Last night I was in bed by 8 o’clock. I was knackered after a long but fabulous day. We used a new venue for our quarterly director meeting which meant getting there early, working out quirks, setting up tables and chairs, finding outlets, figuring out how a new projector works etc. Then a full energy meeting with a tremendous team. Getting together with our team is one of my favorite things to do. I get so much (learn, intuit, delight in) from them I have to remember that we are also here to work. At the end of the day my husband and I ran home in order for him to pack and get to the airport to fly to a presentation in LA. I got home from the airport drop off run and suddenly realized I was done for the day. I was in pj’s and finishing a cup of tea and some sourdough toast (the best comfort food) when I slumped in my chair. My daughter said “Mom, go to bed, I’ll lock up, take the dogs out and start the dishwasher.” Gratefully I shuffled back to my bedroom and piled into bed. I kind of propped up to read and wait until I got the word that the traveling one had safely landed and was en route to his hotel.
Everybody loves a good bedtime story.
My daughter peeked in to check on me and I invited her in to chat since I hadn’t seen her all day. This used to be a bedtime ritual with my own parents, to sit on their bed and talk about the day. I knew my husband was really part of the family when he joined us for these bedside chats. We hadn’t done this is such a long time I had nearly forgotten how delicious it was. We all have such different schedules. She told me about her call with her fiance and I told her about our meeting. After showing me some old photos she found in the garage (and having a good laugh at my 1980’s sunglasses and harem pants), she snuggled into bed and said after looking at the book I am reading “The Success Principles” by Jack Canfield, “What is principle 14?” I laughed and said, “I don’t know let’s look it up!” I proceeded to find principle 14 (#14 Just Lean Into It) and read a few paragraphs aloud. This quote struck both of us: “Leaning into it creates momentum.” She then said “What about #23?” (#23 Practice the Rule of 5) Now read #32! (#32 Transform Your Inner Critic Into An Inner Coach; Did you know the average person has 50,000 thoughts a day?) We continued reading aloud until the text arrived “Just landed!”. We were both sleepy now and said good night and repaired to our own rooms.
“What’s Success Principle #32?
This was the grown up version of reading “Good Night Moon” or “Madeleine”; a cosy, safe, loving way to receive big information about the world. In “Good Night Moon” we learn to stop at the end of the day and rest. In “Madeleine” we learn bravery, grace and to think boarding school was a missed opportunity. In “The Success Principles” we learn a list of principles gathered together from other successful people that could help me recognize and practice success. It seemed so simple. Not scary or overwhelming. This is all that is happening, I am reading myself a bedtime story of how to be brave and good and try again in the face of whatever the day brings. I realize I am actually already doing this. And what’t more, I am already practicing many of the principles of success without even realizing it. This book (and my month of extending love to the fear of success) bore its first fruit:
I noticed I am already practicing success
I realized this book is like any book of “How To”, it is handbook, guidebook, idea book and I-have-no-idea-what-to-do-next book. I read intensely, savoring the juice, taking notes. What last night’s bedtime story gave me was a way to treat the topic lightly, gently and with sweet kindness. It reminded me to do the same with myself. I loved just skipping around and reading the principles randomly and briefly. I needed this overview and didn’t even know it.
Next time you have something odious or overwhelming to get through read aloud to someone while propped up in bed in your pj’s I guarantee a perspective or two will shift. Maybe I should try my next director meeting in pj’s?
