Coops Coffee

Is It True? Is It Absolutely True?

As I sit here at my desk this rainy morning in the New Year, I was thinking about what I wanted to share as I have not been in touch with my family, friends, past clients, and business partners for awhile. I wake up every morning around 5a to work my morning routine and prepare for my day. This routine starts with a meditation and then some journaling of my personal revelation. Today, I wanted to share a tool with you that has transformed the way I think about things. I have always been someone who strives for more expansion in my life in all areas, but before I could expand I had to realize the stories I was telling myself that limited my growth. I was clogged up with “shoulds”, self-limiting stories, and judgements of myself and others that “should” do something or act a “certain” way. “We are disturbed not by what happens to us but by our thoughts about what happens.” This is when I learned suffering or being lost in my own thoughts, good or bad, was really optional. And behind suffering or self-limiting beliefs was a thought. I share this with you because in the New Year everyone thinks about what they want to accomplish, change, and even eliminate in their life. So many times in years past I would look at my journal, business plans, and goals I had set out to accomplish, and noticed that many times I would not have accomplished certain items. As I took a deeper dive, I realized that most of what I had not accomplished was due to some story I was telling myself. These stories can be about others, why you are different from others, it is too hard, I don’t have the resources, something came up, it’s not really that important to me, someone else interfered, my boss, etc.… You get it. There are a million stories or reasons we tell ourselves.

This is when I learned about the “The Work” and my life forever transformed. Today, anytime I have a judgment or opinion of myself or others that occupies brain space I log them in my journal. These entries mainly consist of “shoulds” or beliefs of acting, doing, believing, or anything that occupies space in my brain about myself or others. I keep this log and “do the work” on it in my morning ritual. These thoughts range from petty to big, from my wife should not act a certain way or should realize this or that, my coworkers or employees are frustrating me in not executing something, I should be a better leader, a family member that annoys you at holiday dinner, or I should create or eliminate this habit, etc. Anytime you use the word should for yourself or someone you are most likely caught up in a story or judgment. We allow these stories and judgments to have power over us and occupy our minds holding us back from what we really want. So, today I give you the gift of “The Work” by Byron Katie. The work is a simple worksheet that allows you to process all this stuff and create new beliefs and action items for all the “shoulds” in your life. As you plan your new year and all the things you want to accomplish I encourage you to create a habit of “The Work” and dump all the baggage that you may not even know you are carrying around.

This system has proved invaluable to me in my personal life and business life. Speaking of personal life, last year I shared an amazing year with my beautiful wife Terri, my almost 2-year son Brody, and my family. Our son has really brought our family closer and I am loving the experience of being a father. I want to thank you for all of your support in my business. Last year our business was over 75% personal referrals from past clients, friends, family, and business partners we work with. I look forward to an even better 2017 with each of you and wish you all a prosperous new year. I am here to support you anyway I can. Cheers and don’t forget to do “The Work.” Find it at:

http://thework.com/en/do-work

Sincerely,

Zackry Cooper
Team Leader / Senior Loan Advisor
925.297.6177 x101
Zackry@TMCooper.com