My advice to people today is as follows: If you take the game of life seriously, if you take your nervous system seriously, if you take your sense organs seriously, if you take the energy process seriously, you must turn on, tune in, and drop out. ~ Timothy Leary
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Summer of Love and Woodstock. I missed out on becoming a “hippie”. I’m still not sure if that’s good news or bad news. But I believe it’s not too late to THINK like a hippie. Finding Passion, Purpose and a Paycheck® may just be a matter of tuning in, turning on, and dropping out.
Tune In
One of my favorite books is “Friendship with God” by Neale Donald Walsch. According to the author, God tells him that our minds know the past, our bodies know the present and our spirits know the future.
Tune in and notice which part of you is speaking when you think about leaving your job to design an Encore Career that includes Passion, Purpose and a Paycheck®. Is your mind running the show most of the time? Depending solely on your mind for making choices limits possibility. How can you make great choices for your future when the past is running the show?
What physical sensations do you notice? Where in your body do you notice them?
A friend once told me that the same chemicals are released in our bodies when we’re excited and when we’re afraid. The difference is in how our brains interpret the messages. Tuning in helps you create ways to shift your interpretation away from fear and towards excitement.
What happens when you tune in to your spirit? Allow your curiosity and imagination to take flight. What can you imagine yourself doing? Who can you imagine becoming?
According to Timothy Leary, tuning in meant to interact in harmony with the world around you. To do that, you must first create harmony within you. Tune in to your mind, body and spirit. Listen for your unique internal melody. Alignment of your mind, body and spirit will start you on the path to discovering creative and joyful ways for designing your Encore Career!
Turn On
Leary’s definition of “turning on” meant to activate and become sensitive to various levels of consciousness and specific triggers that engage them. Turning on is about noticing what ignites your passion fuse. It’s a little bit like playing a kid’s game where you hide something and tell seekers when they are getting warmer (closer) or colder (further away) as they hunt for the object.
A former client had a great job working for a well-known company. She enjoyed particular aspects of her job, but she had been at it for several years and had gotten bored. She wanted to find something exciting but she didn’t know what that might be. She was hesitant to leave her job because of the economy. It seemed best to play it safe.
Our conversations opened up the possibility that she could follow two of her passions – her love of the Latin American culture and a desire to live in a warmer climate. We didn’t talk specifically about her leaving her job. We focused on finding projects outside her job that aligned with her passions. With each project, she got “warmer” or closer to what she wanted.
Eventually, she was led to an opportunity to live and work in Chile where she is now teaching English as a Second Language which aligns with her most important value – to eliminate pain and suffering in the world. She’s taken several trips around South America and is planning more. She is having a great time making new friends which is also important to her. She’s taking salsa lessons and is planning on taking tango lessons. Needless to say, she’s having the time of her life.
Drop Out
According to Leary, “dropping out” is about self-reliance, discovery of one’s uniqueness, and a commitment to choice and change. It’s not about leaving society behind; it’s about believing in yourself, your gifts and the value of what only you can offer.
My client “dropped out” of her hum-drum job to get a fresh start and pursue something important that makes a difference for people she serves. Wherever she goes from here, what matters is who she is becoming as she continues to pursue her dreams. I believe she’s beginning to understand that her ability to earn an income isn’t dependent upon what’s going on in the economy, it’s dependent upon her growing belief that her “life-lihood” comes from trusting the value of her uniqueness and from her commitment to adventure over playing it safe. It’s less about “dropping out” than it is about “standing out” and being true to yourself.
Hippies may have had some of it right but with a misplaced focus. Maybe we now have a second chance to get a fresh start and think like a hippie by combining tuning in, turning on and dropping out with the wisdom of our life experience to create an Encore Career.
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Are you ready to think like a hippie? Get a Fresh Start today by tuning in, turning on and dropping out! Call Coach Sue at 949-212-4345 to schedule your complimentary “Get Acquainted” coaching session or email sue@threesquarescoaching.com. Start exploring what your Encore Career might look like!