The Boss
This is a big SHOUT OUT to all you “Bosses” out there.
Now wait a minute, Super-people, hear me out.
And remember, the “Boss” is not what he/she seems and many, many of you are actually “Bosses” in your own right, since there are bosses in many realms on this planet (hellowww, every parent out there is a “Boss” all day every day and so I’m talkin’ to you, too!).
A dear friend of mine closed her two Raw Vegan restaurants about six months ago because she was tired of being “The Boss.”
“I’m just not a boss, Taylor,” she explained. “It’s not my personality.”
We are very close and have talked a great deal about her experience of having the restaurants and ultimately closing them, and why her Spirit drew these experiences to her. These heart-to-heart talks coupled with my own experiences owning a Raw Vegan restaurant (eatatprana.com), four Prana Power Yoga Centers (pranapoweryoga.com), and a Consulting Business (super-mom.com/super-consulting), has helped me to REALLY understand why she closed her restaurants.
Philippe and I have 73 people working for us currently. Writing that seems odd since I have never felt like a “boss,” nor have never referred to myself or Philippe as such.
I just do my thang and spread the light and listen to The Universe’s cues. All of my “orders” come straight from The Universe. There have been times that people close to me have warned me, “Ohhhhh, Don’t do that! Don’t open that! Don’t write that!” and I’ve done so anyhow because my Spirit has guided me to do so…and girllll, I always listen to my Spirit. And it’s always turned out good. Real good.
When I’m operating from love—not fear—I’m always operating for the highest good of all. Period. Even if, in the moment, it may not seem that way.
Even if, in the moment, other people create drama.
This brings me back to “The Boss issue.”
I’ve had my share of bosses who I didn’t like. I had one boss fire me (on email) for asking for a paycheck that was 6 weeks overdue.
But the thing is, now, and only now, I understand where all my bosses from years past were coming from. I understand what they were doing. I understand why they were doing it. And I feel for them, actually.
Even if perhaps their path and/or “methods” aren’t ones that I would personally choose.
Remember Super-people, everyone has their story, and everyone has a reason for their behavior.
Practicing yoga on and off your mat means cultivating compassion. You are able to be non-reactive and step back and know where someone else is coming from, even if you have very different ideas about the world and/or a very different experience of any given situation.
From time to time shifts happen in our Yoga Studios and/or Restaurant. They’re energetic and then they manifest in the physical. Said another way, there is an energetic shift, and then change happens. At times there is resistance around these shifts, even though they ultimately happen for the highest good of all.
From a metaphysical standpoint, I’m down with this—no problem.
From the standpoint of my mind—my ego—from that part of me that loves to be liked and loved and please everyone, it’s, well, a bit more challenging.
So when these shifts happen and my mind (unsuccessfully) attempts to explain “our truth” as “the Boss,” paddling seriously upstream as I do so, I find my vibration in the dumpster, my stress and anxiety levels at an all-time high, and, well, my Spirit not able to enjoy the best day ever everyday—or any day.
And that ain’t good.
For moments I come back to my center, to our truth, to joy, to light, to the flow and the Vortex…but the my mind/ego inevitably draws me back to ANY thought of the “shift,” and my heart and stomach drop, and with them, my energy and vibration.
And girl, if you know even a little bit about me, low energy and low vibration ain’t my thang.
My Spirit begins to suffocate from all the heaviness and my heart feels heavy.
Then The Universe steps in.
Always.
Most recently, “out of the blue” (in quotations because there’s no such thing, in this humble Supermom’s opinion), The Universe brought me my dear friend, at the most incredibly synchronistic time ever.
She, who had stepped OUT of the boss roll for precisely the reason my Spirit was feeling suffocated and out of the Vortex, stepped in and UP with the support, the word, the truth that set my Spirit free.
Here’s part of what she wrote to me (in addition to many long heart and Spirit-filled conversations):
“It’s so hurtful when this stuff happens. When I started to feel like my life was getting too big, I used to say to my friend, maybe I should retreat, etc., but I needed to learn some lessons from it before getting bigger. I needed to learn how to protect myself (mentally from people wanting too much of me). It was a hard lesson because I don’t like to say no and I don’t like to disappoint. I needed to learn how much I was willing to give up to go towards what I really wanted, and mostly it was time to redefine what I really wanted. I’m still learning what it means. My first thought is ALWAYS why am I creating this. Because I know that I absolutely create everything in my life without exception. But just remember sometimes we aren’t supposed to see it all yet. Sometimes our higher selves know that we don’t need to know the meaning of it all immediately because if we did know the reality of how beautiful our futures are–the reality of how big they are would scare us. Just remember that your light is so bright. Sometimes the only way others know how to make themselves feel better is to try to dim your light. Go towards your destiny and know you are loved!”
I loved what she wrote so much that I read it several times, and copied it to put in this article.
And when I lose my footing at times, I go back and read the words that I could’ve written myself, if I were grounded at the time, but are so beautiful because they came to me from someone else—my Sister-in-raw.
So to all you bosses out there…rock on. I know you’re doing your best, with breath. I know it’s challenging to make decisions for the highest good of all and that also rock people’s worlds in that moment and cause you to be, errrr, not the most popular person ever.
I know it’s challenging to constantly keep things in line—put yo foot down—be the calm, grounded, focused, fair, loving, kind, supportive, wise, compassionate, efficient foundation on which your staff and creation (Family? Restaurant? Company? Yoga studio? Financial Institution? Non-profit Organization?) grows and evolves.
I’m here with ya.
And I’m sending you light.








November 8th, 2010 at 8:50 am
This is such a beautifully timed topic for me. I’m experiencing a transition at work into a leadership position, and as part of that had to actually stop being a boss – no more employees for me for now as I try to help define the new function I’ll be leading. In concert, perhaps, with this strange shift is the sudden defiance and wildness emerging from my almost-2-year-old daughter. Willfull, persistent, goal-oriented, smart, funny, and beautiful, she has us in the palm of her hand, and I know enough to know that’s not always a good thing.
Just this past weekend, as I tried a predictable range of responses to her – reasoning, questioning, ignoring, distracting, bribing, intimidation, and so on, I literally wondered what Super Mom would do. Would you follow up “The Boss” with “The Boss at Home?” How do you stay in control and let wild toddlers (and other empowered individuals) feel safe, know themselves, and thrive, all while listening to me when needed?
November 10th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Thank you so much for this post. It came at the perfect time, when yesterday I began having a mental breakdown/ fit of sleep depravation because I feel stressed as I’m being torn in so many directions as I begin my journey down the path of becoming a business owner in fitness. I need to learn how to protect myself too, as your friend mentioned, from people wanting too much from me & not letting something that is supposed to give me freedom, make me feel more stressed out than happy. Thank you.
November 14th, 2010 at 6:33 am
Perfect, perfect timing! I needed this so much you just can’t imagine. Or maybe you can. Thank you!
November 14th, 2010 at 11:52 am
GORGEOUS photo taylor! are you really that skinny? I am jealous!! I am totally starting the raw life TODAY!!….gotta go to the little one….i ll read this after i stop staring at your beautiful pic!! ; ) shanti
November 14th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
wow, now i have read your post after being distracted by your gorgeous image : ) and cute bebe too of course.
I dig your friend’s quote, thanks for sharing. YES our future’s are SO AMAZING it is frightening!! too me, anyway. i can get scared because I know how powerful my creation energy is (we all have it of course)….sometimes I rein it in and do not allow all the amazingness in, that is OK of course.
I am living the life I dreamed — like I remember reading — one day you will look around at your life and it will be the dream you have now. And it relates to the topic of bosses and being a supermom too. I am working for myself (I”M the boss!) at a job I love (doesn’t feel like work, thanx Confuscious for your appropriate quotation), I make my own hours so I can be a mamma, and I can live anywhere I want in the world! And we are living in a blue house!! I wanted a blue house (this after my sun and i were wanderers for 2 yrs without a home).
When I used to work for other people, I got fired from a lot of jobs. I got work easily, paid decently — enough to live and travel on and never have to think about money), but so often these jobs ended in some big drama in which I stormed out burning another bridge. (My references have always been my friends in disguise : ) )
Now I know that there was no evil boss — I created each and every evil boss experience — drawing that person’s energy into my experience. I created it. I did…..when they fired me on christmas eve with no notice from my great waitress gig — well I really believed that i’d be alone for the holiday — or something like that….but the point is that now I see how my own beliefs “I hate my job” etc actually drew these experiences to me. ANd how liberating once I realized that it was my OWN creation!!
I am rambling now……but I am just so grateful that the cost of child care is so high I HAD to quit my paralegal job, I became homeless and impoverished with my son, and out of that experience came some pretty clear decisions about work, what is important etc
Have the best day ever : )
shanti
November 14th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
Hi Super-mom CG,
I’m so glad this article was well timed for you.
I hear that a lot—of synchronicities of the timing of my articles—and it makes me smile. ☺
I also smiled when you wondered what Super-mom would do.
I will absolutely follow up THE BOSS with THE BOSS AT HOME–when my Spirit wants to write it. My writing is 100% Spiritually inspired, which is why it “just happens” to resonate with people with the synchronistic timing as it does.
So when I am inspired, I write, and do so effortlessly. If I am asked to write something on a deadline/schedule, my Spirit ain’t havin that.
This has happened in the past with companies that asked me to write about their product and put it up on my site (and offered to give me lots of their product for FREE), and I declined politely, explaining that I write straight from my heart.
I do love that topic, though, so it’s coming!
I will tell you one helpful hint right now though, Sister: cultivate the realization that control is an illusion.
Number one best place to cultivate that realization?
Your yoga mat.
Namaste!
Taylor plus 5
November 14th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
You GO Kyra.
That’s a huge lesson and a lot of wisdom, and you’ve only just begun!
Make sure you protect your 2nd and 3rd chakras every morning before you embark on your path.
Keep yourself grounded and energized and your aura clear, so you can best help others while maintaining the calm balance essential to being a healer.
If I had a nickel for every healer I’ve seen in Consultation who’s been burned out because of a lack of self care…well, I could open another PRANA restaurant right now!
Keep up the great work Sister, spreading the LIGHT, and remember to take care of YOU so you can in turn help others.
Namaste!
Taylor plus 5
November 14th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Hi Maura!
Oh yes, I can imagine.
Namaste!
Taylor plus 5
November 14th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Hi Supermom Shanti,
I love your story so much.
And I love you!
I’m so proud of all you’ve been through and how you’ve come out with so much wisdom and joy and abundance.
And your blue house!
I always knew you would…and so did you, on some level.
Go Sister!
Thanks for the great words.
Love, namaste, and the best day ever!
Taylor plus 5
ps Stay tuned for MY BOOK RELEASE…ETA: MOTHER’S DAY 2011
March 11th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
[...] of these those people who are becoming very special in my experience quoted me in her supermom blog now (I’m the dear friend in her article [...]