This is a guest post from Karin Crompton of KarinCrompton.com. It’s actually an email she wrote to her community – I liked it so much I asked if I could publish it here.
I first heard the question ‘What if it were easy?’ from my friend and coach Therese Sparkins of Radical Leadership. It haunted me at first too!
Enjoy!
I first heard that phrase from businesswoman extraordinaire Kelly McCausey during a conference two summers ago in Atlanta.
“What if it were easy?”
I admit, I had no idea what that meant. I was thinking, “But it’s not supposed to be easy. I don’t get it.” Because Life, you know?
I’d always heard that if you wanted things to come easily, you were lazy. Maybe something could be fun and rewarding, but you still had to work like a mule. You’d just be a mule who enjoys its particular brand of hard labor.
But then there was Kelly, with her rockin’ business and her million moving parts, and she was grinning, equal parts cherub and Cheshire Cat. Talkin’ ’bout it being easy.
My brain hurt.
I wanted to hear the message; I tried to nod along and make like it made sense and like I totally got it. High five. I got ya.
Yeah, no. But hey, at least I was consciously unconscious, right? Or something like that. I knew that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Ohhhhh … THAT
I’ve chewed on it for two years — and have watched Kelly repeat it, still grinning — and I think I’m starting to get it. I’ve caught a glimpse of it in my life and have seen it in others.
It’s flow. It’s operating at the frequency you’re meant to operate at, and spending your time and energy in those things that you’re good at and that also energize you. Pure, clean energy. It’s not forced.
It’s high vibe, baby. It’s your Zone of Genius.
When you’re there, you’re still putting in the work. But it’s … um … easy.
It’s easy to focus. It’s easy to stay glued to a project and not become distracted. It’s easy to shut everything else out.
It’s easy to create. It’s easy to come up with new ideas. It’s so easy they start coming at you rapid-fire and you can’t keep up with them. But that’s ok.
It’s easy to promote. It’s easy because you’re not really “promoting” in a salesy sense. You’re just talking about something you love, and you have no doubt about its value.
You’re always tinkering.
Example: I love human interest stories. Although print journalism wasn’t my One True Love, I did love the daily discovery of it and the way that even the smallest little town or event could have a wonderful story.
What does this mean? I see stories everywhere. I notice details. I find myself taking pictures all over the place because something looks so interesting. I want to know the backstory to everything.
It’s fun. Even on vacation, I find potential stories and I want to tell them.
Some may call this a passion, but I prefer something author Liz Gilbert said in a podcast: follow your curiosity.
I’m always curious about the story.
What are you curious about? What do you find yourself tinkering with?
What lights you up?
I’ve been in this conversation a lot lately. Isn’t this what each of us is after?
My sister lights up around dogs, and she’s building a business around that (dog walking in southeastern Connecticut and treats if you’re in need). It’s effortless the way she talks about it and brainstorms ideas.
A friend loves coaching women in business. Her entire demeanor changes when she’s in that zone. She glows.
I love stories. I get a buzz from them.
What gives you a buzz? (Wine notwithstanding.)
The past two days while developing a product related to story, I’ve written about 7,000 words … effortlessly. Quickly. And I’ll double that over the next few days.
During a break I paused and thought, “Oh my God, I think this is what Kelly meant.”
It was easy. It was honest-to-God easy.
I know it isn’t easy to find your Easy. I’ve been searching for 30 years if I’m honest. I’ll keep searching because Easy can apply to so many situations (relationships, anyone?).
Get quiet and still and listen when you’re unsure. Sit and gauge how something feels. Your gut will tell you the answer … are you listening?
Or have you found it? I’d love to hear!
Karin Crompton is a writer, editor, and story coach who’s written professionally for 28 years. A former print reporter, Karin combines meticulous research and compelling narrative to tell powerful stories. Everyone has an interesting story to share, and Karin is happy to prove it. She lives in Connecticut with her son, their two cats, and a dog.
Karin Crompton is a Note from Kelly: Karin found her flow and you can too!
If you’re struggling to tune into what your easy could look like, one way to get closer is to spend time with others on the same mission.
I’d love to welcome you into Momentum Coaching Mastermind and introduce you to a community of people you can learn and grow with.