I recently went to see my acupuncturist, Connie. I have been receiving acupuncture since 1999. In every city I have lived since then, having a skilled acupuncturist as part of my healthcare team is a top priority.
I was asking her how long she had been in her current office space and she told me 18 years! That’s a long time to be in the same space, but as she explained to me, her way of practicing has evolved over the years.
She started out practicing acupuncture in China and told me that she would see 8 to 10 patients at a time. (WOW!) She worked in a big clinic and had plenty of assistants to support her work.
When she relocated to the United States, she opened her business with three treatment rooms and would see three patients concurrently.
But after a while, she realized that wasn’t how she wanted to practice anymore and she downsized and now has just one room and provides high-quality one on one attention to each client that she works with.
She said she is much happier practicing her craft this way. She doesn’t advertise and she is always busy, so clearly she has happy clients who refer their friends to her. (I drive 45 minutes to see her, even though there are other acupuncturists closer to home. She’s worth the trip!)
In a world that celebrates bigger, better and faster… sometimes the counterintuitive response of
smaller, slower and streamlined is just what you need.
What counterintuitive changes could you make that would help you to be happier, more fulfilled and more on purpose?
Some ideas to get you thinking:
- Take a family camping vacation to a beautiful, peaceful state or national park this summer instead of a whirlwind trip to Disney World or other crowded, noisy theme park
- Sell your big home and downsize… release furniture, stuff and space that you no longer need
- Volunteer for just one organization you are passionate about instead of spreading yourself thin by doing a little bit of volunteering in a lot of places
- Raise your prices and serve a smaller number of clients for a more “boutique” experience
- Cut out your weekly trip to a fast food restaurant as a ‘treat” and instead, grow some vegetables in a garden at home this summer. Try having one meal each week consist of mostly home grown veggies (Get your kids involved – they’ll have a blast!)
- Revamp the structure of your business so you have fewer projects on your plate but have ones that have maximum impact.
Revitalized Action: Is there an area of your life or your business that needs attention? Ask “What could be made smaller?”, “What can I slow down?” and “What can I streamline?” and see what you notice. If you get an a-ha or a great idea, I’d love to hear about it via email or over on Facebook!
Here’s to making intentional changes!
Elizabeth