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LIVING BY DESIGN NEWSLETTER
by Leslie Karen Sann, MA, LCPC
V4, #22
December 16, 2004
IN THIS ISSUE
The
Power of Completion
Quotes
Practically Speaking
Wonder Questions
THE
POWER OF COMPLETION
Powerful People Make Things Easy (Part 20)
(This article is a continuation of a series
about our personal power to create the life we want)
As we approach the end of another year we often fall
into a natural tendency to wonder about what it is we have accomplished in
the past months as well as what it is we would like to achieve in the year
to come.
Powerful people bring a consciousness to the process
of completing that is useful throughout the year, throughout the month,
the week, the day, the hour. It is the conscious use of the Completion
Cycle tool of self management. (see previous newsletter: "Looking
Back Helps Us Move Forward" )
As human beings (or human doings) we are engaged in
ongoing activities. We sleep at night and when that process is complete -
we awake and get out of bed. We do our morning toilet and finish that and
proceed to the task of dressing for the day. Once dressed we move onto the
morning fueling and then out the door for the next set of activities.
Most activities are composed of smaller activities.
Picking the kids up at school is a project consisting of many actions that
are completed in sequence until the kids are back at home. Putting on my
coat, finding the keys to the car, pulling the car out of the garage,
closing the garage door, driving to school, waiting in line, welcoming the
kids, driving home, opening the garage door, putting the car back into the
garage, unloading the kids, hanging coats in the closet.
Once all that is done, we are ready for what is
next. Snack time? Returning phone calls? Preparing dinner?
Let's say for the sake of an example, I forgot one
of the kids at school. I wouldn't be able to move on with my day. My
energy, thoughts, emotions, would be distracted by the fact that I hadn't
completed my project. There is something incomplete. Something missing - a
kid! Until I finish what I set out to do - my focus will be distracted. If
I am going to be at ease, at peace, I must go back out and bring that
missing child home. If we leave a situation incomplete it consumes energy.
Most of the projects we set out to complete aren't
as clear cut as the above example. Many times we intend to do something,
don't quite get it done, move onto something else, and don't notice that
there is a part of us distracted by what is incomplete.
You may have noticed though, when you cross
something off your list that there is a surge of energy? This is the
energy that was looking for 'the missing kid'. Now that you have brought
that child home, the energy is available for you to use in other ways.
People who honor their energy, productivity, and
well-being, pay attention to what it is they have on their plate, and
making sure they are moving their projects towards completion. When we
honor our cycles of completion we feel in harmony with ourselves.
There are other, non-tangible things that drain our
energy as well. Agreements we've made and not kept is one of them.
Another rampant energy consumer is guilt - actions
you feel guilty about. You did something and you haven't dealt with the
fact that you did it so you carry around guilt that you did it. You keep
judging yourself, telling yourself you should or shouldn't have. (see
previous newsletter: "Should I or Could I")
A third consumer of energy, is called important
unspoken communications, withholding. If you haven't said important words
and they are still unspoken words, they consume energy.
Significant regrets or resentments are also energy
eaters. If you are carrying a big regret or resentment from an earlier
time in your life, even as early as yesterday, will drain you of precious
energy.
The act of completing these things, opens up a great
deal more energy to flow through your life. Often taking care of a few
significant incompletions is enough to get a positive flow of energy
moving in your life.
So give yourself a gift. Sit down and ask yourself
what is incomplete that I can move towards completion? Take action, and
notice how good you feel.
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Related Articles:
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QUOTES:
"Nothing is so fatiguing as the hanging on
of an uncompleted task."
~ William James ~
"Completing is arriving to the start of
something new with all of me available."
~ Martha Ringer ~
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PRACTICALLY SPEAKING:
- Set aside some time for just you.
- Jot down anything that has your attention, that
is holding energy for you.
- Examples:
~projects started and not completed
~projects needing to be started
~promises to others
~communications to make
~meetings needing to be set
~goals to be set
~items to be purchased
~items to be repaired
~replies to e-mail, voice mail, letters
~administrative tasks
~books started and never finished
~and so on
(David Allen in his book "Getting
Things Done", describes this process in detail. See the
section on mind sweeping.)
- Go full out - scanning every aspect of your life
to discover what is holding your attention.
- Once you have your list you can cross off
anything and everything you are clear you no longer intend to
complete. You are now complete. You can go through your bookshelves,
for example, and declare complete every unfinished book on the
shelves.
- Look at what remains. Now is the time to
prioritize your projects and break them down into doable actions to
bring them to completion. You may want to hire a coach or create a
support group, to help you bring some of your list to completion.
WONDER QUESTIONS:
- Are you willing to be free of the cumbersome past
- by choosing to bring all aspect of your life to completion?
- Are you ready to feel more alive, engaged, and
free?
- Are you willing to let this be easy?
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COPYRIGHT/CONTACT INFO/REPRINT PERMISSION
c Copyright 2004 by Leslie Karen Sann, Living by Design
Visit this link for contact information:
leslie@living-bydesign.com
Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears in full:
Copyright 2004 by Leslie Karen Sann,
Living by Design.All rights reserved.
Web site. http://www.living-bydesign.com
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