"I think wisdom is three things.
One, it is awareness.
Two is acceptance,
and three is allowing."
-- Albert K. Strong
New: Audio version
[Classic post from 11-13-15]
What would life be without some contrast and diversity here and there? How do you remain a loving person when someone is clearly and seemingly purposefully undermining you? Is there such a thing as love in business? Or is it all about competition, the survival of the fittest, and market share?
As you must already know by now, I am a practicing unconditional lover. Much of the time, since I've been practicing for so many years now, I do well, but there are times when I am challenged to stay connected to that ideal. Business is one of the more challenging aspects because it seems that there are so many people who believe that personal ideals and business don't mix, that love and business don't mix. Instead, they may see, as the saying goes, 'all is fair in love and war,' but of course, not at the same time.
Our company has a challenge on the table as I write this. My business partner and I discussed it yesterday, and I gave my feelings and thoughts about it. If we fight it, we are in resistance. My advice was to state our position with respect, and then let go of the rope. Of course, the worry is that if we let go of the rope, the threat will get larger and may consume a client or a few clients in the process. But, I don't think resistance of any kind is the answer.
Then this morning, I was still thinking about this a bit and it occurred to me to love them unconditionally. Do I/we have the ability and willingness to allow these other people, this other company to be what they choose for themselves or to do business in whatever way they choose without any insistence that they satisfy me? Yes. Am I willing to practice it? Yes.
Until I asked that question of myself this morning, I still felt a little resistance. I felt like yesterday that I dropped the rope, but maybe I was still holding a few threads or something. And, after answering the unconditional love question, I feel zero resistance.
Are love and business mutually exclusive? Only if you want to believe that. I remember now that I have taught love in business most of my long career as a sales manager, but it wasn't until Dr. Wayne Dyer shared his definition of unconditional love that I aspired to grow to that level of love.
I used to teach at the truck body company I worked for that we all get to choose love or fear many times, maybe hundreds of times a day. Which will you choose? The choice is made by simply asking, is this decision based on fear or love? Will it create fear or love?
When we serve our clients or customers, we can ask, is what I'm doing based on fear or love? As we are communicating with our spouse, children or friends, we can ask, am I communicating fear or love? When parents are scolding and yelling at their child, are they communicating fear or love? When they are praising and uplifting their child, are they communicating fear or love? When we are dealing with our co-workers, or our supervisors or bosses, are we communicating fear or love?
The wisdom of knowing is through awareness, acceptance, and allowing.
Allowing IS Unconditional Love.
Spread Some Joy Today--Am I spreading fear or joy?
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