Sometimes, the idea to “dream big” feels a bit like a motivational poster you’d see in a cheesy office sitcom. And then other times, it feels like a missive from above. 

Dream bigger! Align your energy! Find inspiration in everything!

I love that feeling of fresh energy and inspiration–the calling to dream big. A lightning bolt of energy and motivation runs through you. You can see everything laid out clearly and the outcome feels like it’s already arrived at your door.

It’s what you do after you have that lightning bolt idea that matters most.

Sometimes, you go on to create something great. 

But other times, those lightning bolts of inspiration that started out feeling positive can evolve into feelings of dread, overwhelm, or panic pretty quickly. (PS: here’s a simple way to reframe overwhelm so you aren’t so panicked!) 

It wasn’t that the idea wasn’t initially a good one.

It just means that something about it was mis-aligned. 

When you start taking action from a space of mis-alignment, you’re almost guaranteed to struggle long-term.

Sometimes it takes time to notice the misalignment, and once you do, it can be hard to course correct. That’s why it’s so important to have a consistent practice of checking in with your energy and your decisions. 

MY STORY OF MISALIGNMENT

I want to share the process I use for course correcting when you notice or uncover mis-aligned energy. 

But first, a quick story so you can see a real life example of how mis-matches can show up. 

In February 2019, I attended a mastermind retreat in the Bahamas. What happened between and among the gals at the retreat was magical. Breakthroughs, tears, old connections rekindled, and of course, some business planning commenced.  

I got home and my clients asked what I’d learned, but even with these positive experiences in mind, I wasn’t sure exactly how to share what I’d taken away from the retreat.

The resort experience hadn’t been one to write home about and I didn’t want my feedback to be full of complaints.

There was also an underlying feeling whispering through me that the entire travel experience had been a mis-match. 

I discussed this realization with my coach, Laura, and we had a really great conversation about mis-matches in general. (These types of conversations are why it’s so great to have a coach!)

She encouraged me to more fully reflect on the experience, and not only notice the specific mis-alignments, but also make plans for going on forward on how I’d course correct and in the future, stay more fully aligned and in high-vibe positive flow.

Success tip: Just noticing mis-alignment isn’t enough. Doing something about it or committing to different decisions in the future integrates the lesson.

Here are some of my specific reflections as they related to the Mastermind Retreat Experience:

– As I was leaving for my business retreat, my roommate informed me that they were short on the rent money and I’d have to make up the (huge) difference last minute. This roommate had been stressing me out fo money and really straining my relationship with my fiance. This relationship was a total energy mis-match

Action Step: Financially incentivize an early roommate move out, even though I’ll took a significant monetary hit. This required a conscious conversation and was uncomfortable, but it was 100% the right decision.

– I reserved the “cheapest” room at the resort and I had a “cheap” experience.

Future Lesson: No more booking cheap travel experiences to “save money” when I know it keeps me from upleveling. A mastermind retreat gives me space to take giant leaps forward, but only if I feel good and can have a pleasant space to rest, integrate, and receive the deeper lessons of what I’d meant to learn.

– During my hot seat, I’d focused energy on trying to tweak a program I’d created with good intentions. Unfortunately, it had attracted clients who didn’t align with each other. I was using my energy to figure out how to resurrect it or “fix it.”

Action Step: I closed the program. I spoke with each individual client and re-designed a way of working together that would be a better fit for them AND for me.

– My new business ideas that I was focusing on growing were being created from an uninspired, mis-matched energy space, so of course they weren’t flowing. I felt no motivation to actually offer these new programs to prospects. 

Choice: Scrap them. Start again from a more aligned energetic place. Get creative about how I could serve so it would feel exciting and fun again (and thus, sell with ease).

Success tip: Mis-matches can creep in with little more than a whisper, going almost unnoticed, until all of the sudden they create an avalanche of challenges and discomfort. Practice staying aware so you can address the snowflakes before they become an avalanche.

TAKE ACTION TO INTEGRATE THE LESSON

I believe my lesson from the retreat was this: energy alignment is my #1 greatest success tool

When I notice mis-alignment in any area of my life, my only choice is to address it as quickly as possible.

It often requires letting go of attachments, clients, assumptions, money, fears, and more often than not, it feels kind of funky.

It’s not enjoyable, but I’ve learned it’s 100% necessary.

If I want a program to be successful, there must be alignment between my values, my offers, and my clients. If I want to ride the wave of great ideas, there can’t be doubt or any voices that are asking me if it’s the right choice.

The mis-aligned energy keeps clashing until something breaks.

Letting go of past choices and realigning is the only way to find peace. Embracing the shifts and changes that must be made in order to move forward is the only way. The longer you resist, the more uncomfortable things get until everything breaks down.

“What you resist, persists.”

When you notice mis-matched energy and work to realign it, you’re actively calling in positive vibes to offset the misaligned ones.

If you want to be successful in business and life, notice the mis-aligned energy early and often, and do what you can to bring harmony back in as fast as you can.

Are you struggling with mis-aligned energy right now? Do things feel stuck, funky, or like you’re not heading in the right direction? I’d love to invite you to pause, grab your journal, and start writing. Explore what’s going on. Ask yourself questions to dig into WHY things feel off.

Did you say ‘yes’ because you needed the money?

Did you make a decision (or six) from a space of fear or lack?

Be compassionate with yourself as you uncover how things got off track. 

Once the clarity comes, ask yourself, what do you need to change, release, or otherwise surrender to right now in order to bring your energy into alignment today?

Once you’ve cleaned up the past, commit to greater awareness and alignment in making future choices. The more in tune you get with yourself, the better things will flow.