So what does that actually mean? We hear it said over and over again, see it in social media quotes and images, read it in personal development books, blogs, webinars but does it actually have any impact on us?
This has never been more clearly illustrated for me than in the last few weeks and I have been sharing my new learnings with my network to great effect.
Have you ever been in a work environment where everyone is happily working away until the ‘boss’ arrives in a foul mood and completely drains the energy of the whole room?
As he/she exerts their authority, barks orders, crticises the team members etc., you can physically feel the mood, the motivation and the real productivity, nose-dive to an all time low.
So what is actually going on in the subconscious mind of these unfortunate recipients of verbal and mental abuse and how can we demonstrate the impact it has on our collective energy and driving force?
Working with Global Charisma Guru, Nikki Owen, I have recently been introduced to dowsing, now before you switch off, dowsing has been used very effectively by many industries for hundreds of years.
Utilities companies use dowsing to pinpoint gas leaks. Surveyors use dowsers to map out the location of underground mineshafts and tunnels. The FBI use dowsing to find missing people. The British Army taught their troops to dowse for underground bombs.
Albert Einstein said
“I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as they do astrology, as a type of ancient superstition. According to my conviction this is, however, unjustified. The dowsing rod is a simple instrument which shows the reaction of the human nervous system to certain factors which are unknown to us at this time”
The unconscious mind is constantly picking up millions of environmental signals every second of which the conscious mind is unaware. When dowsing, you are unconsciously and involuntarily moving the dowsing tool. You employ your unconscious mind and give a command or ask a question such as ‘show me the edge of this person’s aura’. The dowsing rods cross at the edge of the person’s aura.
So working with volunteers this month, I have been measuring their auras as described above and they in turn have measured mine, In all cases our auras were between 6-8 feet which is the ‘normal’ healthy aura range.
I then criticised the person I was working with and re-measured their aura and in each case it had shrunk to 1-1.5 feet. They then re-measured my aura without saying anything to me and my aura had also shrunk to 1-2 feet.
So when we are negative and critical of others we don’t only drain their energy field, we also drain our own, resulting in everyone around us feeling undervalued, stressed and de-motivated.
In a similar experiment, Nikki Owen stood in front of me while I had my eyes closed so I couldn’t see any expressions on her face. She silently sent criticism and negative thoughts to me, which instantly made me feel nauseous and then made me burst into tears.
I was astounded at the power of her thoughts on the way I felt and she had to immediately send positive thoughts to me to bring me back to my usual happy, positive state.
So what’s the message here?
When we think negative thoughts about the people around us or openly criticize them, we have a massive impact on their energy, their confidence, self-esteem, motivation and productivity.
Leaders who ‘rule by fear’ run a team who are in ‘survival mode’ and we can all only exist in ‘survival mode’ for a very limited amount of time before our bodies succumb to stress and overwhelm.
In survival, we think small. We are critical of others, operating in a ‘blame culture’. We form silos, become disengaged, drained of energy and ineffective.
We all have the power to change the mood in the room in an instant and therefore we can use that knowledge to positive effect by valuing the people around us and enabling them to be in ‘growth mode’ rather than survival by –
- Recognising and appreciating the skills of individuals
- Giving praise where praise is due
- Celebrating all successes
- Encouraging others to play to their strengths rather than being ‘a Jack of all trades’.
- Listening to their ideas and implementing where appropriate
- Understanding and valuing their point of view
So how can you change your mood and your energy when things are tough?
- Stop for a moment and breathe deeply, this slows down the heart rate and reduces the adrenalin levels in your system.
- Think about something you are grateful for right now – your home, family, friends, food in the fridge etc.
- Think about someone you love and imagine they are with you.
- Think of some of the achievements you have had in your life.
- Allow some time to focus on your vision of the future and your goals rather than the negative thoughts in your head. Feeling positive about the future will help you deal with the negatives in your life more powerfully.
- Take some time out for you. Get outdoors, walk, run or just sit and absorb the beauty of nature.
If you are stressed and just about to go into a meeting, take a little time to change your state to a positive mindset before you walk in. This will expand your aura and make you feel more confident, more positive and ultimately make you much more effective.
Our thoughts do truly become things so make sure you choose the good ones