Element Money and Slow, Wide Turns

[sabrinamari]

Tonight O came over to talk about Element Money. Michael ran the barbecue and fed us both while we spent three hours exploring our topic. O is a good student: he's smart, honest, transparent and quick to share his thoughts and reactions. I'm pretty sure he can tackle this bull by the horns.

EDIT: O said something that really struck me last night. I was explaining that big changes take a long time---or they can, anyway---and he grinned and said that he already knew this. He told me that once he went on a cruise, and he noticed that whenever the boat needed to change directions, it made a slow, wide arc. "It takes slow, wide turns to turn a big ship," he explained.

I really like this metaphor. I am infamous in my community for taking my time. Whenever I want to make a big change, I can do it, but I usually choose to do it gradually, one step at time. I like to build each step forward on what has come before, and get more and more comfortable as I go.

O summarized the logic behind this perfectly, and the way he said it helped me feel good about myself. I take slow, wide turns as I'm building my new life, and that is perfectly alright.

Comments

[glenmarshall.livejournal.com]

This makes me wonder if a workshop or informal get-together should be done at FSG. I'd like to participate.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Maybe an informal one---it would be fun to for me, at least. I'm amazed and impressed at the small group of friends who have recently begun digging through this taboo topic.

In our crowd, it's a hundred times easier to talk about sex than money, but more and more, people are willing to cross the line and take a good look. O is really impressive---he doesn't even want to be quiet about it. He doesn't care who knows he starting to do this work.

[mage-imbroglio.livejournal.com]

Beautiful metaphor. There really is no bigger boat than a paradigm.

[eoma-p.livejournal.com]

I love O! That wicked smile hides a sharp mind. This message is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. I'm working on a different boat, but I'm still in a slow, wide turn.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Did you get my text?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

It's my version of "So, can you hook me up with some glitter?"

[eoma-p.livejournal.com]

I was a little slow to get it it, but yes. I'm very excited about hooking you up! I wasn't shocked, only happy... ;-)

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I want to shrink drum fear.

[castalusoria.livejournal.com]

Cruise ships don't make hair-pin turns... at least, not safely.

For both short-term *and* long-term change to be both safe and effective, a wide, slow arc makes the most sense!

[rio-luna.livejournal.com]

it takes time because we're making something built to last.

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

Good metaphor!

Ties in well with my personal "Taoist" sailing metaphor(s)...

[divalion.livejournal.com]

The other true thing about the wide, slow arc, though, is that it doesn't take very long to start noticing the difference. In three months, six, a year-- the landscape can already be drastically changed even though the Big Goal is still a ways off. I love that. =)

Today I ordered my mom flowers for Mother's Day-- something she'll love but that has usually been too expensive for me-- just because I can afford to do it.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Have I told you how delighted I am in your financial transformation? You have completely reshaped your relationship to Element Money and rewritten your future in a little over a year.

You did this. The rest of us helped here and there, but you made the decisions. You did the day-to-day work.

You did this, diva.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

"...is that it doesn't take very long to start noticing the difference. In three months, six, a year-- the landscape can already be drastically changed even though the Big Goal is still a ways off..."

I hadn't realized this. You're quite right.