7 WAYS TO USE 2020 TO CREATE THE BEST YOU YET!

Well, what a year, hey?!

My theory is that too many people across the world were wishing and wanting for life to slow down… the opportunity to ‘catch up’, find balance and cut through the noise so that they could focus on their own purpose, goals, dreams and desires.

‘Be careful what you wish for’… they say 😉

It’s fair to say that nobody survived the negative effects of the pandemic… and it’s fair to say that for possibly the first time in history, the world was united…

…United in care, empathy and understanding. Minimal judgement, maximum appreciation.

And for what it’s worth… I feel that is invaluable.

We all worked with what we know.

If you knew better, you’d do better. You did the very best you could with what you know and what you had available to you.

Some strived and grew, sought the new opportunities that became present. Some shrunk and worried in the uncertainty… in realisation that they do not have the tools to deal with these new emotions.

My hope is that whichever spectrum you sat under, you take this year, we all take this year, and use as a learning tool to continue growing and leading by example.

Some key leadership learnings for me, (interestingly all inspired by Deepak Chopra), that were highlighted throughout the year, may resonate with the growth that you’d like to experience, so I share them here for you;

1. Pay Attention to What Really Matters
I often refer to the noise and societal pressures that everyone has to deal with this day and age. These challenges are one of the main reasons I began my business.

When I was younger these extra pressures were of a minimum- and many non-existent! (showing my age!)
We had to make the effort to go and seek information, companionship, knowledge…
It’s now at our finger-tips.
On fast forward… and comes to us without thought or desire…
…but who was given the tools to know how to process and work with this bombardment of constant extra information and attention?

It’s obvious that with the rise of stress, anxiety, depression, suicide, that most were not equipped to handle the influx.
To stay aligned to your purpose, and maintain the ability to cut through the noise, the key is to understand what you value most. Make a list of your values, in priority, and keep this list visible. Use this when making choices around where you will give the most focus and attention. Make conscious choices of how you will choose to spend your time and energy. Aim to detach from the rest – you can still care about other areas, but try not let them dictate your time, heart and soul. We get to choose.

2. Be Intentional with your time
Choose how you will spend your time, based on your values. It can be easy to get swept up in the endless available activities. Before committing next time, check your intention… are you doing it because it feeds your purpose and spirit… or out of obligation?

3. Meditate/Practise mindfulness
Finding a quiet place to just BE, helps cultivate present-moment awareness. Whatever is happening in that moment is OK. No right or wrong, just noticing the feelings without judgement or trying to change them.
I’ve always enjoyed this holistic approach, and over this year, it has become a daily ritual that I can’t imagine doing without. Staying centred and allowing space to find your inner peace reduces stress, regulates emotion and I believe, creates space for creativity

4. Find and Give Support
This has been a biggy this year. Everyone survives crisis better with support. Support is different from constant texting, scrolling and online distractions. True support comes in the form of a bond… it can come from anywhere but the key is that it counters the thought to be insular.
Giving support offers a personal feeling of increased self-worth, purpose and value.

5. Find the Blessings of Imperfection
What a boring world it would be without imperfection… and that which comes from having it present. The growth through imperfection, (either accepting it or taking action in imperfect implementation), creates a liberating space of acceptance in self.
By simply adjusting your expectations, you can find happiness in the most unlikely of places.

6. Eat well
Pay attention to what you put in your body. We only have one vessel and it likes to be taken care of… rewarding us with energy, extra brain power and longevity when we do.

7. Stay Active
Your physiology creates your psychology.
If possible, the best thing to do in the morning is get active! Any length of time is better than no length. Any time of day is better than no time.

I trust you’ll find value in these 7 ways to ensure your leadership moves to the next-level next year. Remember, we must first master inner leadership before we can successfully lead others.