First, my heartfelt thanks to those of you who sent well wishes for recovery from my COVID episode. I am well and healthy. Your kindness was felt.
Let’s continue this thought around slowing down. I believe it’s rooted in BEing.
We are human BEings; however, most of us live as human DOings. This reliance on doing, busy-ness, and pace often takes us to the place where I was last month – in bed and sick. I have a dear friend and colleague who once shared this beautiful concept: To live, we must breathe. There is the inhale and the exhale. It is a perfect symphony. In. Out. In. Out. We quite literally cannot live without one or the other. When we exhale (DOing), we can only do so for a period of time before our bodies scream, “INHALE!” Then we inhale (BEing). BOTH must coexist to remain alive. Sometimes we are supremely focused on our inhales, crying “Me!” “MINE!” or “I!” Many of us, especially those in service-oriented industries, exhale, exhale and exhale. We give and put so much energy into others, we regularly forget to inhale and take care of ourselves. Where’s the harmony?
BEing Versus DOing
Have you stopped long enough to notice your breath?
Where are you exhaling while only taking short sips of breath to inhale?
Is it time to level out and find more ease with BEing?
What if you took a day to BE? What would that look like?
Each year, I take 1-2 days for business planning – my own retreat! I have found that this time of year is an awesome time to work on my business. The past few years I’ve done my planning on a yoga retreat. But you don’t have to get fancy. I’ve gone to the library and to a nearby monastery to BE, to reflect, and to plan. What if you took a work day? (Yes, you can do this. It’s work planning AND life planning). My coach recently reminded me that to be successful, one must work on three aspects of business:
- IN my business
- ON my business
- On MYSELF
It’s time to take a day. Work ON your business. It doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneur, a CEO, a manager, or an individual contributor. Take a day to work ON the business and on YOURSELF.
Steps for Working on the Three Aspects of Business
Here’s what the day might look like.
Start with BE time.
Walk in nature. Meditate. Do yoga. Go for a run. Read something inspirational. Listen to music. BE whatever it takes to center and ground.
Reflect on and celebrate your accomplishments of the past year.
Write them down. Keep a record. Name your strengths and those of your business. Name the stuff you do really well, like “Pulitzer Prize” well.
State your core values (this is critical).
When core values are operationalized, they help us stay on track, keep us focused, and align our work, our relationships, and our choices. (Don’t know your core values, yet? Let’s chat.)
Consider your aspirations for the coming year or years.
List all the potential ideas, goals, and visionary concepts you can think of. Then prioritize them. Pick your top 2-3. Those will be your priorities for the next year. You might want to add a measurement or benchmark to ensure you stay on track.
Dig a little deeper.
How will you show up in the coming months? Where might you want to be intentional with your energy? With your leadership? Your health? Your spirit? What relationships are most important to invest in and nourish? Are there behaviors, relationships, or programs that no longer serve and can be retired or let go?
Where will you grow?
What professional or personal development will you invest in? It could be cooking classes, gardening, or learning another language. Perhaps it’s hiring a coach to elevate and amplify your leadership or to create your next professional adventure (wink). Maybe it’s volunteering or mentoring. You decide.
You can do this! Regardless what some believe, YOU own your calendar. Pick a day to BE and create your best year yet.
If you want some help, let me know. I’m here for you!