I is for Initiative: How to build yours

This is the second post in my blog series based on, Bitchcraft, Owning Your Power in a Complicated World. If you missed the post, you can read it here . The second letter in the word Bitchcraft is ‘I’, for initiative. To build this skill you must overcome two other ‘I’ words: inertia and impatience.

Inertia is a heavy feeling of being blocked, and stuck. It manifests in a lack of motivation or the inability to take action. When inertia sets in, your energy changes. You feel heavy, leaden, sluggish and stuck in the mud of inaction. Every item on your to do list feels impossible. You feel like Sisyphus, the legendary king of Corinth condemned to eternally push a rock up the hill in Hades (that’s a nice word for hell) only to have it roll down the hill again and again as it nears the top. 

Impatience is usually triggered when we want, or need, to accomplish something and suddenly realize that it’s going to require more energy, time and work than we thought. Impatience can leave us feeling annoyed, anxious, agitated, and frustrated. We all experience impatience, especially when we’re under stress, super busy and feeling frustrated or blocked from reaching a goal.

I think of inertia and impatience as challenges to overcome on three interrelated levels, physical, mental and emotional. One way to get started is to turn toward the guiding light of initiative.

Initiative is the ability to assess a situation and take appropriate action to address it. Taking initiative means many things. It means you are a self-starter. It shows that you have decision-making skills. It means you have the willingness and the drive to solve problems and follow through with your plans at work, at home and within your social groups. Initiative is creativity in action. It’s the ability to be resourceful and self-motivated and it’s is an aspect of strength that does not wait for positive change to come from outside. Initiative comes from within as you first recognize a need for change, confront the challenges that stand in the way, choose an appropriate action and act consistently even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. Embodying initiative requires effort and determination. You can cultivate this trait by setting personal goals, learning new skills, seeking feedback and stepping out of your comfort zone with small, brave steps. Own your power by using your initiative skills to practice self-direction, make informed decisions, and learn life lessons from both success and failure. 

I’ve found that it’s best to start with small achievable steps. Here are three tips to get you started or keep you on the path. I call them Lifestyle Medicine.

1. Movement is Medicine. To combat physical inertia try Shaking Horse. It’s sourced from a Qigong exercise called Trembling Horse and involves vibration and shaking to energize your body, release stress, increase oxygen levels in the bloodstream, reset your nervous system and help with mental focus. This practice is typically done standing, but can be easily done seated in a chair. 

Instructions

• Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. 
• Bend your knees slightly and begin to shake your legs. 
• Move the vibration up into your torso.
• Next shake your wrists, and move the shaking up your arms to your shoulders. 
• Invite your head to join the party if that feels comfortable.
• Feel free to raise your arms or bend forward or backward.
• Shake your body for three to five minutes (or more) a few times a day.
• When done, simply stand, or sit, quietly.
• Feel the effects of shaking your body to shift your energy.

2. Routine is Medicine. To address mental inertia try starting or ending the next seven days with one of the following activities: 

• In the morning upon arising, make your bed
• In the evening, put your screens away at least an hour before bedtime
• Brush your teeth for 2 full minutes before getting in bed

3. Breath is Medicine. To transform energetic inertia try Breath of Joy as a way to increase oxygen levels in the bloodstream and focus the mind. It’s typically done in a standing position but is easily modified for sitting in a chair. If parts of your body are unable to move, simply visualize yourself moving through the exercise in your mind with as much clarity as you can manage. Caution: This exercise may not be appropriate if you have high blood pressure or are experiencing eye or head injuries. 

Instructions 

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel, knees slightly bent. If in a chair, place your feet on the floor or on footrests if using a wheelchair.
• Inhale one-third of your lung capacity and swing your arms up in front of your body, bringing them parallel to each other at shoulder level, with palms facing the ceiling. 
• Continue inhaling to two-thirds capacity and stretch your arms out to the side like wings to shoulder level. 
• Inhale to your full capacity and swing your arms up, and over your head, with your palms facing each other. 
• Open your mouth and exhale with an audible "ha," bending the knees deeply as you sink into a standing squat and swing your arms down and back behind you. If using a chair, bend your upper body forward as far as you can and swing your arms down and back behind your body as you exhale. 
• Repeat up to nine times. Don’t force or strain your body or your breath. Tune in to the rhythm of the movements. When you are finished, stand, or sit, quietly, close your eyes and feel the effects. Feel your heart beat, notice any sensations in your face, and arms. Sense the tingling of energy in the palms of your hands.

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As you work to build initiative look for and select techniques that you are comfortable with and can commit to doing as part of your own personal strategy for cultivating initiative.

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