Speaking about ‘the place within’ rarely causes surprise or resistance with people I speak to. People usually recognize it when I speak about it as the ‘place’ where we experience peace, harmony, simplicity and clarity.
People recognize it as a place inside. Yet, place is a strange word to use, here because it is not a particular place, but let´s agree for now that we will call it a ‘place’ for the lack of a better word.
When we are connected to that place, things work so much better than when we have lost connection with it;
We are more relaxed,
We listen more generously and attentively.
We feel an inner calm.
We experience trust and connection with others
We appreciate people around us more.
We are ok as we are, with all of our flaws and shortcomings.
We see more easily what is really important
... and much, much more
What kind of ‘place’ is this?
Well for starters, it is a part of human nature, an aspect of what it means to be human being. Just like we have a heart that beats, lungs that transport oxygen to the heart, we have thoughts in our heads, and we all have this ‘place’ inside us.
There is nothing to do to achieve this place. It is always there, and you can never lose it, taint it or destroy it. However, you can lose contact with it to the extent that you forget that it exists.
What is this place for you and how do you recognize it?
This place is the space where we touch our deeper knowing and wisdom, a place beyond our personal thinking, or our reliance solely on our intellect. The feeling is our compass, our guide to there. A deeper feeling. Listen for a deeper feeling beyond your current thinking and see what you can experience in this moment.
Here are some questions you can reflect on to help you get in touch with this place within you.
What do I most enjoy doing?
What do I appreciate about my work?
What and whom am I grateful for in my life?
What can I contribute?
What am I doing really well?
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"The essence of leadership is to shift the inner place from which we operate both individually and collectively."
- C. Otto Sharmer
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