Posted on November 30, 2009 by Karin in Life coaching
So, what is What Lights You Up all about? What does it mean and how can it improve your life?
Basically, discerning what lights you up is the ability to read your own, or someone else’s, aliveness.
Do you remember when you learned how to read? I don’t know what impact this had on your life, but for me a whole new world opened up. All of a sudden I could open a book and delve into adventures and mysteries that were unavailable to me before. Instead of being trapped in a small village in the Black Forest I was able to visit other countries, meet new friends with strange but fascinating cultures, and experience different times and foreign worlds. It was pure bliss and changed my life forever.
The same is true when you discover the skills of reading aliveness: A whole new world opens up. Instead of relying on the spoken word to understand someone, you now have the perception to read between the lines and to pick up on clues that you did not realize before. This gives you a much deeper understanding, not only of who a person is, but also who that person wants to be.
I would even go to the extent and say that reading someone’s aliveness can tell you their life purpose and dreams. It is very powerful.
Why is this important? Imagine you are a parent trying to help your child in making an important decision about her future. Wouldn’t it be helpful to read your child’s innate intelligence and understand her on a deep level rather than trying to figure out conceptually what steps she should take? It will mean the difference between you convincing your child of what you think she should do or guiding her to do what’s in her heart.
Or, imagine you are giving a speech. Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in what you had to say that you lost your audience in the process? Being able to read a group of listeners can help you to stay connected and keep your content fresh.
I find that the ability of reading aliveness is the ultimate service. It enables you to support others in finding and following their dreams. Learning the craft isn’t hard. Instead of listening with your ears you learn to listen with your senses and your heart. Once you know the difference, all it takes is practice.
Exercise:
The first step in reading aliveness is observation.
I posted the pictures of five people below. Look at the faces and observe what you see. What is the expression of each face? How are they different? What emotions do you see?
To help you, I posted a list of possible visual clues. If you prefer, come up with your own ones. Be as objective as you can and avoid making interpretations.
For example, in picture 1 you can observe big open and curious eyes, rosy cheeks, a fuller lower lip, calmness, and a very balanced face. An interpretation would be the statement that this is a happy baby. We can’t know that. You can see happiness in someone’s eyes, but you can’t really know how the person feels.
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Some observation clues:
Calmness
Beauty
Excitement
Softness
Fear
Hesitation
Frustration
Dissatisfaction
Inspiration
Balance
Pleasure
Curiosity
Tiredness
Unfocused
Disappointment
Disinterest
Enthusiasm
Openness
Trust
Approachable
Anger
Distant
Boredom
Determination
Happiness
Wonder
Direct
Intent
Sadness
Unbalanced
Depression
Worry
If you feel courageous, step in front of a mirror, relax your face and observe your own expression. What do you see in your face?
Hope this little exercise is helpful to you in getting a start at reading aliveness and getting a deeper understanding of yourself and others. Please let me know if you have questions about the process. I am happy to help.
Photo Source: apdk via Flickr under a Creative Commons License
Sometimes what we want is not what we need to be happy.
A few years ago a client came to me and told me that what she wanted most was a relationship. She was very successful in running her own business and somehow the romance department had been taking a back seat.
After starting to work with her, one thing got very clear very fast: It was not the prospect of being in a relationship that excited her but the idea of taking a break from her business. She had been working in a high pressured industry for many years and was exhausted. As many of us would do in a similar situation, she was looking for relief and having a relationship seemed like a good distraction from the pressures she was experiencing.
What she didn’t realize was that not having a man in her life wasn’t causing the stress. Her business was.
Now I was curious to find out what she really wanted. From experience I knew that there was something that would bring the spark back into her life and most likely it was not what she thought it was.
After probing her with a few questions I finally asked, “If you could do anything at all, regardless of your business or your life right now, what would you do?”
She took a deep breath and said “I would spend some of my time in Europe.” Bang! She looked at me with some hesitation and a lot of curiosity. Would I buy it, or would I tell her what she had been telling herself, that this was not a good idea?
“Tell me more,” I asked and it was the beginning of her new life. She started talking about what really mattered to her: Spending more time away from her business and doing some of the things she loved.
The next day she booked her ticket to Europe. She stayed for two weeks and went back four more times during that year. And, what was most astonishing to her, her business kept thriving. On one of her flights back to LA she met her present husband, a wonderful man from Europe who happens to live in Southern California.
Life goes in mysterious ways once we let it.
Action Step: To find out what it is you want (or need), pay attention to what brings you alive! Instead of looking for answers in your head, look for what lights you up. In my experience, it works every time. Your subconscious knows what you need to be happy. Trust it.
… I beg you … to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in every foreign language.
Don’t search right now for the answers, which could not be given you, because you would not be able to live them.
And the point is, to live everything.
Live the questions now.
Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without ever noticing it, live your way into the answers.” –Rainer Maria Rilke
I am excited to present my new group coaching event! In Only 6 Weeks You’ll Find Out What Your True Gifts Are!
WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP?
Powered by Karin Manske
Find Your Life Treasure, Discover Your Gifts, And Start Living Your Dream!
Are you spending your life the way you are meant to?
Do you wake up each morning excited to get to work, doing what you love?
Or, are you still waiting and hoping for someone to magically show up and tell you how to be happy?
If so, you are not alone!
I DECLARE IT’S TIME YOU GO ON A TREASURE HUNT!
Did you know that you have unique ‘birth’ gifts that set you apart from everybody else in this world?
Are you aware that these very special qualities make up your passion and that discovering them is essential in finding your happiness?
And, even if you don’t know ‘what lights you up’ right now, your gifts are there, ready to be found.
So, let’s go on a treasure hunt … and find those hidden gems, polish them so they can shine your light in the world and bring happiness to you and the people around you!
What? You don’t have time? You are too busy taking your kids to school, putting food on the table and making sure everybody else is taken care off?
And yet, deep down you know that the people you love can’t be happy unless you relax and find your true gift in life.
How do I know? Because I have been there …
I used to be one of the most incredible overachieving moms you can imagine! I lived in an ‘organic’ home, cooked the healthiest meals, took my kids to school on my bike (so we would not pollute the environment), I grew my own organic vegetables, knitted sweaters, made pottery, and baked our own whole grain bread.
The only thing I did not take care of was myself. I was miserable. I did not know that gardening and baking was not my gift, and without noticing I grew harder and angrier and more bitter every day. I simply got my life purpose wrong. Until one day, one of my friends said something. And that’s how my journey started that led me to where I am now …
You can do this, too!
Your gifts are there, waiting to be brought to life! Once you find them you can finally move through life with happiness, confidence and zest. Life becomes fun again … and inspiring!
Stop Doing The Things That Kill Your Aliveness!
Knowing what lights you up can mean the difference between dreading to get out of bed every day to go to a 9-5 job, and rising every morning with a fire in your belly, full of happiness and eager to get to work.
It can mean the difference between modeling a life of passion and joy to your kids … or one of responsible drudgery that slowly kills your soul.
If You Are Finished With Living a Humdrum Existence And Are Ready to Let Your Unique Greatness Shine, This Workshop Is For You!
It is no accident that you have landed here - grab the opportunity and join me for this one-of-a-kind “What Lights You Up” experience and let me help you put the juice back into your life, once and for all!
Click here to find out more about the “What Lights You Up” coaching event. Or, if you want to explore a bit more and take our “What Lights You Up” questionnaire, go here. After finishing it, you are able to qualify for a complementary life coaching sessions.
If you have questions, please send me a note. I am excited to serve and would love to be able to help you in discovering your unique gifts so you can live the life you are truly meant to live!
So, what is What Lights You Up all about? What does it mean and how can it improve your life?
