Dreams Come Alive

People tend to ask me whether I prefer running programmes for children and youths or facilitating workshops for corporate executives. The short answer is both. I love the different challenges posed by the two groups and I get to polish my skills, techniques and ways of being. And importantly, I get to self facilitate through observation and reflection.

Primary school children are at that age where they begin to accumulate baggages. Their cognitive and emotional development allows them to give meaning to their experiences and they become more sensitive to the messages they receive from those around them. Unfortunately many develop beliefs that aren’t very useful in aiding their growth and they gather more references that encourage staying in their comfort zone. However they still possess an enormous propensity to be honest and authentic, and under appropriate guidance and safe coaching, it is this willingness to risk and trust again that permits a brand new start.

Adults, on the other hand, carry so much emotional and mental baggage that it leads to self-sabotaging behaviour. Weighed down and held back by our past experiences and emotions, we can be so entrenched in our beliefs and self righteous in our judgements, assumptions and expectations that we prevent ourselves from leading fulfilling and meaningful lives.  

So what can we do? The short answer is let go. Fully experience our experience - whatever is going through us – and then let it all go.

Look at babies and little toddlers. What do they do when they are feeling upset? They let the entire neighbourhood know through their banshee wails, shrill howls and ear splitting screams –  100% pure crying.  They do not worry whether or how they should be crying. Accepting their emotions completely, they let their feelings flow and then let them go. No holding back, no harbouring of ill thoughts and emotions.

So it can be with our successes and failures. Celebrate and commisserate; feel and flow; and then let them all go so we can create new experiences.

Babies and children are our best teachers. Learn from them and dissolve old thinking and habits.

Class in session!