If change happened last year, get ready for even more change. The ongoing health threats associated with the coronavirus; climate disruptions like megadroughts, 1000-year floods, and uncontained wildfires; and people displaced by political and military unrest – these combine to impact every community, city, nation, and the world. We are all, every one of us, dealing with accelerated change, and we all need to find the resources and tools to navigate it.
How will you, your clients, your company, your industry adapt to the radical ways in which our world is shifting? What will keep you grounded? The new normal requires us to be creative, innovative, and flexible. Let’s look at how being grounded--in your body, your mind, and your emotions—is critical to staying balanced, when nothing else is. Physical Grounding When you are grounded, you have the ability to be calm in the midst of uncertainty. It means that you are able to stay focused on your values and your vision for your life and not get derailed by what’s going on around you. One simple (not necessarily easy!) way to stay grounded is to focus on your body, either through exercise or using relaxation techniques like breathing (taking slow, deep breaths). For me, making a training schedule and following through on it has been key. With the help of my coach, Rob at http://colburnbodyconcepts.com, I’ve been able to keep up with my running. But what really has energized me lately is the community pool http://www.weehawken-nj.us newly built in my neighborhood. I’ve been going swimming every morning I can and doing the swimming workouts outlined by Rob on https://app.trainingpeaks.com. I might be able to jump back in doing lake and ocean swims by the time Spring 2022 comes around. The pool is an outdoor pool and only opened for a few weeks until they build the cover which should be ready in December 2022. In September I will sign up again for the Masters Swim Team Unify https://www.teamunify.com/SubTabGeneric.jsp?team=njbac&_stabid_=63739 to get at least a swim per week early Sunday mornings until the cover of the Weehawken pool is ready. Once the cover is built I will be training every week and may attempt the 4.4 mile Great Chesapeake Bay Swim http://www.bayswim.com in 2022 or 2023 if everything lines up. I’m sharing this because staying on track with exercise has helped me so much to navigate the pandemic and its ups and down. As you likely know, research shows that exercise increases production of endorphins (the neurotransmitters responsible for making you feel good!), improving mood and mitigating the negative effects of stress. It helps us to be present in the moment. Mental and Emotional Grounding Life feels like it’s getting redefined daily. So what else can you do to manage all these changes and surprises and stay grounded? In addition to exercise and other physical grounding techniques, there are ways to refocus mentally, quieting down our overloaded brains by redirecting negative or overwhelming thoughts. And just like we need to exercise our bodies regularly to keep them in shape, we need to practice certain mental habits to keep our minds in shape and help us self-regulate. There are many ways to do this. It can be as simple as journaling or listening to music or talking to a friend. Among my favorites, which I’ve written about before, are meditation and mindfulness. But they are worth mentioning again. For example,using headspace https://www.headspace.com/about-us morning or night for 10 to 20 minutes as they have multiple areas of meditation like stress, anxiety, creativity and focus can be invaluable for emotional grounding. I’ve been recommending this for years to clients and have been using the app, especially the creativity section, to continue to inspire innovation. Transitioning For many of us, our radically shifting times have challenged our assumptions about what the good life is supposed to look like. I am still driven to work and travel, but something deeper happened to me during this last year. I want a more fulfilled experience of living, to experience life on a more profound level. Getting close to death seems to do that to people. The realization that we won’t be here forever and that this might be your last year or last few years makes a difference. In this changing world, who knows what comes next? Leaving a job, starting a new one, taking retirement sooner. People getting clearer about what they want to do now with work, home life, or lifestyle seems to be a priority. The stakes have changed. I see this with my clients, who are re-evaluating what’s important and setting new goals, for themselves and their companies. More than ever, goals and values must align. When they do, leaders are better able to adapt to a change and continue to deliver results. To keep growing and learning during the pandemic is admirable, and I am in admiration of all of these client efforts on behalf of their employees. Kudos to all of them. Planning for Success With a grounded mindset you can meet the challenges facing you and develop the skills for success, whether you are a millennial, Gen X, or Baby Boomer. You have the power to envision and create a better future. At Desormeaux consulting, one of our offerings is career advancement and transitions coaching for senior leaders looking for their next role and/or envisioning their next steps. These sessions can include creating multiple scenarios, structured planning and timelines, and future visualization. We’ve also been offering career advancement and development programs for groups of diversity leaders. When change is accelerated, it impacts company cultures and focus, and these days supporting diversity leaders is a priority. Where are you when it comes to change in your career and in your life? What’s next? Could you use a few coaching sessions that would support you or your leaders in career advancement or career transition? If you are interested in learning more about our services, you can visit our website at www.desormeauxconsutling.com or contact me: [email protected].
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