Lessons in the Silence

Recently I received a message from a trusted source about “slowing down”. It was disappointing to say the least.

Many people know me for my go-go-go energy. This energy has helped catapult my “success”... In 2019 I was named to Silicon Valley’s 40 Under 40 List and most recently I was named a “Rising Star” in the promotional products (swag) industry. None of this would be possible had I not intentionally built out my personal brand of “SwagSam”. The SwagSam brand encompasses my business, SwagWorx.com, as much as it does my various podcasts, my food show on YouTube (link here) and writing 3 books in just one year!

I’m so grateful for this natural energy of bringing ideas to life. However, what I often don’t share is the burden of channeling my inner chicken…

Inner Chicken

You’ve heard the expression, “a chicken with it’s head cut off”. That’s me. 

Believe it or not, to a certain extent I’m semi serious about this. Here’s the thing… I am not as intentional as I could be. I tend to get ideas and run with them before letting them “marinade” and strategizing. As a result, I’ve heard a message of “slowing down” for nearly all of quarantine. I haven’t listened to the message though.

I do, do, do. I get ideas and I act on them, it’s a gift. While I realize the benefits of this trait, I never fully understood how so many people don’t take actions on ideas until I received constant messages from others about how impressive it is that I can do so much. To me it’s not impressive; in fact it’s often a burden. 

I have this inner drive to make things happen, but the truth is I’m doing it for validation. In the process of moving as fast as I do, I tend to not have the clearest direction. I’m basically a wizard at figuring it out as I go, but it’s time to channel my inner elephant.

Inner Elephant

Elephants to me represent wisdom, grace, and compassion. I’ve read that when elephants come across dead elephants they pause to mourn for the elephant outside of their family. If that’s not slowing down to be one with the cycle of life I don’t know what is.

Elephants represent strength and a silent reflection that cannot be compared to the rate of running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off.

My time has come to slow down.

Messages & “Downloads”

I recently joined my brothers and sisters from the Fit for Service Mastermind by Aubrey Marcus for a week in South Lake Tahoe, CA. It was here that the messages to slow down came flooding in from all directions.

I have been working on slowing down since quarantine began, but I haven’t fully embraced slowing down. I'm at about 75%. Don’t get me wrong, I meditate nearly daily. I journal from time to time and I do yoga several times I week to physically help slow down my breath (and my mind). But, I’m just doing the bare minimum. I still act on ideas without thinking. I recently started doing deeper inner work (like exploring channeling).

People have recognized the difference in me since I’ve intentionally slowed down. I have recognized the difference.

I find that I have more awareness of myself, others and my surroundings. I sit on ideas and thoughts more, I'm not as quick to act on them and figure it out as I go. I’m okay with letting what seems like a good idea at the time slip through my fingers without regret.

This is the beginning of a new journey for me. If you’re like me and you feel you move fast, I would invite you to slow down.

If you’re already at a slower pace and you want to begin to move faster, I would love to support you however I can. Phone call, email, text - whatever works.

The bottom line is each and every one of us needs to have a cadence and we need to be intentional about the speed we operate. I do believe that many of us don’t even realize how the speed in our approach takes a toll on our psyche.

The time is now to be more intentional with your approach.

Breathe it in,

Sam