What to do?  Perhaps its time to take a closer look at starting your own business.

Small business is actually the backbone of America.

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA),  small firms generate 60% to 80% of all new jobs.  For almost every one of the last 10 years, the birth rate of small businesses has exceeded their death rate, while for large firms the death rate has been greater than their birth rate.

Small business expert and author Pat McHenry Sullivan has been counseling potential entrepreneurs for more than 15 years.  Through her workshops and individual consultations, she has helped hundreds of people write business plans which launched successful and satisfying enterprises.  I asked her assessment of the current economic times.  My questions are in bold; Pat’s answers are in italics.

Is this a good time to start a new business?

If you have the need now, and the passion now, and your products or services are needed now, then now is the time to do it.  Historically, many of the most enduring and profitable businesses began in an economic downturn. Starting to explore by writing a business plan can be valuable for 3 reasons: a) to see if your idea is feasible; b) to discover the best ways to turn your idea into reality, including having a clear vision of your market and how you can best serve them; and c) discerning whether or not you really want to follow your fully-fleshed business idea.  Also, if you start planning now, you will be ready to launch or expand when the economy improves.

Where is the opportunity in this chaos and suffering?

Right now, you can get terrific deals on work space, great employees, etc.  Friends, family, and potential business partners who are also unemployed have more time to brainstorm with you. And you may have more time to see more clearly who you are and what you want to do with you life now that you are free of the daily grind.

What is the new economic framework?  How is it different from the old which nearly brought the collapse of our whole economy?

A lot remains to be seen, especially if Obama can lead a return to solid regulation of the banking and financial industry.  Here are some trends that affect everyone:

• People are saving more, buying less, so you need to be much clearer about what you offer, who needs it, and how they will benefit from what you sell.
• People are more concerned with value they can see and touch
• People  want something they can trust — which means they want more authentic communication from you.
• Traditional small business lending is way down, though it might ease over the next year; creativity and resourcefulness are required to overcome minimal capital.
• People want more ownership in the economy; many are shifting from the larger banks to community ones.

What are the new rules that can rebuild our lives and the economy?

The more your business is anchored in your deepest values, the more solid—and successful—it will be. Here are some ways to do that:

• Cooperate more with others — e.g., build alliances with people you might think of as competitors; look for win-win solutions everywhere.
• Think respectfulness with clients and employees — this will draw and keep them with you, and not cause legal or other problems.
• Know and live your values in everything.  Do what you say, say what you do.
• Take full responsibility for your own choices.
• Build sustainability into your company.  Look for role models, support, and practical tips in the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE).

Are you intrigued but a little timorous?  There are lots of places to reach out for help.

Comments from Ellen:  The SBA website is full of useful information, including a basic business plan outline.  SCORE is a national association whose purpose is to help small business owners form and grow their businesses.  SCORE has 364 chapters in the U.S.; their volunteers have been involved in all aspects of business.

You can also reach Pat Sullivan, President of Visionary Resources, at: visionpat@aol.com, 510-530-0284.  Her free webinar, “Inspired Strategy: How to Turn a Vision into A Practical Plan,” given Feb 10 through the William & Mary Alumni Association, is archived at https://www.wmalumni.com/?Webinarhome.

This interview by Ellen Augustine, M.A., originally appeared in the Bedford Ohio Standard on January 29, 2010 and is reprinted with permission.  Ellen is a speaker and author on national currents and the emerging sustainable economy. She may be reached at ellenaugustine@earthlink.net, 510-428-1832, www.storiesofhope.us.

Comments!  Please add your tips, questions and resources.

The Olympics are about so much more than winning or the feelings that go into it.

For me it’s about doing one’s very best after many years of focused practice and extreme dedication. It’s about the ability to be centered enough to perform at one’s peak in front of the world watching. It’s about the drive and passion to be the best we can be at something and going after it. It’s about the ability to perform with precision despite any pain or obstacles that get in the way. And these lessons are applicable to all of us, including the spiritual practices that we can bring to our work, money and other important matters.

My friend Marilyn King was an Olympic pentathlon athlete. About 6 months before the Moscow Olympics she was in a bad car accident and was hospitalized for months. Rather than give up her Olympic dream, she watched videos constantly of other pentathlon athletes performing at their peak and very consciously visualized doing the same.

Although she only had a few months of actual practice time before the Olympics, she placed second. Her practice of visualization was a powerful tool of success.

Marilyn then applied her Olympian wisdom to peacebuilding and education in a process she calls Olympian Thinking.   Her formula is passion (source of energy and creativity), plus vision (crystal clear images of goal), plus action (everything I do in alignment with vision) equals exceptional human performance (ordinary people doing extraordinary things).

What lessons can we derive from the Olympics for the workplace?

1. Strive for excellence - Excellence doesn’t mean perfection, rather the ability to focus and care deeply about our work to do the best we can. Striving for excellence motivates us; striving for perfection is demoralizing. We all make mistakes, but the opportunity is to learn from them and not repeat them. Excellence takes time, hard work, patience, practice and commitment. It doesn’t mean settling for just good enough.
2. Vision - In order to excel in something, we need to be clear where we’re going, what we want to do well. What drives us? What are we passionate about? It’s hard to excel if our heart is not in what we’re doing. Find what has heart and meaning and go for it.
3. Ask for Help or Guidance – All Olympic athletes have coaches – people who work with them, oversee their training, encourage them and keep them on track. We can’t do it alone. If we don’t understand something or are confused or overwhelmed, we need to be able to ask for help or guidance. Consider hiring a coach or finding a mentor.
4. The 3 C’s – Courage, Creativity and Commitment – Athletes don’t make it to the Olympics by being wimps. It takes tremendous courage and commitment to stretch beyond their limits and practice over and over, even when they are exhausted, until they achieve their personal best. It takes creativity to keep trying new routines (ice skating), faster runs (skiing) or new strokes (swimming) until they discover the best, fastest and most creative they can be. Do you practice the 3C’s in your work?
5. Ensure you have the right practical tools - We can never excel if we don’t have the right tools for the job. If you have an older computer, not enough staff, outdated software, need for training, slow internet, etc, be sure you take steps to upgrade. Yes, these cost money upfront, but in the long run save you time and money and enable you to get the job done. Prepare a brief proposal to your boss and explain why upgrading makes sense. Don’t waste time with outdated tools.
6. Don’t forget your spiritual tools! This blog is filled with spiritual tools and practices that can be applied to any task.  Just click on the “Spiritual Practices” category near the bottom of the categories list.
7. Use visualization - See yourself doing what you love at your very best. What does it look and feel like? Remember how Marilyn King used visualization to help her succeed in the Olympics. Use it for yourself.

What is your passion? Your personal best? Where do you excel?

Are you using Olympian thinking to combine your passion with your vision and action to achieve your best? If not, try it.

In peace,

Kim

Kimberly Weichel is a social pioneer, educator, author and specialist in global communications, leadership and peacebuilding. She is co-author of “Healing the Heart of the World” and director of the Institute for Peacebuilding.  www.kimweichel.org.

So, how do you safeguard all your relationships in these economically trying times?

Firstly, make sure you are communicating.

As a couples therapist, I encourage my clients to be honest with each other about what is going on at work and with finances even if it is difficult. Many men struggle with the imperative “be a provider” and worry if their ability to “bring home the bacon” is threatened, then they are a failure. This is far from the truth, but if you hide your struggles from your partner, the fallout will be greater than some feelings of shame.

Have you ever hidden money problems from your partner? It’ll bite you.

At work, communication is just as important.  Nothing is worse than not knowing what is going on.  Ask questions and don’t spread rumors.  Keep each other up to date without exaggerating or being a worrier.  Stick to the serenity prayer.  Meditate.

Next, work as a team with your partner.

This is not the time to bury your head in the sand and let your loved one take care of it all. Get aware of what is coming in, what is due, and what is saved. That way you and your partner can make sound decisions. Ask each other for opinions or ideas; you never know what another point of view will bring to the table. Respect your partner with the belief they truly can function as a partner.

Team spirit isn’t just for cheerleaders and sports in school.  At work, a sense of shared commitment and direction will help you and your co-workers weather tough times- even financial.  If anyone feels alone, hung out to dry, or disconnected, you’ll lose out on important support.  Help create team spirit even if your bosses don’t:  talk up the mission, the real goals, and what you see as truly important about what you all do.

How else can you help each other pull through financial strains?

Support your partner and ask for support even if it is difficult. Both of you are probably stressed about the whole deal; this means you can empathize. It also means there are times when you speak and times when you listen. I have a couple who both are struggling- her customer numbers have fallen, and his venture business is not taking off. Sometimes she needs to talk, to just have him listen- he’s recently learned how important this skill is, and he’s practicing. In return, she has learned to not constantly bug him about his business and what he’s doing about it; she realized he’s working hard and can’t control it all. Both of them are creating healing moments with these decisions, and it helps them get through.

The same is true at work.  Sometimes your coworkers need to talk to be heard, other times they need feedback and suggestions.  Make sure you clarify your role in the discussion.  If you need either of these things, make sure your listener knows your expectation.  I do also suggest you stay away from constant griping and sniping; they both sap the spirit and energy out of you.  If you find yourself (or another person) falling into the snipe/gripe trap, ask, “What are you going to do to change what you can about it?”

What is the number one thing you can do?

Realize the finance climate is affecting all of you. Be kind to one another, support each other, give encouraging words to partner and colleagues, and hug your partner often.

Today’s courageous work:

1.    Talk with your partner about finances. Make sure you both are clear where you stand and what the plans are (current and backup.) Ask each other what each wants in relation to money problems (ideas, plans, an open ear.)
2.    Create a sense of positive energy and team spirit in your workplace with open communication, good listening, and a lack of snipe/gripe.
3.    Communicate, be a team, support one another, and realize you all are affected.

Kim Leatherdale LPC is the Happy Couple Expert.  She regularly shares easy tips and useful information  at http://creatingrewardingrelationships.blogspot.com/

She also offers video, phone, email, and in-office counseling sessions for couples and individuals; contact her via her blog profile.  Follow her on Twitter- HappyCoupleXprt- for fun quotes and hints.

Even when I was very young, I knew that my dad had gone successfully through several huge ethical fogs.  Several years before Dad met my mom, he turned down an unethical but lucrative job at the height of the great depression.  When I was just six months old, he blew a whistle on his powerful embezzling boss, a college president. Four years later, soon after Dad’s testimony helped send the boss to jail, Dad turned down another lucrative but unethical job at a social service agency.

As a child, of course, I didn’t understand the full impact of these stories. As an adult, I got enough details about whistleblowing and its impact to fill a book.

In the end, Dad’s only regret  was that no one had stopped the president when the wrongdoing was small, by saying simply, “No, Dr. Meadows, you can’t do that.”  Over the years, I also learned a lot about the stress of Dad’s whistleblowing on our family, and I healed.

What was left after the forgiveness and healing were some very powerful life lessons in basic integrity.  May they also serve you.

Integrity Tip 1:  Discover And Strengthen Your Integrity Signals

Each of us has a set of unique signals that let us know when we’re in or out of integrity, whether we call those signals our North Star, our touch stone, our inner compass.  Or my favorite, which I learned in Dad’s shop, the level and plumb which have helped carpenters build on true and on the level for over 5,000 years.

For Dad, moral disgust was visceral, like the feeling of being kicked in the gut when he realized what that his boss was embezzling. We once talked about the feeing of moral uplift — that warm feeling you may get in the upper chest in the presence of goodness–or the quiet buzz I sometimes get in the upper back, when you know things are on true or on the level.

Integrity Tip 2: Feed and Exercise Your “Integrity Muscle”

Dad often got integrity guidance from intuition or memories.  The first time Dad was offered an unethical job, he was helping to tear down an old, unsafe bridge when the boss offered to cut him in on a deal to paint the old parts to look like new, then underbid other contractors on a job in another county.

Standing along on what was left of the old bridge, Dad felt a moment of temptation.   “With so many people going bankrupt,” he thought, “you could even help your mama buy the farm she’s always wanted.” Just then a Canada goose flew close by.  It eyeballed Dad and seemed to say, “You know you’re got to do the right thing.”

For the first time in his career, Dad lost his footing. As he scrambled for balance, he imagined crashing onto the rocks below, then being swept down the rapids to death or severe injury. That’s when he remembered Psalm 121, which he had memorized as a child:  “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help is in the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

The psalm then promised that God would not allow him to stumble or fall, that he would be guarded from evil, “both now and forever.” That helped him regain his footing and affirm his refusal to be part of corruption.

Integrity Tip No. 3:  Don’t Stand Naively Alone When You It’s Your Turn to Speak Out

Dad was lucky to have the support of several other faculty members who also blew the whistle.  A local politician connected him to the State Bureau of Investigation, and after the third try, he got the support of a great lawyer to protect himself. Dad also prayed a lot.

Whistleblowers have a lot more support today, starting with the Government Accountability Project (www.whistleblower.org). If Dad were speaking out today, he could benefit from a great therapist who understands how to alleviate stress.

And if you don’t already know how to document key information, get an attorney to teach you what you need to record and how to do it.  Assume that once you’ve spoken out, people who now seem like friends may be offered huge incentives to deny what they now admit is the truth. So get that truth in writing, before you go public.

Integrity Tip No. 4:  Don’t Take on Too Much.

Too many whistleblowers become obsessed with fixing the whole problem, winning a personal vendetta or being a martyr.  I grew up with inflated notions of all I thought I had to do to live in integrity, given my idealized image of my father.

My best ally here has been Rhena Schweitzer Miller, daughter of my lifetime hero, Albert Schweitzer.  While interviewing her once, I got the image that it’s possible to wear a powerful parental legacy or a calling as lightly as one wears a chiffon scarf.  Another ally is my minister, Rev. Dr. Patricia Keel, to seek guidance on what is mine to do, what is not.  To the extent I have courage to do that which really calls me and ignore my ego’s demand that I do something grand, I’m more likely to be in integrity.  I also get to have a great life while doing what’s I know to be right, because part of being in integrity is being whole and true to myself.

So what about you?  What stories and resources help you know, stay in or return to integrity?  What tips can you offer from your life or role models?

As always, many blessings

Pat McHenry Sullivan

Almost all the people I told about the writing gig made what they thought was a joke:  “Whistleblowers?  Oh, you mean ratters? Snitches?  Stool pigeons?” Given my father’s story, and given the 95-5 odds that my mother’s early death from a rare illness was caused by the FDA’s lack of attentiveness to under-reported side effects of a popular prescription drug, it’s amazing I didn’t do bodily harm to those jokers.

Today, it’s still considered okay to slander whistleblowers, then wonder why more people don’t speak out to warn us about fraud, waste or abuse.  And there are many who are so focused on not being “negative thinkers” or buttinskies or poor team players that we become complicit in all types of wrongdoing.  Fortunately, there are a whole bunch of resources to help you tell truth to power and thrive and/or to support those who dare to speak on your behalf.

Why We Must Love Whistleblowers At Least Enough To Support Them

Think the only people who suffer when whistleblowers are quashed or retaliated against are just the whistleblowers, their friends or families (if they have friends or family who still speak to them after all the retaliation some suffer)?

Think again.  Since caveman times, we’ve needed people to warn us about fraud and dangers in our food, water supply, and protective services.  Today, as we rely on more goods and services from people we will never meet, we need whistleblowers even more.

If we don’t stop routinely ignoring or putting down people who expose wrongdoing, we just won’t have safer streets.  Safer medical care.  Safer economy.  Safer everything.

Imagine how many people would still have their homes and jobs if early truth-tellers about the housing bubble, Enron wrongdoings and Bernie Madoff were heeded and honored by groups that were supposed to be watching out for us, like the SEC?

Truth-Telling is a Basic Spiritual Practice

Almost every Old Testament Prophet story reports how scary it is to heed that call of “You want me to go where?  And say what to that powerful tyrant who has the power to kill me or at least make my life miserable?”

In those stories are also the wisdom that we just can’t evade the call to speak out sometimes.  Even if, like Jonah, we try to run far, far away.

Speaking out is also part of our spiritual call to be there for each other, to get each others’ backs,  so to speak. As Pastor Martin Niemoller put it in his famous Anti-Nazi poem,  “…Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.  Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

An Overdue Celebration of Whistleblowers from the Government Accountability Project.

Last night the Government Accountability Project (GAP), Participant Media and the Paley Center for Media live-streamed a powerful program, “Anyone Can Whistle” featuring 8 whistleblowers.  Among them were Frank Serpico (the NYC cop who was left for dead when he dared expose police corruption), Daniel Ellsberg (whose disclosure of the Pentagon papers exposed deceit over how the government handled the Vietnam War), Kit Foshee (who alerted us to the use of ammonia in beef products which was supposedly going to get rid of salmonella), and Coleen Rowley (Time Magazine’s 2002 “Person of the Year” after exposing intelligence breakdowns before the 9/11 attacks).

To see the archived presentation, go to the GAP website. Then please check out the whole site. Actively support whistleblower protection legislation.

Needed: Training In Effective Truth-telling

Don Soeken has often said that a big problem is that while we are taught to tell the truth, we’re not taught how to do it — though we are taught to fear being called a tattletale. He’s done a great service by supporting whistleblowers in many ways and providing tips for effective whistleblowing.

Coming tomorrow, the integrity training I got from my dad’s whistleblowing experiences.  Coming next week, tips and ideas from a prominent attorney who helps companies flourish by making integrity and civility a touchstone of the corporate culture.  Please join us!

In the meantime, please add your comments below.  How do you blow a whistle on wrongdoing respectfully, in small situations or larger ones?  How do you avoid it?  What tips do you offer for how to support whistleblowers?

As always, many blessings,

Pat McHenry Sullivan

Since that interview, Elizabeth has written The Compromise Trap: How to Thrive at Work Without Selling Your Soul. The spirituality and work movements have grown along with a movement towards socially responsible business or conscious capitalism.  Still, simple, compelling pictures of what it’s like to do ordinary work with meaning and joy are still fairly rare.  That’s why I’m excited by the new TV show, “Undercover Boss,: which puts CEO’s into entry level jobs throughout their company, with a fake identity and a real quest to see what’s really happening.

When Employers and Employees Care About What They Do, We All Benefit.

Probably the biggest blessing any employer could give is to be fully acknowledge employees, as President and COO Larry O’Donnell of Waste Management did when he demonstrated a willingness to learn from his employees and to honor them during the launch of “Undercover Boss” on CBS.

While there was not a “religious” word spoken in this show, I saw in it a great model of the basic Buddhist practice of mindfulness, the Muslim practice of creating no split between what you do in the marketplace and what you do in your religious life, the Jewish and Christian practices of compassion and service, and the Hindu practice of engaging fully with any task but surrendering the results to God.

7 Spiritual Practices Demonstrated by the First “Undercover Boss”

No, none of these principles was stated in the show, but they’re what I saw in action:

See The Truth, Then Live By It, That You May Be Free. In business, truth is often hard to come by, because most managers are surrounded by spin doctors and “yes” men or women who only say what seems currently expedient.  Also, rarely do all of us see others without projections or fear, or a quick dismissal because they don’t seem to offer us anything at the moment — which leads to the power of the next tip.

Bless Others By Acknowledging And Appreciating Them As They Are. As many workplace surveys have found, a top yearning for many employees is simply to be seen, acknowledged and appreciated. When they get this from their employers, their morale naturally soars and stress diminishes. Often, productivity also soars — as was reported at Waste Management in the follow-up section of the show.

Open Your Eyes To The A Workplace Full Of Spiritual Allies. O’Donnell was blow away by the gifts and commitment in his own employees.  As I discovered during a hard time when my husband was out of work and we were dealing with three fatally ill family members across the country, workplace spiritual allies are everywhere, at every level of the corporate ladder.  I learned from such expert practitioners of acknowledgement and appreciation as receptionists and mailroom clerks that simply acknowledging and appreciating others is a deliciously satisfying practice.

Put Your Values Into Action. A huge value for O’Donnell is workplace safety, because his daughter was brain-damaged after a doctor failed to follow proper procedure in a routine medical procedure. That led his vow only to work for or run companies that take safety seriously.

See And Take Responsibility For The Impact Of Your Actions On Others. O’Donnell was shocked to see how badly his productivity policies impacted employees.  As CEO, he had the power to change hurtful policies, and he did.  We of lesser status in smaller companies always have the option to notice how we affect others for good or ill, as the Iriquois say, “to the seventh generation.”  We always have the option to be more socially or environmentally responsible, to be more kind to others, to tell the truth more.

When Life Hands You S__t, Laugh and Deal With It! At Waste Management, some employees literally have to work with human waste.  Fortunately, O’Donnell was taught to deal with it from a master, Fred the potty mentor.  If you don’t think of laughter as a spiritual practice, remember the proverb that a merry heart is healing for you and everyone around you.

Whatever Your Work, Do It With Caring And Integrity. Or, to paraphrase Khalil Gibran, allow love to take form and be seen through your work.  Or as people of many faiths say, through our work in the world, whatever our work,  we are God’s hands and feet.  So work as if we worked for God or another beloved.

What spiritual practices do you now quietly, and without fanfare, engage at work?  What else could you discover if you also shed your usual workplace personal and simply saw it afresh with new eyes?

Please comment below and, as always, many blessings,

Pat McHenry Sullivan

It happened on a beautiful day at a beautiful place.  A five-year-old created a snowball and threw it gently at her mom, who was talking on a cell phone, ignoring her child. But mom did notice when the snowball landed at the feet of a stranger (causing absolutely no harm), and Mom did stop talking on the phone long enough to screamingly humiliate the child. Then she went back to ignoring the child and talking on the phone. 

What Are We Called to Do When We Witness Abuse?

As Indrani shared the incident with our twice-monthly coaching support team, she was enraged.  “How fast they grow up and go away!” she said.  How much she wanted to grab that clueless, uncaring (at least in that moment) mother and yell, “Get off the !@##$% phone!  Notice your child!  Play with her!”

But Indrani said nothing, honoring the bounds of politeness.  Worse, Indrani was concerned that if she said anything to the mother, that mother would be enraged and take it out on the child.

Within moments, as our cross-country group met by phone, Indrani had been encouraged to create a blog post and a Twitter campaign to call parents to get off the phone and be with their children.  Join us!

It’s possible nothing huge will come from Indrani’s campaign.  But then it might open up a dialogue on how we can all create the  kind of caring safety net that supported those of us who grew up in extended families or in a small town.  Because we knew if we acted out, anyone across town had the right to call us on it and would probably inform our parents, we got the message that our town was full of mamas and dads dedicated to helping everyone’s kids grow up as kind adults.  We also knew that if we needed help away from home, it was no further away than the nearest adult. And moms and dads knew all the other adults had their back.

Stopping Abuse and Creating Kind Safety is Everyone’s Job

Recently, I wrote some tips on how adults can stop being bullied or harassed on the job, based on years of summarizing hundreds of depositions while working as a paralegal in the employment law field.   Last week, I had been drawn to watch the most recent edition of Undercover Boss because of the promo that showed the Hooter’s CEO witnessing an act of insulting abuse by a manager to a group of employees.

Fortunately, the show also depicted how the boss dealt with that abuse directly and compassionately.  The moment was priceless as the camera faced head-on a temporarily clueless manager who was being called on his misdeed.  It also showed his growing realization of what he had done wrong, then his opportunity to right it and keep his job.

How Much We Need Examples of Compassionate Confrontation!

My dad, who blew a whistle on his embezzling boss when I was just a baby, suffered greatly from retaliation and the pain of watching his beloved college — where he had met my mother and had taught for years — be consumed first by the widespread denial that there was a problem and then by fighting among those who wanted to cover up the problem versus those who wanted to face it.

It took many years, but my dad eventually forgave the president. His only regret was that no one had stopped the president early on by saying, “No, Dr. Meadows, you can’t do that.”  Corrective action could have been simply taken, and Dr. Meadows could have known he had caring watchdogs, so he could have finished his career with retirement and time for grandkids, not jail.

Indrani’s “put down the telephone and be with your kids” crusade is hopefully just the start of a major dialogue.  How do we speak up and speak out with compassion both to protect others from abuse and to call the abuser back into fellowship?  And how can each of us learn to accept compassionate confrontation, not fear and run from it?

Please add your thoughts and resources with a comment below.

Many blessings,

Pat McHenry Sullivan

Flow is the opposite of what happens when get stuck in problems that beget more problems. For me, the opposite of flow is like a downward spiral that can worsen when I respond to problems by getting in a bad mood.  This irritates my family or colleagues, which makes me feel worse. My tension and irritability inhibits my ability to solve the original problems, because I can’t think clearly and make good decisions.  When I relax and get back into the flow, however, I am actually more productive!

Sound familiar?

The flow state is when we are totally immersed in what we are doing NOW, not thinking about results or time or outcome.

All we have to do to remember how much flow could be a part of everyday life is to watch children at play. We too can be in the flow as we paint, play music, or write a story.  Flow can happen over a fun family dinner, while spending quality time with friends, or taking a long walk in nature.  It can happen when we do work we love or  do any work with love.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi,  a psychologist who has spent decades studying the state of being he calls “flow,” says that, “The flow state is accessible to everyone … and can occur at any level of skill, and is in fact necessary for real enjoyment of life beyond simple pleasure-seeking. We really don’t get much out of the passive consumption of pleasure, compared to enjoyment which is much more active and creative and self-directive.”

Being in the flow can happen when we are really engaged in our work, when we bring our creativity and aliveness into it.

It can happen when we have lunch or a conversation with work colleagues and really get to know them as if for the first time. It can happen when we believe in what we’re doing and we know our work makes a difference in people’s lives.

Most of my personal examples of being in the flow at work revolve around team projects. I love the excitement that is created when we begin our group brainstorm, then see how it evolves as roles are defined and our plan is established, as we check in with each other, support others as needed, and end up with a product we can all be proud of. None of us could have done this alone.  I usually (not always) feel closer with my team members at the end of the project.

How do we best achieve flow?  Here are my favorite tips:

1. Have an open mind, be curious and open to possibilities, awe and wonder.  If you have forgotten how to do this, imitate how a baby watches the world.
2. Put your full self into what you do and how you do it. Trying to get by is not a way to achieve flow. Nor is doing the same thing over and over because it’s easy.
3. When something doesn’t go the way you hoped, stay flexible. Accept bad things gracefully, rather than resist them.  Otherwise, says a common spiritual principle, what you resist will persist.  As you accept and work with what is, you can soon flow naturally into enjoyment and fulfillment again. I love the John Denver song that goes “All this joy, all this sorrow, all this promise, all this pain, such is life.”
4. Tap into your innate knowing and creativity. Don’t limit yourself by saying “Oh, I’m not creative”, “I can’t write”, “I can’t ……………”  Just start acting as if you believed you were creative, and soon you will be creating.
5. Give yourself permission to have silent time, get lost in your thoughts, experiment.  This is where our inspiration and creativity comes from. When we stop trying to multi-task,  we can be more present to right here, right now.

Ask yourself, when are you normally in a state of flow? What takes you out of it? How can you achieve greater flow in your life? Wishing you many opportunities to be in the flow.
Enjoy,

Kimberly Weichel

Career confusion is one key sign that you need a true vision from your heart and soul. That means you need something more than a goal set by someone else or even a brilliant idea that you activate before you discern whether or not it matches your true needs, dreams or desires.  You need a clear, compelling vision that’s anchored in current reality and leads you to your most fulfilling future.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll feature practical tips and tools for being the visionary you were born to be, particularly around your work, money dealings, and spiritual life.  Now, here are some key signs for how all this can be useful to you.

7 Symptoms of Limited Vision

1.  When you meet a goal (or even spend a lot of time and energy on it without meeting it), you realize you really don’t like the results or what you have to do to meet that goal.

2.  You feel burnt out while following your supposed dream.  Your pain goes beyond the kind of tiredness that can be eased with rest, exercise, proper nutrition or fun with others.

3.  You’re either closed to new possibilities or always feel like you have to create something new  and different.

4.  You suffer from a dearth of ideas or feel overwhelmed by them.

5.  You have a habit of falling for (and being betrayed by) the wrong partner, employer, financial plan, etc.

6.  You tend to be so pessimistic or you are so perpetually optimistic that you fail to notice opportunities or problems in time to deal with them effectively.

7.  You can only meet your goal by significantly harming yourself, others or the earth.

7 Benefits of Being the Visionary You Were Born to Be

Each one of these benefits actually reverses the key symptoms above!

1.  The process of building a vision is in itself energizing and enlightening.  Whether you meet your original goal or you discover new ones, you grow.

2.  You meet challenges with grace and resilience.  Because your vision is purposeful and meaningful, burnout just isn’t an issue.

3.  You welcome insight from all sources (e.g., intuition, imagination or even “out of the blue”), whether they are groundbreaking or tried and true.

4.  You are always entertaining new possibilities, but you’re so clear about what you’re called to do that your mental “find” tool can quickly wade through mounds of data and find the information that’s just right for you.

5.  Your sharp discernment skills and boundaries lead you toward what’s right for you and away from what’s not.

6.  You are aware of dangers and opportunities, not stuck in fear or illusion.

7.  Integrity in all its meanings — honest, just, on true with yourself and on the level with others- – is your basic bottom line. Meeting your goals enriches the lives of yourself, other humans and creatures, and the earth.

What can you add to either list?

As always, many blessings, Pat McHenry Sullivan

Today, the best most new businesses get from the bank is not a loan but the advice to start a business by bootstrapping.  But what if your bootstraps are kind of puny?  If just can’t get enough from your credit cards, your savings, your family, friends or any payout you got when you were laid off?

Out of Oakland and Berkeley, CA come some powerful insights from one of the best bakeries anywhere and from a local law firm that focuses on sustainable, socially responsible businesses.

Arezmindi Bakery:  How It Launched with Minimal Capital a Few Years Ago and Last Year Increased Profits in a Down Economy

Arizmendi has an unusual business structure.  In this worker co-op, everyone makes the same income (currently almost $20/hour), depending on profitability, plus a share of last year’s profits (which could add $3-10 more per hour) plus great benefits.  Because everyone is responsible to make the business work, and  all voices are heard, the quality of the goods are superb.  So is customer service.

Arizmendi was inspired by the popular Berkeley, CA business, the Cheese Board, which helped launch Arizemendi.  Cheeseboard staff trained the first Arizmendi staff, shared recipes, and even passed on used equipment. That, plus a lot of old-fashioned elbow grease, helped them get off the ground in the cooperative model, which bankers don’t understand or appreciate.

For a full article on the Arizmendi success story, see /www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/running-a-business-with-26-ceos/Content?oid=1577035.

Are Investors Your Best Small Business Finance Model?

If you’re careful and creative, you might generate plenty of money for your small Main Street business by seeking investors.  But before you imitate Wall Street, Oakland attorney Jenny Kassan of the Katovich Law Group  suggests you be very careful to avoid inadvertently running afoul of state or national securities laws. Contrary to popular belief, securities laws can apply even if someone lends you money for your business, even a small group of local investors who want you to succeed.

Katovich suggests four options for raising funds that don’t require extensive, expensive securities-compliance work.

• Form a cooperative.
• Get donations.
• Sell memberships.
• Pre-sell a product.

For more about funding pitfalls, plus tips and examples of the four options above, see Kassan’s article, “How to Raise Money But Not Break the Bank.”

How to Tap More Creative Ideas from Oakland and the Rest of the East Bay

Oakland, CA and the rest of the cities on the east side of the San Francisco Bay are a hotbed of creative innovation, with a focus on green and socially responsible businesses.

A local free weekly, the East Bay Express,  just launched a new monthly small business issue containing the two great articles mentioned above.  (Full disclosure — I’m one of many small business owners in the area to advertise here.)

Stick with this blog as we explore more about the socially responsible and green businesses.  If you just can’t wait, check out three more of my favorite East Bay resources:

Sustainable Business Alliance: a great model for getting together with fellow green wizards in your area.

East Bay Green Tours, a mind-blowing experience of what can happen when businesses, local government, entrepreneurs and social organizations unite to create a thriving “Green Corridor.”

The Hub Bay Area, a recent addition to a fast-growing international network of gathering places where people with ideas gather to make those ideas happen — and have fun!

As always, many best wishes for your successful, creative work.

Pat McHenry Sullivan