Yesterday I sent out a little FB Page announcement. That’s “Facebook” for those of you who don’t shorten absolutely everything in print for texting, like I do with my teenagers.
The announcement was supposed to say that I’m scheduling $50 sessions from now until March 10th if you go over to the FaceBook page and “like” it. But that wasn’t what the post looked like.
The fantastic thing about The Work is that I automatically start to question even the littlest stressful beliefs or reactions to something. It just starts happening, almost on it’s own, despite my busy mind.
So today, I could say “that big blue Facebook announcement looked weird, said nothing in particular, and had nothing much to offer to any of the amazing and interesting people who read these posts”.
I could even add other little thoughts I have that come up right after I think about how that announcement didn’t look that great. Thoughts like “jeez, who cares about my FB page!”
Not caring was always one of the ways my mind went to “solve” a problem or quit worrying about something. I’ll stamp it out and turn off my interest in it, I’ll quit caring!
“I’ll quit wanting more money! Who cares about money! I’ll quit wanting food! Who cares about eating! Not me!
He or she can go to hell! I don’t care about them anymore!”
I have a wonderful little postcard of the famous artist Roy Lichtenstein whose cartoon illustrations always make me smile. It is on my wall in my kitchen, to remind me of how funny it is that one way I think of solving a problem is to cut it out of my life (the thing, the feeling, the person, the memory…etc, etc).
The postcard reads: “I DON’T CARE, I’D RATHER DROWN THAN CALL BRAD FOR HELP!” Oh the drama!
Here’s the most interesting thing about doing the Work when I really get down to business and write down everything I’m actually thinking and believing about a situation, and then go through all four questions and the turnarounds: I don’t have the reaction to decide not to care. It really feels peaceful and calm, not hostile or closed.
So this morning, when I had the thought that my little Facebook post was sort of boring, wasn’t my usual writing, and didn’t even have the announcement I thought I was including, I can ask myself why this bothers me, what I think it means, give it a little attention.
One of my beliefs is “it’s embarrassing to promote my FB page.” It shows I need help or that I care. Another is that I need to offer something fabulous. Another is that I only have so many appointment times open anyway over the next 2 weeks so I may not be able to work with everyone who wants to!
Oh horrors! It’s getting worse the more I consider it! Wouldn’t it be easier to just NOT CARE/ shut down/ cancel out/ move on/ divorce/ squash out/ ignore/ or pretend it doesn’t exist!!!??!!
Instead I question that it’s embarrassing to send out a boring post, that has no obvious benefit to the reader. Is that true that it is actually embarrassing? Like something I’d rather not do, not talk about, and not suggest afterall? Is it terrible to need help? Or to show that I care about my own business success and growth? Or that I care about making helpful offers to people?
After doing The Work, I can ask myself in a really neutral, open way, what would I like doing now? Well, I’d like to say “Hey fabulous people! I’d love to work with you and I’m offering really crazy inexpensive $50 sessions!!”
And I actually have no idea if getting the Page “liked” on FB matters much, some people seem to think it may be helpful, like taking vitamins (which I enjoy). And it’s wonderful to have an online page so I can hear from you and stay connected.
The next teleclass on business and marketing, where you can really get help seeing what your beliefs are about Facebook, Google, marketing, emails, posts, blogs, money and your business, starts on Saturdays, April 7th.
Much love, Grace