Baby Steps in Challenging Times
Living as a Creator is not always easy, especially during challenging times. The reality is we are living in a very difficult period, yet everyday choices and decisions must still be made.
The US recently went off Daylight Savings Time and suddenly darkness dominated, and the light of day seemed fleeting. The change of light in the night sky reminds us that darkness is part of the cycle of life whether it is a change of time, the loss of a loved one, health issues, worrying about troubling world events, or so much more.
Darkness is present in the creating process too. You may start a project that lights you up only to feel confused or unclear about how to create it. Darkness can come in many forms and at any time. The question is how do you work with the darkness? Do you allow it to overwhelm you, or do you learn to work with it as an aspect of creating?
The idea of Baby Steps is a basic concept in TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic)® and rests on the principle that creating is an ongoing, incremental learning process. The wisdom of simply taking the next step that is yours to do (not someone else’s to do), is a personal empowerment move.
The truth is that a Baby Step may simply be a moment to pause, stand still, and renew your energy. Here are a few suggestions:
- Slow down – Think of being in a darkened room and how you would move through it slowly and gingerly so as not to bump into something unseen.
- Stand still – Sometimes the most powerful and profound thing you can do is to stop and “stand still.” While standing still, discern the current reality you face and the clues that may emerge in the stillness for what’s next.
- Only one baby step at a time – Forward progress may be only the next small step and nothing else, to pause and rejuvenate your energy.
There are several ways that a Baby Step can support you to:
- Prevent brain overload. You don’t go to the gym and plan to lift 300 pounds on the first day. Your muscles can’t take the overload. Baby Steps allow your brain to focus on one step at a time and doesn’t cause brain freeze.
- Protect you from the fear of making mistakes. Your ego wants you to do nothing until you have a comprehensive plan so that success will be “guaranteed.” Baby Steps are so much easier and more likely to have a higher chance of success. And if the step is a mistake, you can rest, assess, and adjust before taking one more step.
- Leverage the power of the positive feedback loop. The carrot/reward system is proven! Taking a Baby Step, learning, and getting feedback triggers your innate reward system and motivates you even more. It’s the law of physics and inertia. Getting into action helps you stay in action, even if that action is to pause, rest, and stand still.
- Propel you from Victim to Creator. Taking responsibility for just one small step, that is yours to take, reinforces your true Creator essence. By taking responsibility for getting into action, you begin to feel empowered and connected to others as you receive feedback and input.
Darkness does not last forever in the natural world. Eventually the light returns, and the way forward becomes clearer. Acknowledging the darkness and supporting yourself to rest, slow down, and take a Baby Step is a natural part of the creating process and will sustain you through challenging times.
