Self Sabotage Or Getting in Your Own Way As an Art Form

"We have met the enemy and he is us" Pogo CartoonThen, seemingly out of nowhere, people starting
Possumapproaching me and asking if I gave intuitive readings.
If you read that quote and thought, "Not me," then you"Well, yea," I thought, "but that is my secret." After all,
are in good company- including yours truly. "No waywhat self respecting business coach would give
am I undermining myself," I would have proudlyreadings? What would people think? What about my
asserted to you just a few short weeks ago. By thehard earned professional persona? Most of all, what if
way, that sound you hear right now is me laughing outpeople think I am one of those crazy psychics?
loud. The big drawback about being in your own way"It's a leap of faith," I heard. Oh great! One of those
is denial - I had no idea the red head blocking the pathleap-and-trust-the-net-is-there kind of life moments.
in front of me, was me!"Yuck!" I sighed out loud. And then I thought, "Well, I do
When I worked in Corporate America as an HRlove a challenge." So I agreed to say "yes" to the next
Executive I brought a wealth of HR knowledge andstranger who asked for an intuitive reading.
talent to the party but I joked to close friends that myIt happened almost immediately. Suddenly my phone
company really hired me as a psychic and didn't knowwas a-buzz with people who wanted my services. In
it. Much of the information I picked up about people anda matter of weeks my business doubled. I had been
situations that helped me excel at my job was givenafraid that people would run away from the crazy
to me intuitively. My accuracy rate was very high and Ipsychic. Just the opposite happened-people were
learned to trust that inner voice and inner knowing inrunning to me! The feedback has been amazing and I
my daily career decisions.know I am helping people step forward past their
Fast forward to starting my own business; the onefears and blocks.
thing I did not consider incorporating into building myHow ironic that the skill I relied on my entire
company was using my intuitive skills. I relied on all theprofessional life to propel me successfully forward
left brained skills I had acquired over time and intendedwas the one skill I was ready to dismiss when it came
to use this as the expertise I would offer to the world.to my own business. Now you know why I am
In spite of myself, I succeeded. I mean, I was coachinglaughing out loud.
clients and developing the New England HolisticSo what about you? Where are you getting in your
Chamber of Commerce but there was this ongoingown way? Hedging your bets? Playing it safe?
and sort of invisible struggle going on between me andCall to Action
my work. I didn't feel fully connected somehow and IMy loving challenge to you is to find one place in your
found myself working overtime - designing andlife where you are not being true to yourself and what
redesigning my services searching for the proverbialyou want and investigate what else might be going on
Holy Grail that would cause it to click and all fall intofor you.
place.Make some time just for you. Find a quiet place to "be"
Then one day, while I was fretting over my state ofand ask "where am I getting in my own way?"
discontentment with my business, I heard my innerAllow yourself to hear what you're telling yourself
guidance proclaim loud and clear, "use your intuition!"about this part of your life. Does your inner dialogue tell
Imagine my surprise and delight at hearing what Iyou are too old, too young, or too inexperienced?
thought was finally the answer I'd been looking for. IWhere and how are you being your own worst
interpreted that to mean I should teach other peopleenemy?
how to connect to their intuition. And so it did and I do.Open yourself up and pay attention to what floats into
And believe me, I get great joy from it and yet I canyour mind. I promise you there is more going on here
tell you in hindsight that was not the whole message.than you think. Just by asking the question and
"Use your intuition," I heard again. "Be all of who youremaining open to the possibilities will make room and
are." I was sure my connection was on the fritzcreate a shift.
because I swear, I didn't know (or want to know) whatLet the dance begin!
that really meant.