Week 19 of the Hero’s Journey through the Master Key Experience and what I am learning about PRESENCE, PRESENTING, PRESENTS, and the power of a POWER POSE.
I am a “Do-er” and if I’m honest with myself, a workaholic. Production and organization and schedules have always been strong points in my life. And as much as I love spontaneity and laughter and fun, I something fall into the mindset that work comes first. When the work is done, then there will be time for spontaneity, laughter, and fun!
Yes, I know. The work is never done.
Mary and Martha
I’m reminded of the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha. When Jesus paid them a visit, Mary chose to sit at his feet, taking in every word he spoke, basking in his presence, while Martha chose to be a do-er, preparing food and actually resenting her sister for not helping. I play the part of Martha very well, doing, doing, and doing more, feeling resentful that I can’t rest, or play, or just be.
And so, today I draw a line in the sand and declare that I will spend more time as a human being instead of a human doing.
Which brings me to my own version of the four P’s :
- Presence (as in a state of being)
- Presenting (as in portraying)
- Present (as in a gift)
- The power of Posing
Presence (as in a state of Being)
What is my current level of presence? Am I indeed present and aware of my surroundings, or am I regretting something from the past or worrying about something in the future? Am I always in a state of DO, or do I specifically take time to BE?
It’s all about the presence we bring to the world. The presence of being our true self, without residue or cement covering our true nature. The presence of being who we are and were made to be, not who we think others want us to be.
From week one, we began with the Sit, which is all about getting quiet, seeking the silence, being present in our body and consciously directing our thoughts.
We learned to live by the compass and not by the clock. With the compass, we follow a direct path that we specifically designed through discovering our PPN’s (personal pivotal needs) and DMP (definite major purpose).
And with our current scroll from Og Mandino we are reminded to live each day as if it is our last: “Yesterday is buried forever… tomorrow lies buried with yesterday and I will think of it no more… This day is all I have… ”
Finally, in reading an obituary daily, we ask ourselves three things:
- What would that person give to change places with me and have just one more day?
- Who can I let know how grateful I am for their presence today?
- How will I behave today to finish the masterpiece of my life elegantly?
Presenting (as in portraying)
How am I presenting myself to the world and, to myself? Do I come across as Authentic? Confident? Enthusiastic? Kind? Loving? Passionate? Comfortable? Do these characteristics exist in the world, and in me?
A few weeks ago, we began the Franklin Makeover. Each week we take a virtue or value and each day, mark a dot when we recognize, relate, assimilate and apply that value – either in others or ourselves. It’s the path to identify, magnify and multiply (Law of growth), as awareness is the beginning of change.
One week as an entire class we focused on Kindness, and we continue to look for it and practice it each week, even as we move onto other values like enthusiasm, decisiveness, imagination, and courage.
As I become more aware of kindness and courage and enthusiasm in the world, I realize it is also within me. As I focus on that value for the entire week, I learn to present myself as that value. It was fun to present myself as enthusiastic! I felt amazing and energized and magnetic! People responded to me positively! I witnessed more smiles and excitement that week than usual!
Present (as in gift)
Am I withholding myself, which is a gift or present to the world? Am I living small? Or am I sharing my self, my gifts, my talents, my purpose, my message to the world. Am I shining my light, and in so doing give others the gift of permission to shine theirs?
We all have a gift, a present, to offer the world. If we don’t know what our gift is, we can’t give it away to the world. In the early stages of this course and in writing my DMP, an Awakening happened where I discovered that my true passion and purpose is to be a writer. I’ll go so bold to share with you my one sentence DMP:
I am a best-selling author inspiring people to live a life of
true health, love, laughter and freedom…
That’s a bold statement for someone who has not written her first book yet. But as I speak it, I feel IT! I feel the PRESENCE of it which shows up in the way I PRESENT myself to the world, offering my PRESENT (gift) of courage, enthusiasm, excitement, confidence, passion, comfort, authenticity.
Who am I not to step into this purpose, to answer the Herald’s’ call and take the Hero’s Journey, becoming all that I was created to be?
But stepping into our power and purpose can be scary. We don’t always feel confident in the beginning. So, we go about faking it. But instead of faking it until we make it, we fake it until we BECOME it!
Strike a Pose
This week Mark J introduced us to his victory pose, along with Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk, “Your body language shapes who you are.” We learned of the power in striking a pose to effect how others judge us as well as how we judge ourselves. If we pretend to be powerful we will feel powerful and we become powerful!
This idea of strike a pose made me immediately think of Madonna. Have you listened to the lyrics to Vogue lately?
When all else fails and you long to be something better than you are today…
Let your body go with the flow, you know you can do it…
Whether you choose a victory pose with arms up in the air in the shape of a V, or a wonder woman pose with hands on hips, we GET TO DO this fun activity of striking a pose for two minutes every day.
And as we strike our power poses and practice it daily we train our brain that we are victorious, we are powerful.
We are whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy!
With love, kindness, and gratitude,
Lori Ann
