Every new year things change. We begin to look at things in new ways and we begin to view things through the lens of possibility and potential. The sign of Capricorn urges us to become more structured and disciplined and as a result you see businesses form their New Year Agenda. This is no different at Coventry where we plan to be more thematically based in 2013 then we have been in the past.
I will admit that working with astrology in a thematic sort of way has been challenging and rewarding at the same time. I have learned much over the past year about the signs and the planets and how to make use of them in a transformational way to help achieve what is that we desire out of life and to be able to seize on every moment that is available to us.
The month of February is associated with the sign of Aquarius and the theme for the month is “getting to the hard truth.” Although the “truth” is something that is innately evident within the sign of Aquarius, it is necessary for us to get to the crux of this word in order to apply it in a practical way that can improve our businesses and our lives.
On our radio show, “Keep It Magic” Jacki and I discussed the word in depth. After all, isn’t truth like beauty and is only within the limited scope of the beholder? Does everyone have the same truth? Is truth a malleable word that seems to be ever more flexible based on our own agendas?
According to Webster’s the word truth is associated with the word fidelity which is associated with “faithfulness”. Jacki and I used a few oracles to get to the bottom of the word truth and both of us came up with some rather interesting messages. Both oracles we used revealed that truth is something that fosters growth and allows the individual to look towards the future with a sense of optimism and dignity. It’s about being loyal to one’s self and one’s ideals in order to be able to share one’s life with other individuals. In business, the word truth would imply being faithful to the business.
Let’s now consider getting to one’s hard truth! We currently live in challenging times in business. Based on the current planetary alignments (most notably Uranus and Pluto), it is going to take quite a bit of time for the markets to begin to adjust in a way that is more conducive for business growth. So, for many, it is embracing this new reality and beginning to work through it in a way that is beneficial to our business rather than just continuing the same old patterns that got us into this mess in the first place.
I recently wrote an article about the sign of Aquarius and its apparent links to the mythic figure of Prometheus. In myth, Prometheus is a rather curious figure that reflects the daemon that helps man develop to his full potential. Of course, his story is rather tragic because he ultimately steals fire from the gods (by a passage made by Athena) and provides man with the ability to see the future, potential, and possibility. However, I will say that as of late (except for a few tech companies), we have lost touch with our desire for inspired thought and ideas and instead have become consumed with the system and our place in it. More importantly, this system we have encumbered ourselves to is highly dysfunctional and likes to stay within the status quo.
Radical Acceptance
For the past year, I have consulted with several businesses and have done media appearances about business and how to resolve it astrologically. The insights that I have come to understand through these conversations has been very revealing. For example, I recently did a radio show about the astrology of 2013 and how it relates to business. I found it very fascinating (and perhaps tragic) that there were a lot of concerns about money and finances, but many had reservations about making changes that are necessary to make a business grow and prosper. I think in order for a business to succeed in the second decade of the 21st century is to embrace a new ideal of radical acceptance.
Radical Acceptance is a therapeutic term that is used to treat personality disorders. It was developed by Marsha Linehan in order to help regulate emotional responses which may create an episode. I find in business we are often controlled by external circumstances that are similar to personality disorders, but unlike an individual, you can’t put your business in psychotherapy. However, there are things you can do about it.
4 Options for Difficult Business Problems
- 1. Solve the Problem
- 2. Change how you feel
- 3. Accept It
- 4. Be miserable and controlled by your business
Every business goes through ups and downs. We go through periods where circumstances are just simply beyond our control and many times we react to these problems in rather dysfunctional ways that allow our circumstances to begin to control us. This creates anxiety, tension, stress, and a variety of other somatic ailments that begin to take over our lives. According to Linehan, there are four things you can do when business problems occur – and only FOUR!
Solve the Problem: This seems to be the easiest, because it requires us simply to find the answer or the solution to our problems and make changes. This can be as simply as making financial adjustments and resolutions or staffing changes. It could mean sticking with a budget that allows things to become easier over time. There are many things we can do to create solutions; we just have to look to find out what they are.
Change how you feel: Some circumstances are just not changeable. For example, in 2008 during the credit crisis many businesses were struck with the hard cold reality that credit was not as easy of an option. For businesses that heavily relied upon credit, this turned into a complete financial disaster because they had not planned for the inability to use credit to purchase more products – as a result anxiety began to set in. Many people rebelled against the credit crisis and used it as the complete excuse as to why their business was not able to run properly. However, simply changing the way one feels about their current situation can provide relief. Further, it can create more opportunities to then solve the problem.
Accept it: It is what it is! I think many of the difficulties occurring right now in business are that many people are not accepting a “new reality”. They still feel that they can go out and purchase on unlimited amounts of credit and that eventually something will stick and business will continue as usual. However, they fail to look at the reality of the situation which is still rather bleak. Although the stock market seems to have recovered and is progressing to pre-2008 levels, the amount of employed individuals has not drastically increased to match the recovery. So, it is necessary for us to accept the situation that we are currently in and then we can change how we feel about it and then accept the problem.
Be miserable and controlled by your business: Unfortunately this seems to be where many people right now are stuck. They have an inability to accept reality and as a result they are not able to make changes or solve problems.
The question for those that are miserable often is how do they get out of it?
Marsha Lineham in her work on Dialectical Behavior Therapy speaks at length on Radical Acceptance. She states that her definition of radical means “complete and total”. She further states, “It’s when you accept something from the depths of your soul. When you accept it in your mind, in your heart, and even in your body. It’s total and complete. When you’ve radically accepted something, you’re not fighting it. It’s when you stop fighting reality.”
Three Parts of Radical Acceptance
Accepting reality is what it is – This is probably the most difficult part. We often want to stay in denial of a situation. I recently had a business client that really did not want to go back to basics to get her business going again. Although she hired a new designer and new public relations team, she simply could not let go of products that she felt had value, yet simply were not selling. Unfortunately, since this is the way she has done business for the past several years she further increased her debt and despite the best intentions ended up filing for bankruptcy because she simply refused to change. Accepting reality is accepting reality – if you are filled to the gills with debt then you must do something to change that and it might mean going to basics, getting rid of old inventory, or changing the way you present your business.
Thought Question: Are you accepting the reality of your business?
Accepting that the event or situation causing your business anxiety has a cause: How many times have you bought stuff for your business because you thought it was going to sell off the shelves, yet it sat there like a bump on a log? Often we get so caught up in what we LIKE that we do not even consider what our customers are going to like. Or perhaps, you have so much work that you do not have time to do it all alone? Possibly hiring other people to help you might create the change that you need. In every situation, it is necessary that we take responsibility for the choices and the decisions that we have made. Then we can begin to accept reality for what it is.
Thought Question: What have you personally done to add to your business problems?
Accepting that your business can be profitable and thriving once again: Once you take personal responsibility and begin to accept your situation, then you can truly begin to make change. You can begin to build your business in a structured environment where you make the right choices and the right decisions based on the current marketplace. By being free from constraint and controlled by the business, you can begin to control the business and progress it to a new level.
Thought Question: Are you willing to face some hard truths in order for your business to thrive again?
We are granted a unique opportunity while the Sun is in Aquarius to make these changes. Aquarius is the sign of progress and by accepting reality for what it is and moving yourself forward you can begin to see things become to improve in your life. After all, it’s when you begin to grow and thrive that you discover your “truth”.
Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him.
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