When I started my entire business online over a year ago, I had no idea what I was getting into.
My initial vision was simple: post meditation courses online to help people find calm. Little did I know about the complexity of online marketing, integrating various technology platforms, copyrighting, website development and all the moving pieces that are requires to have a successful online business. I didn’t even know what a hashtag was. Each day, I felt my stomach in knots and the earth shake under me. I had no idea what I was doing. It all seemed harder and more complicated than I ever expected.
Today I still experience this.
My initial intention for my company was to see if it was possible to run a successful venture based on spiritual value and practice. Could I run a company with peace and joy in my heart? Could we serve others through our offerings?
Could I, as a leader, realistically practice mindfulness when I felt mired by technology and pressured by the demands of daily business?
I didn’t know the answers to all these questions.
There were moments that felt really stressful – you know, the opposite of zen.
But there was something powerful I could do: breathe in the moment.
This became my anchor for all the things I did not know how to do or how to navigate through.
There was probably no way I could have sustained the challenges of a start-up without my meditation practice. With every challenge, I would do my best to observe what was happening without taking it on or internalizing it. I would envision the difficult moments as temporary, passing by like clouds in the sky. Without this approach, I probably would have taken my challenges too seriously and easily felt defeated and demoralized.
Day by day, opportunities opened up and the right people came together. Now there are days where work is overflowing and overwhelming, but at least I know how to breathe through it and take care of myself. It has taken my practice to a whole, new level. I am learning how to integrate spirituality and business, and how to successfully walk in both worlds.
Every day, I affirm my intention to create with calm, passion and ease.
The key is to remember. You don’t have to know the whole picture or plan of your life. You only need the next step. Then the step after that. That’s when you’re really living in the moment. You can’t see the whole path in front of you, but just have enough – to get a sense of the next right thing.
At times the changes in our life are so pivotal, we have no idea how to navigate through it, but learning how to observe and witness the breath can be instrumental to all parts of our life. Meditation gives you the foundation of inner-calm to weather uncertainty and chaos when the ground is shaking under you. Because the truth is, life can be downright messy.
You won’t have all the answers. You won’t know if you’re doing it right. But you’ll have the ability to look inward and be guided from that place at any given time. It’s in those moments that you can find clarity and solace in any shifting situation. The more you practice, the better you’ll be at harnessing your ability to return to center where life appears more clearly.
Meditation enhances the quality of your life during good times and deeply resources you during the tumultuous ones.
