Light at the Entrance to the Tunnel

We all know what it is like entering an uncertain situation. Most often we move forward one step at a time looking ahead in the hope of glimpsing a light at the end of the tunnel....

But what if we carried a light with us from the entrance? This is an experience I had recently, going into a conversation with a potential client. Before going up for the meeting, I noticed I was a bit off balance... as if I were leaning forward. I was thinking about all the possible outcomes and how I felt about them. And I was really wanting some and hoping to avoid others. Can anyone relate to this?

So I took a deep breath and “welcomed” all my fear that she would say “no.”  I let the raw thoughts come up and noticed my intention: “Even though I would hate it if she said no... I acknowledge all these feelings... and I choose to offer my services sincerely and respectfully, with no strings attached.”

That was the light I brought into the tunnel, and it made a huge difference. I was not scared and hoping to get a particular result ASAP. I was comfortable and able to demonstrate a quality--equanimity and dispassion--that was highly relevant to this particular client.

Epilogue: I got an unexpectedly good result from this meeting. There was light at the end of the tunnel as well!