September 2006

From the CEO

Finding Freedom in Witnessing

I am a fix-it guy. When a situation arises that presents an opportunity for me to grab my tool bag and play fix-it man, to solve a problem or provide a solution, I jump on it. Being fix-it oriented has served me well in many respects throughout my life, yet at times this can be counter-productive, as it can stop the creative flow of my teammates, creating anxiety and suppressing interactions and contributions from those I rely on most. The last thing I want is to stifle the contributions of the people I count on to help guide and support me in doing my job.

One Nia teaching that has helped me to moderate my fix-it style is the practice of Witnessing. Witnessing involves assessing yourself and your circumstances objectively and without judgment, and focusing on how you feel. When I use Witnessing in my life and work situations, I find it gives me the opportunity to broaden my perspective and not compromise the freedom of expression of those around me.

I consider Witnessing to be one of the most powerful concepts for energy management that I have in my bag of tools. Using Witnessing, I can more elegantly be in a place where I am not moved to any judgment. This is especially powerful for me, as I have a personality that quickly moves to critical assessment.

Practicing the art of Witnessing has become a powerful ally in my personal life. A prime example is with my children. Before I learned to use Witnessing, communication with my teenage children was at times challenging and confrontational, and not always as graceful as I would have liked for it to be. Now, with Witnessing as my ally (provided I catch myself in time), when my teenagers start getting to the stage of pushing my buttons, I can move into Witnessing what is so, without the emotional charge around it all. And, with patience, I am able to let the situation develop more fully than it would have had I not relaxed into Witnessing.

The insights, understanding, and clarity I gain when I take a moment to simply witness what is so is amazing. I encourage you to begin actively using and reshaping the benefits of Witnessing in your Nia practice, and in your life. You, too, might stop fixing things all the time, and find yourself relaxed.

Sincerely,

Jeff Stewart
CEO Nia Technique, Inc.

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