The Stone in Your Shoe

On a recent morning workout, shortly after beginning, I discovered a tiny stone in my shoe. It was smaller than a pea but try as I might, I simply couldn't ignore its tiny but persistent irritation. If you've ever experienced a similar situation you'll know that if you fail to stop and remove it, you risk a hole in your sock, a blister or other irritation on your foot. And even if none of those things happen, its presence comes at an even higher cost: the lost moment of pleasure or joy because you didn't address it and take action, and the energy you spent trying to ignore it.

There are dozens of examples that parallel that stone in my shoe. But if you're like me (and most other human beings) you've become really adept at ignoring the minor pain they cause until it becomes major. Could be the clutter on your desk. Could be you have something in your immediate work space that is unsightly or doesn't work properly. Perhaps it's the mountain of accumulated gum wrappers, empty water bottles and old receipts that threaten to blow out your car door everytime it's opened. Maybe it's the clothes that no longer fit, hanging in your closet (and taunting you) each time you open the door. Or perhaps it's an unpaid debt that it's high time you repaid.

I don't know what your "tolerations" are, but I do know most of them are costing far more than we realize. And I know that 95% of them are fixable and that the result of fixing or correcting them is ENERGY.

Imagine for a moment that every one of those "smaller than a pea" irritations carries with it a tiny corresponding energy drain. You get enough of them going on and eventually, no matter how hard you try, you seem to be going no where fast. Need an image to remind you of the paralyzing power of the small stuff? Remember the giant Gulliver, immobilized by a thousand tiny threads wielded by the miniature Lilliputians? That is what happens to all of us when we allow the little stuff to accumulate. Like the stone in my shoe, try as we might, eventually we simply can't ignore it any longer.

Almost every client I've worked with over the past 12 years as a professional coach has had at least a few nagging tolerations that need to be cleaned up. And time after time I've been witness to the power, energy and focus that comes about as a result of handling them. Now, imagine how much energy and freedom you would have available if you started cleaning up your tolerations.

This week I challenge you: look around and make a list of everything in your home, office or life that bugs you...even a tiny bit. Then make a crucial decision: continue to ignore the little things and feel your energy drain away a cup or a gallon at a time; or take decisive action to clear up, complete and handle them. The old saying is, "don't sweat the small stuff." But often it's the accumulated small stuff that's in the way of taking on the big stuff you want to do to create your "big fat great life!"

As we stand on the dawn of spring I can think of no better pre-spring ritual than to get the stone or stones out of your proverbial shoes. Make the list and get busy eliminating the little things that have kept you stuck. If you need support, find a coach, accountability partner or mastermind group to help you stay the course.

And as always, be gentle and encouraging with yourself, and enjoy the journey.

Quote of the Week:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost;
for want of a shoe the horse was lost,
for want of a horse the knight was lost,
for want of a knight the battle was lost.
So it was a kingdom was lost - all for want of a nail.


~~Old Proverb
Author Unknown

"Transforming Your Potential into Performance!"
Betty Mahalik, PCC Life & Business Coach, Trainer bettym@dynamic-coaching.com www.dynamic-coaching.com	Dynamic Solutions 5240 Mustang St. Las Vegas, NV 89130 tel: 702 658-4425 fax: 702 658-5802 mobile: 702 443-0175
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