Calming down… there is a storm coming

When storms come, we tend to be dragged by them. After all, they are more powerful than us… or not?

We have created as a civilization, several means and tools to protect ourselves from this incredible force of nature and although our protection may not be perfect, it has good potential.

Now, what about the storms of life? Like a pandemic, a financial crisis, divorce, health issues, someone dear who just departed…

By using the same approach, there should be means and tools to protect ourselves from the effect of such storms, and one of them is very simple: just calm down.

Calmness has a deep effect in the mind, by creating a series of thoughts and constructive emotions that protect us from the worse effects of the storms we are going through, which will guide us and prevent harm.

Of course, it is not easy to be calm during the storm, but by practicing a lot, the accumulated calmness will work out pretty well during the worse stages of the crisis, coming up naturally.

How can you practice calmness? I meditate; other people go to hills or beaches, others prefer to be in silence for some time everyday, there are those who love to pray.

Although the means and tools will be different for each one, by generating a routine in which the experience of being calm is valued, even prioritized, the next time a big storm comes to your life, you will be prepared and probably, you will be able to offer shelter to others too.

Opening doors and windows

Crisis has closed business… has separated many people… has finished many dreams off…

Well, there is no way back and there is no way to transform things overnight. However, we can still do something and there is a secret behind all of that based on doors and windows.

You see, sometimes we try to push through a closed door, what is not so sensible since it is, well, closed. Then we look for other doors and maybe we find them; some will be closed, some will be open. This is basically life.

However, we forget that besides doors, there are also windows… We don’t think of them as an entrance, but they are.

Sometimes, the way out of a crisis is not a door – not a logical process, or an expected one. Sometimes, it requires creativity, breaking a paradigm or changing a perception.

So, if your way out of the crisis is not working, think a bit more, reflect much more and be creative about it. You will come out and I am sure your life will be much better.

Being an agent of change

Probably the normal method people use to face bad changes, which is considered to be a proactive way of dealing with it, is to resist to them. The problem is that there is a law of change: any change to which you resist, will grow even more.

Probably the best method people could use to face bad changes is to increase their own resilience, that is, by being an agent of change.

The way of doing it is quite simple (in writing):

1. I notice a change that is happening would have a bad effect for me or my community.
2. Instead of fighting or fleeing, I fly… I start to increase my resilience by accepting this is happening and understanding it.
3. I also start to have inner experiences by contemplating, reflecting or meditating; in this way, I look for self-empowerment.
4. I start a change that will help to work against this bad change. It may be my attitude or an interesting plan that will involve others.
5. I cooperate with others, by creating a powerful network and I help others to increase their own resilience too.

To put that into practice requires some energy and focus, but it is much better way to reacting to situations.

Besides, you will experience being the leader of your own self, instead of being led by situations from which you are not taking benefit.

Don’t underestimate your own power

When big walls come up in front of you, the only thing you think is a) how to avoid it, b) how to climb it, or c) how to destroy it.

But there are more alternatives to that. Look within and you will find a reservoir of power that has been taking you in this long journey called life.

It is time to use that power to deconstruct the walls, recreating the impact they have on your life, and not avoiding it. Try to face it instead and ask yourself: What newness can I bring on myself to cope with this obstacle?

It is time to use your power to overcome the walls of your life. To climb may be exhausting, but if you are able to fly… Let your mind fly over the obstacle, visualize the end and start developing the qualifications you will need to reach there.

It is time to empower the self and just pass through the wall. If you destroy it, rubbles may prevent you to move forward. So, transform yourself and you will see how much you can go forward.

How does that work? Let’s give 3 examples related to each of the situations:

• I have a very bad sickness and that will change my life to worse. Accept the situation in your heart, talk and promote dialogue with people who can help you and other people with the same sickness. Look at it as an opportunity to try new things in your life and cooperate with others too; that is the most powerful thing you can do, and you really can do it.
• Oh, no, another crisis? In the last one I was working ten hours a day, wonder how many hours I will be working this time… Meditate and recharge the self. Yes, it is a crisis and you can’t just ignore it, but let your mind fly over the situation and see beyond it. By using this technique you will possibly identify some new skills you can develop that will give you an advantage over the crisis, but most important thing is that you will feel empowered.
• I am sure I can destroy this obstacle, I will fight through it and I will defeat this, instead of being defeated. Go and meditate again; more than meditating start a journey of reflection and transformation. Instead of fighting against this wall – which is invisible – connect yourself to that invisible power you have and see how you start to realize better ways of dealing with it. Success comes from empowerment, not fight.

So, I hope this will help you to work with the walls in your life.

Silence and power in modern society

I was trying to do a research of silence in the modern world, but I think I will share my own experience of silence, what silence REALLY is and how it works.

My personal belief is that silence is what is missing in the world. I am not talking about shut up silence, but the silence that comes from being fulfilled, which helps to feel an inner satisfaction. More than a lack of words, it is the state when words are not enough or not necessary to express the feelings.

It is missing because the present society is very noisy and specifically the noise of the social networks makes it unbearable for anyone to make a real decision, to set proper goals or just enjoy themselves, as there is always another person’s suggestion, opinion and influence.

When I get into silence, naturally I am able to prevail over all that influence and make my own decisions, and this is by far the biggest benefit of silence in the present environment we live.

So, everyday I experience silence in two different ways, and sometimes, when it is needed, I do another exercise:

• I meditate and I let that silence quieten my mind, my emotions and my intellect, giving them time and space to understand reality and help me dealing with it.
• Particularly during early morning, I prefer to not talk. I enjoy those experiences of silence as they clear my mind and my purpose towards the day.
• From time to time, I face crisis; silence helps me to charge the self and overcome the challenges.

I invite you to join me in this experience of silence…

About stages of change

Change in nature takes place gradually. In fact, I am not sure there is any sudden change that happens in a natural environment. Well there are disasters, but it could be said they are also part of the change process.

But we, sweet humans, by not being content with that, we started something called civilization and we change everything. Yes, we change the change.

More precisely, we started many centuries ago to manipulate the pace and stages of change, according to personal or collective convenience, creating the times we live nowadays, when we are not sure what will happen next or how.

There are basically four stages in change and all goes through these.

Change is a non-creative name for the first stage. Sometimes I call it Transition, and it indicates soft and subtle changes. In a whole process like the yearly seasons, everyday there is a change in the temperature, humidity and wind, but we are not aware as they are very subtle.

Besides, they are expected. For instance, if the present season is spring, we are expecting that as time passes by, temperature increases, at least after a certain inflection point. And we are ready for that.

For us, we have maybe tens or hundreds of changes in just one day: clothes, hunger-food, hair style, smiley-serious, humor, opinion, tastes, etc. The key here is we are expecting them, so they don’t shock and many times we are not even aware of them.

But at some point there is a crisis. During the year, rainstorms come, snow falls and the weather becomes quite unpredictable. Crisis is a type of change that is unexpected and normally disruptive, quite often is considered as negative – although we could talk about good crisis when all of a sudden, during winter, the Sun heats our day and hearts.

It is necessary to provide the time and space so that the next season will replace the present one.

I don’t know anyone who is not afraid of a crisis, which name by the way in Chinese does have a character with the meaning of danger, but it is part of the stages of change, there is no way to avoid it without avoiding the whole change, and that is very difficult to do.

We need a certain level of preparedness to overcome the mean effects of a crisis. For the worst case scenario, leadership is necessary to help a person or any collective to come out of it. It is important to keep in mind this is necessary, because only by going through a crisis you can move on with the change.

Another point that distresses people is the fact that changes in our human society don’t happen in order, as in nature. That means, crisis can come and go, and come again during the same change process…

The worst part (apparently) of any change process is chaos, when the lowest or highest temperature takes place, or when floods or drought happens. It is totally unmanageable and besides going for a shelter, nobody can do much.

Not even by excelling in preparedness or the best leader in the world can help when chaos comes, and we, humans, try to prevent them. And yet, it is a stage we all have to go through if we want to come out of it and reach the last and final stage.

Transformation, also called metamorphosis, is that point when there is no resemblance between how things were at the first stage and how they ended. Try to explain to a little child that those leafless and dead trees will be soon blossoming with life… It is impossible to imagine it is true, but it is, because after chaos, after the worst part of a change process, when all looks like lost, life comes back again.

As humans, we don’t embrace transformation as we should. After all, to reach that point we do have to suffer in a way, passing through several stages – and different than nature, repeating those innumerable times – until one day we are transformed.

But we should embrace it, as we should embrace the chaos, crisis and the little transitions in life, because they all give us something much more valuable. See, nature will never transform something into another thing that is worse than the previous form.

Transformation always means good. Excellent. Incredible. It means our lives that reached their worst point and look deprived of energy are now totally different and we have another chance to live.

So, instead of fighting against the processes embedded in changes, it is better to learn about them, prepare yourself and use them for the good of many.

Seeing beyond the crisis

One of the faculties of a leader is their capability to see beyond any negative situation.

In the case of a small situation, such as an employee's resignation or the loss of a big client, a leader is capable of finding a solution very quick. With their training, whatever she or he has learnt and their experience, leaders are able to solve problems and move on.

But when the situation is big, that is, when it turns into a crisis, responses are not so fast. In fact, the key for solving any crisis is patience and perseverance; patience, as crisis has its own development and we do have to wait until the right moment comes, and perseverance for the leader's insistence and courage to change circumstances. To solve a crisis you need time...

A crisis blinds people, making them incapable to see beyond the present moment. The leader is probably the only one who can still see the future of the organization.

However, it is not that difficult... Even though in terms of position you are not a leader, it is good and healthy to keep that vision in the background whilst you do whatever you have to do to deal with the present crisis.

• First thing is to remind the self of the meaning of working. When you remember its significance, it is easier to remember the future implications of any action and, although remaining in the present, visualizing the possible future.
• Change hope into reality. Once someone told me hope is only for weak people. That is not true; hope is good, it is healthy and it can keep you fighting for your life, if that is the case. The issue is some people use hope as an excuse for not acting. Do you have any hope amidst the crisis? Do something! Anything, even a small one will impact your life.
• Motivate yourself. When there is a crisis, it seems as dementors are everywhere, taking dreams out of your own breath. And, really, nobody will motivate you... It is the moment to look for motivation. Read. Listen to music. Watch something. Do things that make you believe you can overcome this, and you will do it.
• Support each other. Crisis sends people into conflict. I have seen as families can be broken because money is not there. Learn how to support each other, love each other even more and if you have to leave other people for some reason, keep in touch.
• DO SOMETHING... for others! Crisis can generate a kind of laziness in the soul. Yes, with crisis you lose your job or you are under pressure, too busy to do anything else, but it is one of the valuable things you can do is to help others. Being a volunteer keeps your mind clean and you can see a much brighter future as an effect of your work.

The inversion of the poles

As we come closer and closer to 2012, all the "end of the world" prophets start to awake from their slumber. One of the prophecies of the end of times is related to the inversion of the (magnetic) poles, which would cause a tremendous catastrophe.

Will that happen or not? It really doesn't matter, because, guess what, it is ALREADY HAPPENING!

Didn't you know? Let me see... I was just checking some news from Brazil, related to foreigners whose residence have been approved. For years, Brazilians have been a migratory people. We have been able to blend with other cultures, learning their language and way of lives in a very easy way. One of the main destinations have been Portugal, for obvious reasons starting from language and the fact that most of us have met Portuguese people, neighbors and shopkeepers, at some point in our lives, so we know a bit of the culture. Well, the poles are inverted... Portuguese is the main nationality in terms of requiring immigration status in Brazil now.

Not only that. While Spain, a traditional destination for Spanish-speaking countries like my home, Colombia, is in very bad shape, Latinamerica in general is getting better and better. So, just wait and see: those who have migrated to Spain are already coming back and in less than one year, Spaniards will start to migrate to our much warmer countries. Just a guess, but probably countries like Argentina, Peru and possibly Colombia will be a nice destination for them.

So, what to do? I think the wise thing for those of the first world is starting to learn a bit from the emergent countries on how to cope with the crisis.

The main challenge is probably the fact we ourselves do not understand exactly how we did it. For instance, everyday there are bad and good news about crisis in USA. So... if they are in crisis, only bad news should come from there, right? NO! During our worst crisis period, some parts of the economy were still growing.

It was remarkable how airports were full during periods of worse crisis in Colombia and Brazil. Perhaps, one sign was that there was few foreigners, mostly were native and flights leaving the country were full, whilst flying coming to the country were almost empty. But, crisis do not mean NOTHING IS HAPPENING. Crisis is there, but the money is also there, only it is in the, let's say, "wrong places".

Another example a friend of mine was giving me is related to the growth of make-up companies. He was saying on how during the worst crisis, Yanbal, one of the big companies in Latinamerica, has grown and he had the opportunity to train them. Asked why was that, he simply answered people were looking for jobs, so they needed to look beautiful.

The last thing is how we were able to overcome desperation. Religion and spirituality had lots of influence in that. During crisis, people not only prayed more, but they were more detached from material things and they were giving importance to the imperishable.

These small lessons will help those countries during these hard times, at least to understand what is going on. It will help those peoples to have a different approach towards life, more spiritual, more humane.