Equation of Lightness

CLARITY + FLUIDITY = LIGTHNESS

by Sylvie Olivier

CLARITY paves the way for FLUIDITY and together they pave the way for LIGHTNESS.

Most of the people we meet these days tell us that they feel their lives are generally weighing them down. They believe that they do not have the power to change their state of being as long as external circumstances do not change. They feel trapped and go into “waiting” mode or, on the contrary, work hard to change things. And others use the heaviness to self-sabotage or boycott their potential.

This heaviness brings its share of confusion, which generates even more confusion, impatience, irritation and frustration.

The answer is and will ALWAYS be to return to the source of CLARITY.

1. Clarity in itself: do we really know what we want to communicate? It is important to do this exercise first to clarify our message
2. Clarity in communication: is sharing aligned with your message? In other words, is what you are communicating really what you think?
3. Clarity in follow-up: have you agreed to follow up regularly with yourself or the people concerned to ensure that you are progressing in a clear direction?

Now let’s take a closer look at each element of the Equation of Lightness in the new business paradigm.

Please note that you can use the exercises and apply the suggestions in your personal life as well.

Clarity

Clarity is initially initiated through verbal or written sharing to establish an understanding between two parties. Obviously, when sharing verbally, it is important to ensure the quality of presence of all parties.

When the message is not clear enough, there is confusion. Confusion very often leads to frustration on both sides.

It is very important to make sure that everyone is on the same page, i.e. that everyone has understood the same message, to avoid misunderstandings and possible conflicts.

As mentioned earlier, it is essential to make sure that we have enough CLARITY in ourselves, in our communications and in our follow-ups. Otherwise, we risk perpetuating the same lack of clarity indefinitely.

With a clear agreement, a commitment is made between all parties, which promotes more fluidity in relationships.

Clear agreement = Commitment instead of expectation

Example of individual perceptions (sunset)

During a corporate workshop, a participant asked who was responsible for asking for clarification: the person requesting a task or the person performing it.

Here is my answer: we are a group of 15 people around the table at the moment. I suggest you take a moment to see a sunset in your mind. After a few minutes, when they opened their eyes, I asked them if they thought they had all “seen” the same sunset, in the same place and in the same colors?

They all laughed, of course… and they understood that we ALL have a unique internal vision.

So the answer to this question is: both colleagues have a responsibility to make sure they are on the same page by asking questions and offering more details.

When there is a lack of clarity or confusion, it is often difficult to be aware of it. I invite you to bring back the image of your unique sunset, being aware that everyone has their own sunset and that we cannot expect everyone to see things in the same way.

To assist you in seeing more clearly in your administrative or operational communications, we invite you to do the following exercise.

Some of us see images in our minds, others receive information in bullet point style. Whatever your method, we invite you to do the following:

• Take a break without distractions.
• Breathe deeply, right down to your stomach. Take 3 to 5 full breaths: breathe in through your nose and breathe out either through your nose or gently through your mouth.
• Bring the inspiration you want to share or the project you are working on to your awareness.
• Continue to breathe naturally.
• Invite a clear image or (3) clear and well-defined stages of your inspiration or your project.
• Make a sketch or write down immediately what you have received as clarification.

It will be much easier to share with CLARITY following this exercise.

Clarity paves the way for fluidity.

Fluidity

The ease with which actions are carried out throughout the organization. When procedures are clear, exchanges between employees and the resulting actions are fluid.

When obstacles are encountered, the teams concerned take a break and step back to determine how activities and operations can be improved.

In some cases, it is only a matter of making slight changes to procedures, while in others, more significant changes are required for smoother operation. Sometimes things can be improved, and other times, we have to face the fact that things are not working as they are. That said, most of the time, effective changes can be made.

Example of nature

One of the best examples we can use to draw a parallel between fluidity and nature is a stream. The water that flows is fluid when there are no obstacles. However, if obstacles such as branches or rocks are placed across the stream, the water will find it more difficult to flow, there will be less fluidity. All forms of liquid are fluid.

In its natural state, water in its liquid form is fluid; as soon as there is a space, it takes it. If there is a dam large enough, it will become stagnant and unable to continue to circulate. In this case, the water is restricted in its movement and trapped in its space.

What is very important is to make sure that we have sufficient clarity on the subject discussed with our colleagues and that we are open to exploring the fluidity that flows within us, in our state of being, and then taking action to improve or change things.

If you feel any internal contractions, whether physical or mental, I invite you to first do the exercise of clarification offered in the previous step.

Then, I propose an additional exercise.

To allow your body to release the contractions, here are our suggestions:

• Do the clarification exercise (see CLARITY section)
• Breathe calmly while bringing your attention to the area of your head.
• Begin a SCAN of your body (head – neck – shoulders – chest – back – abdomen – pelvis).
• Feel if there are still contractions in one or more areas. If so, take a 10-15 second break per area by inhaling through the nose while inflating the belly.
• Exhale through the mouth as if you were blowing out a candle.

This is a very good way to initiate the process of releasing physical and mental contractions and to accentuate fluidity within you and in your activities or projects.

Clarity and fluidity open the way to lightness.

Lightness

Lightness is the result of the combination of clarity and fluidity and is experienced through a FEELING. It should be noted that, as with everything, this feeling will become clearer and more easily accessible with the practice of the 4 Breathing technique (Beta – Alpha – Theta – Delta). A video is available free of charge in the Client Area to guide you through this 4 Breathing technique.

Lightness is above all a state of being that impacts activities, procedures, tasks, situations and relationships. There is a fairly marked tendency to think that we have to wait until situations are light before we can feel lightness within ourselves. That said, the opposite is true.

In Conclusion

In business, things are often not as light as expected.

How do you usually react?

• • Do you tend to want to free yourself from what you perceive as heaviness and leave your colleagues to fend for themselves?
    

• • Do you tend to take everything on your shoulders to free your colleagues?
    

• • Are you aware that you have the power to make a different choice at this very moment – even if the situation is rather heavy – to invite and choose LIGHTNESS and thus help to lighten the situation, by working as a team with the people concerned?
    

Remember that you ALWAYS have the choice between bowing to the weight of the heaviness OR standing tall by choosing lightness, no matter the circumstances.

We always come back to the CLARITY + FLUIDITY = LIGHTNESS equation

Sylvie