#possiblility

Lynn Elliott

I’m in a special relationship.  I’m devoted from the first alarm in the morning to my last thoughts at night.  Don’t worry, my husband knows about it. 

I have a thing for my calendar.

It’s always with me.  Blocks of time are color-coded throughout the day.  Birthdays and anniversaries are remembered in yellow.  Phone calls, meetings and appointments are marked orange.  The teenagers? Purple.  When I look at my calendar, I have a sense that my life is captured in a tidy snapshot. 

Illustrating this connection with my calendar serves a purpose.  I really want to talk about energy.

In my coaching practice, I use the energetic self-perception chart (developed by Bruce D. Schneider) to help clients gain awareness of how negative and positive energy looks in life.  Recognizing the level of energy we experience puts us in a state of conscious choice.  Moving from lower levels of energy that drain us (guilt, anger) to higher levels of energy that fuel us (compassion, creativity) creates more capacity for us to achieve what we want.

I can explain the 7 levels of energy we experience by telling a story about my calendar.

Recently, while linking my calendar to my new cell phone, I did the unthinkable.  I deleted my calendar.  Gone.  Nothing.  Vanished.  I immediately felt hopeless and victimized—classic Level 1 energy. “Oh no!  Why me?”  This is the most draining, negative kind of energy.  I was paralyzed for moment.  Then, I was flooded with Level 2 energy which is anger.  “This piece of $#@!” I blamed the computer, the program, even my calendar.  I was stressed and frustrated as I punched keys on my laptop.

I needed relief and I needed my calendar back!  So I shifted to Level 3 energy, taking responsibility for my actions.  After all, I was the one who hit the delete key.  I began to experience a little forgiveness, which did feel better.  I’m only human.  I made a mistake.  Maybe I could rebuild the calendar.