A Small Shift In Your Lens Can Change Everything

Core Article: A Small Shift In Your Lens Can Change Everything

Paragraph I’m Pondering: “The most beautiful thing we can experience…”

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire: “I live in a universe of limitless supply…”

Book Review: The Alchemists by Paulo Coelho

Cool Stuff: Why are New Zealanders called “Kiwis”?

AI Info & Resources: How AI can transform your business…

A Small Shift In Your Lens Can Change Everything

Have you ever read a line from a book that stops you in your tracks like it’s quietly holding up a mirror?

That happened to me this morning.

Melody Beattie wrote, “Many times what we need isn’t a change of scenery, but a renewed vision of what’s already there.”

That line caught me, and it made me wonder: how often do we rush through our lives without really seeing what’s there?

You know, like you do a lot of the same routines every day, and it becomes so rote, you’re just going through the motions…

I look at this view as your lens, the one you use to see your work, your worth, and your world

What lens are you looking through right now as you read this? (Perfectionism, self-criticism, control, comparison, productivity, achievement, or present/presence lens?

And here’s the question that stopped me: How much do you measure your worth in steps, data (emails/messages, social media, etc.), and metrics in your life or businesses instead of simply being present?

It started at 5:00 a.m., when I realized I’d forgotten to put my FitBit on before bed. It was still charging on the kitchen counter, and for a moment, I felt this weird disappointment wash over me.

No sleep data, step count, and no heart rate or REM report.

Then I caught myself thinking, When did I become THIS person?

Interesting, right? How this type of dependency sneaks up on you. A quiet, technical attachment that somehow feels… normal.

And maybe you’ve felt it too, that little jolt when something doesn’t get measured, tracked, or “posted.”

When did our sense of accomplishment become so tangled up in proof?

It got me thinking about how much simpler life felt growing up when the phone was attached to a wall and no one could reach me unless I wanted them to. And when I actually had to go to the library to do research and/or find a book to read.

I’m not longing for the past. It’s more about looking at the now through your new “present/presence” lens, exactly what Melody writes about.

We have so much at our fingertips now, and that’s incredible if we stay mindful of how we use these tools, if we don’t let them run our lives.

I still need my thinking and feeling brain. Yet, it’s the observer, ME, that needs to run the show. Not the ego, or all those chemicals in my brain.

That means setting up healthier habits and giving myself grace when I slip, when the HALTS (hungry, angry, lonely, tired, and sad) moments creep in.

Last weekend was one of those days. Twenty-four hours of being ‘on’ with friends, storytellers, laughter. Loved it.

And yet afterward, after I got home, the critical mind showed up, as it always does, trying its best to ruin it.

I looked at pictures from that day with my storytellers’ group and saw an older woman looking back at me. Holy crap, that’s me.

For a second, I judged what I saw instead of remembering how it felt to be there, alive, sharing stories, and being connected to like-minded people.

What’s also interesting is that I hardly took any pictures at the storytellers’ event in San Francisco. Not even selfies.

I wasn’t behind a lens or a phone. I was just… there. Present and aware.

And then I thought, well, maybe this is the new me.

The one who’s in the moment, connecting, not worrying about capturing it all. The one learning to be okay with just being.

And maybe you’ve been there too, wondering who you are becoming now.

The part of you that still overthinks, and the part that’s finally willing to show up.

Then there’s the part that measures progress in numbers, and the other that’s learning to measure it in peace.

Maybe forgetting my FitBit was exactly what I needed. It’s not about tracking how many steps I take, it’s about noticing the ground beneath me as I take them.

Melody’s right. Sometimes we don’t need a change of scenery. We just need to take another look with another in-the-moment lens.

And in Soulful Marketing, as in life, that’s the work, isn’t it?

To stop chasing the next data point, being glued to the daily news, the next post, and instead notice what’s already working.

And trust that alignment and awareness in the moment are what truly connect us. It’s not data from a device.

So maybe today, instead of reaching for your phone first thing, grab your coffee, tea, or water and step outside. Notice the air, the sun, rain, or whatever fall weather shows up.

Maybe it’s time to adjust or change your lens to notice that the present moment you’re in, it’s still here and has always been here all along.

Hands at your back and know, I’m always here for you. Let me know how you’re doing. would love to connect.
🙂
Shannon

Paragraph I’m Pondering

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

~ Albert Einstein

Powerful Affirmations to Inspire

“My systems are aligned, my team is empowered, and my results are extraordinary.”
“I love all the miracles in my finances, and they arrive daily.”
“I trust in divine timing and release the need to rush.”

Book Review

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Cool Stuff

If you’ve ever wondered why New Zealanders are called Kiwis, then you know what to do…
How Gen Z consumers are redefining what it means to buy and what they are spending their time and money on
The magic pill that can repair internal injuries, hmmm.

AI Info and Resources

Time Magazine had an interesting panel of experts share how AI can transform business in ways we couldn’t have imagined until now.
This is kind of wild – Amazon is planning on replacing its workforce with robots. Ummm, sounds like it could end up like the movie Terminator –
This definitely isn’t a big shocker – how AI assistants are making widespread errors in reporting the news.

Weekly Photos

Don’t Halloween blow-up decorations just look kind of creepy and weird when they’re deflated? Or is that just me?
This is my favorite trail. I loved the views on the Sac Trail last weekend; the sky was cloudy, dark, and a little creepy. It actually made for a nice, cool, and empty walk. I think everyone was afraid of the drizzling rain.
One thing I love about going on the trail in the early morning is that I always run into a deer, and we both look like, dare I say it, “Deer in the headlights!” 😉
This sunrise was pretty amazing, seeing Shasta Bally, and I just love the reflection in the river. I have a larger pic that you might see in the coming weeks…
One of my favorite throwbacks of Emma in her chair, always wanting to know what was going on….
This was the view of Shasta Bally from my house on the same day.
This dead tree by the river, with all the clouds, made an interesting photo….

NEW: P.S. New Invitation – I’m going to launch my next Soulful Marketing Accelerator Co-hort in late January. 🙂 If you’re longing for like-minded community and ready to move through your fears to grow a purpose–driven business rooted in authenticity and aligned with your dream clients… Welllll. Go here to be first in line when I reopen the doors again. Would love to have you.

P.S.S. Whenever You’re Ready: Here are 3 Ways I can make an impact on creating greater success in your business using marketing that’s aligned with your mission and values without feeling like you’re selling your soul.

1. Make Money Now Sheet – It’s one of the bonuses in my 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. I wanted to give it to you for free to help you create more success.

2. Love Books Like I Do? – I’m always reviewing the best nonfiction books – Where Buddha Meets Business.

3. Get my proven 7-Step Soulful Marketing System. It gives you the framework you need to implement authentic and connected marketing using online customer experiences and launching your products, services, or courses. It will help you create greater success.

It’s a simple system, especially if you love to read like me. There’s no video or audio. Plus, you get my proven templates, tools, and worksheets, all with tremendous value. And I’m pricing it incredibly low so it can be more accessible to more people. 🙂

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