One typical northwest day, I woke up to discover I had put myself in a situation that went against everything I believed in. My business partners did something unethical and, being part of the corporation, my reputation was now on the line. I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Why hadn’t I seen the signs? How could I have been so blind? I felt disgusted and sick at the same time. There seemed to be no way out of this horrendous hole I’d dug myself into.
A friend suggested I do the Belief Management Mini-Course. My first thought was, Doesn’t she see that my problem is much bigger than that? It would take a much longer process, more books and deep discussions to come up with a solution to this huge problem. But, wanting a place to start, I read a few pages and completed the first exercise. The mini-course gave me the incentive to step outside my virtuous self and see things from a more expanded perspective. Within half an hour, I discovered how my beliefs were tangled into the whole mess. It was shocking and at the same time empowering to notice them and realize that in changing my beliefs, my experience would change as well. For the first time that day, I felt like I could breathe. There was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
It was easy to see how my business partners’ behavior affected me as well as our clients. Their actions had a ripple effect. To be at the receiving end of it was harsh. It had me curious how my actions affected others. I spent the rest of the day carrying on in my usual ways, paying particular attention to each person’s disposition after the interaction. It was an eye-opener. The more I witnessed the effect I had on another being, the more attention I paid to being kind. It felt good and just got better and better. The day that started off in dark despair turned into a light feeling of euphoria and heart-felt connection with all of humanity. The mini course turned out to be a major life changing experience for me.
At this point, I felt inspired to do the Forgiveness Option Mini-Course. It guided me in learning how to forgive my business partners. In doing Exercise #2: Burdens of Life Worksheet, I realized what I could have done to prevent the situation. It was one of those realizations that make you go “hmmm.” I was amazed at the gratitude I felt toward my partners. They were the conduits for this particular life lesson of mine. Once I had a clearer understanding of the situation, I could be more present and put my attention on what I wanted to create. I was even more committed to living a life of integrity. So, what to do about my business situation? I used to think that forgiveness meant letting things slide and cutting people slack. Au contraire! When we truly forgive, there’s no blame. We simply lose interest in making ourselves vulnerable to people we don’t trust. Forgiveness allows us to tap into a deeper level of discernment. It’s an act of self-love and ultimate care. It’s about personal responsibility and giving ourselves relief from self-sabotage. From this place we are in a stronger position to make a positive difference in the world.
I could go on and tell you how I got back on track with the Basic Life Alignment Mini-Course, but I think you get the idea. These mini-courses work! I’m grateful to my friend for recommending them and to Harry Palmer for writing them. If there’s something in your life you’d like to change, let me be a friend and recommend you take some time to explore one or all of the seven mini-courses at www.AvatarEPC.com.Pamela Ziemann, Kirkland, WA
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