No company can be good company – that’s the truth.

A wonderfully cheerful Friday greeting to you all,

I recently attended a wonderful seminar by The Wake Up Project in Sydney entitled “Women Leading Change” and was lucky enough to spend the day listening to a host of fabulous female speakers, including Tara Moss, Clare Bowditch, Tami Simon, Lucy Perry, Seane Corn, Petrea King and Sarah Wilson.

The day covered a great range of topics and with it came mini revelations of sorts for me that really resonated. And it is one of these that I wish to share with you today.

This particular pearl of wisdom came from the amazing Petrea King.

So first – a little about Petrea King herself.

Petrea King is CEO of the Quest for Life Foundation which she established in 1989. She is a well-known author, inspirational keynote speaker, teacher and facilitator. She is also qualified as a naturopath, herbalist, clinical hypnotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher. 

In 1983 Petrea was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was not expected to live. Meditation and the integration of past traumatic experiences, including the recent suicide of her brother Brenden, became paramount in her recovery, much of which was spent in a monastery near Assisi in Italy. 

Petrea has counselled individually or through residential programs tens of thousands of people living with cancer and other life-challenging illnesses, grief, loss, trauma and tragedy. She is at the forefront of wellness education and is a frequent lecturer at medical and other conferences. Petrea sees crisis as a catalyst for personal growth and understanding and as an opportunity for healing and peace.

So now you have a background on Petrea King this is what she said that really grabbed my attention.

” It’s better to have the company of nature, a beautiful ritual of lighting a candle mindfully or reading wonderful poetry, than it is to diminish yourself by being in the company of people who do not uplift you”

If you read that again, you will find that it is really powerful stuff.

I read it over and over and over again, gave it a lot of thought and found it to be so very true.

It seems, in our society, that being alone, or single, or spending time in your own company has become demonised and deemed as somehow sad and horrible. A fate worse than death perhaps. So it seems that many of us are constantly seeking out people to be with.  People to talk to, people to text, people to Instagram, people to Facebook,  people to Twitter to, company to keep and things to do. This constant search for activity with others seems ever present and dominating in our world.

Constant and ever present connections with other people.

Any people.

Any person will do.

But as this wonderful quote poses the question – is it not better to be with ourselves, than with people who do not bring us to a place where we are the very best person we can be?

Is it not better to be in our own company, than to be with people who are not lifting us up?

It is a great question to ask and you may find yourself re-evaluating some of the situations you put yourself in and the people you choose to be around.

For whether out of habit, duty, obligation or lack of other options at the time, perhaps you may sometimes find yourself choosing company over solitude, for reasons that are really not bringing you joy or nurturing or satisfaction.

I know that I certainly have.

Perhaps some times you would be better to simply choose the comfort of a good book.

The presence of lighting a beautiful candle, drinking in its glow and spending the time in quiet contemplation.

Or maybe taking a walk, on your own, in a lovely park or by the beach.

So – I ask this question:

Why has being on our own become so undesirable?

Why are we reticent to spend time in our own company?

Why would we possibly choose bad company over no company at all?

For each person I believe that the answer will be different, but if you think this applies to you, then I invite you to search your soul for the answer.

Take 5 minutes right now to give it some thought.

What is it that makes you seek out company that does nothing to uplift you, when you could simply spend that time in your own gorgeous company and enjoy the benefits of that?

Now just sit with that for a moment and take it in. Maybe write down your answers. Let them just come from your heart with no editing from your mind.

Read it over a few times and contemplate what you have just written.

I also invite you to make a list of at least 10 wonderful, nurturing, beautiful things that you can do when you are alone that do “lift you up”. For example:

1. Spend time in meditation

2. Read a great book

3. Spend time in the garden

4. Watch an uplifting movie

5. Listen to some wonderful music

6. Do a cross word puzzle

7. Just sit, be and contamplate

8. Try out a new recipe

9. Go for a walk along the beach

10. Visit a museum or gallery

No doubt your list will reflect your own personal loves and joys. But now – you have a lovely list of things to do when you get that “alone time”. Or find yourself in your own fabulous company.

And the approach to being in your own company requires a two pronged attack so to speak.

So first of all – start seeing yourself as a great option when it comes to hanging out with someone.

Secondly –  no more spending time with people who do not uplift you.

No more time spent diminishing yourself in the company of others.

No more time wasted with others who do not see the wonderful qualities that are You.

No more time spent in situations that do not make you feel the true glory and power of all that you can bring to the world.

And that my friends is the message for today.

So go forth and learn to truly value the company of You.

Better to be alone, than in the company of someone who does not truly share your enthusiasm for You……..and you can quote me on that ha ha ha!

So until next time.

#DiscoverYou, #LoveYou, #BeYou

- Christine