It’s been a tumultuous few weeks over here — for you too?.There’s been a lot of exciting things: fun work projects, some travel to see family for holidays, connections and synergies. And there’s been the overwhelm. Busy-ness naturally brings that, but what is less predictable is the overwhelm so many of my clients are experiencing all at once right now..Of course, the gift of hindsight makes it plain that of course this could have been predicted..Return to office numbers are on the rise (traffic here in midtown NYC is way more congested!), and along with the somewhat sudden drop in mandates and unrelenting upsetting news cycles, my people are scrambling somewhat. A scramble, mixed with dose of whiplash, add in a dash of confusion and it equals overwhelm for real..Can you relate?.The rapid pace of making important decisions is enough to make heads spin, and whew, are they ever..It’s always a good time to set and uphold our boundaries. Like I always say, our boundaries will save our lives. This is always true, and in this wild time when we are, in my opinion, called to step forward with confidence to keep ourselves and our boundaries intact..If you’re scratching your head about this, consider how many times in the last few months you or people you know have felt cajoled or railroaded into a choice you found yourself second-guessing or regretting. Whether a personal choice or a professional one, I am hearing about this scenario over and over, and it’s not fun. Remember my view: regret is a wasted emotion, it’s a waste of time..Instead of letting it spin you out in a replay nightmare, how about we use regret to fuel future actions? To step into your leadership more fully..Whether you do or don’t currently identify as a leader, I’m telling you that you are one. Even if it’s solely as a leader in your life. Because being a leader in your life means knowing where you are going and having values to guide your decision-making..See? You’re a leader..Here’s how to access it more fully. Leaders are creative and open to options. But when we’re stressed and overwhelmed, that part of our brain shuts down, and we make panicky decisions. Panicky decisions lead to undesirable outcomes. Instead, you want to slow down to get into your focus and creativity, and allow for a little breathing room. It’s counter-intuitive, but we actually get more into the resourced part of our brain, the thoughtful decision-making area, when we PAUSE. Pausing helps us step more readily into our flow and out of panic, which in turn helps us keep our decision-making and boundaries intact..
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Some of my favorite ways to tap into your leadership include can be found in these pieces: Setting and upholding boundaries, applying structure, making time to breathe. Click the links to try them, and please let me know how it goes..