The Up in Feeling Down

Posted on 05. Jan, 2017 by Susan Wright in Change Leadership, Conscious Leadership, Executive and Leadership Coaching, Life Coaching

First week of the New Year and rather than declaring good intentions and resolutions, I’m lying on the couch with a cold. I don’t know about you, but when I’m sick I have as much motivation as a sloth.  My mind, on the other hand, doesn’t stop.  While being physically healthy is key for a mind that wants to explore, when the mind and body are at odds, it can feel like hitting a wall.

To manage this tension I decided to read other people’s reflections and posts about the New Year. Two thoughts emerged: 1) most emphasize the positive aspects of a new year, and  2) clearly when I’m feeling unwell, I don’t resonate with new year inspirational messages. Yikes, I know, I’m a coach right? However, what this opportunity did provide, was balance.  How so?

For me, it was a balanced perspective. As someone who sees the potential in people and things, I can be a bit blinded. That said, when I’m a little off my game, I’m a bit more critical and selective in my view (okay, maybe more cynical as well) which enables me to ask: What needs to be true for me? In other words, I don’t blindly subscribe to what the media and others might suggest, but rather I lead from what’s resonating for me.

The truth is, I’ve lived an entire year of uncertainty and although a new year brings hope, it also brings more uncertainty, and that’s something I can’t get overly excited about.  To manage uncertainty it’s essential for your team, your organization or your community to know what’s true for you.  This will keep you and others grounded and hopeful, similar to the fine balance of our physical and mental health.

So what’s true for you? These might be things like your values, beliefs, your love for a significant other, the way your care or don’t care about certain things and people.  A couple of things are true for me, like my values and responsibilities; specifically, my health, family and time; and therefore, I invest in these things.

If the New Year feels a little uncertain, first know, you’re not alone; second, ask what’s true for you; and third, invest in those things.  As a result, you and I might discover some certainty, decisiveness, and strength to move confidently forward into 2017.

Candidly Yours,

Susan

Are you leading in uncertainty?  Recognizing what’s true for you and others is key.  Contact me susan@wrightmomentum.com to discover the clarity to inform your best decisions for 2017.

Tags: move forward, perspective