gets done if all you do is notice. Small actions performed consistently will prevent entropy.

An example of this in actions might be your career. When you've been at the same job for a while, and things start feeling the same, the tendency is to look outside and find something else that might work better. That is entropy at work, and the 5 years experience you have may start to feel like 1 year five times. It just gets b o r i n g...

There are several levels where you can notice what is happening and decide if it's something you want to put your attention and consistent action to, or not.

The most obvious place to look first and the easiest to fix is your physical space. Are things where they belong in your workspace? How about your computer files - your e-mail in-box? Clearing at this level frees up energy to put to more interesting things. What consistent action can you take - even 5 minutes a day for one week? The key is to notice, choose, and put action to it.

Next, how are your thoughts? Yes - you! What are you thinking? Time spent on griping, complaining and negativity is energy wasted. Your negative thoughts will only keep you exactly where you are. Pay attention to the thoughts you give your energy to. Listen to the voice in your head and know that it’s only the voice in your head. Just because a thought is coming from your precious brain doesn't mean it's the absolute truth. Pay attention to what is true. It also helps to just find something more interesting to think about.

One helpful thing to do that can help shift your thoughts away from focusing on what is wrong is to start a gratitude journal. Daily, record your thoughts on what you are thankful for, things you feel in your heart.

I keep a small notebook on my coffee table. At night, before I retire, I reach for the gratitude journal and spend 5 or 10 minutes writing down all the things I'm grateful for that happened that day. It's in a convenient spot that I see and remember. The point is to notice what makes you feel good. Focus on that.

Usually, the physical space and our mental attitude is a reflection of our spiritual space. How does your work align with your values? If you value the energy of working with people and you are in a tedious task-oriented job, how is that impacting your spirit? Where are you getting your spiritual energy? How can you add back to your life things that are in alignment with who you are in your soul? (Hint - it doesn't have to be work-related.)

As you can see, each level feeds on the other. Body, Mind, Spirit. It all works together and any one small thing you do in one space will impact the others. The key is to notice, choose where to put your energy, and put action behind.

Notice – choose – act. It will change your life!

Learn the process of discovering your next career step, whether it's a different job or a brand new career. This workshop is a practical lesson on the 'how-to' of career change. In this highly-interactive fun class, we'll look at how to define what work suits you best, job search strategies, and action plans. You'll learn how to research and approach the companies you'll be happiest working for and how to network to find that company.

Three Saturday dates to choose from: February 16, 2008, March 22, 2008 or April 19, 2008

9 am to noon, class will meet at Longmont Free University.

To register, call 303-702-1500, or visit their website: http://www.longmontfreeu.com/

You are free to use material from Moving Forward! in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including a live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:

"By Debra DeVilbiss, PCC, of Forward Momentum, LLC. Please visit Debra's website at http://www.ForwardMomentum.com for additional articles and resources on creating your right livelihood."

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