Embracing Adversity
When it comes to leadership, it is important to embrace challenges, to embrace the fears that show up in our lives. Fear is an opportunity to expand. When we approach fear we approach the edges of our lives that mark the end of our comfort zone. When we begin to push those edges, we begin to move beyond the limits of what we thought we could do. We begin to expand the horizons we live within. We grow new horizons, new skills, new confidence, new ways of being and interacting with the world.
Learn to be uncomfortable with discomfort. If you are not feeling uncomfortable, you are not changing. Challenge yourself to do something you are afraid of every day. Turn fear into your power, into strength. When fear presents itself, ask yourself “What’s the opportunity here?”
Every challenge that presents itself is an opportunity for you to use your creativity and responsibility to change and improve your world. We are all born with creativity. Leaning into messiness yields creativity.
Coaching Reflection
Strengthening Relationships
Having a goal is important but never lose sight of the one thing that really counts in life, the people in our lives, our family, co-workers, and the people that we serve. Part of being a leader in the new paradigm is bringing love into all our relationships. A love that says
I see you, I care, I acknowledge that which is good, important and special about you.
Caring for others is about trying to understand them and their point of view.
Spend time with the people in your life. Get to know new people. Learn to stay present in the moment so that you can respond to your surroundings in ways that are respectful to others and to yourself. Learn to speak honestly, directly and kindly to the people and the situation that is at hand. When conversations come from the heart, from Love, one knows that every person will be well supported and that respect will flow in both directions. People will know they can count on you for your candor, for your word.
Keep in mind that speaking with Love does not diminish integrity. On the contrary, it invites one to be real with oneself and with others. Such integrity demands that one doesn’t gossip or complain. Integrity and sincerity invite words that inspire hope, inspiration, and vision.
When we make the people in our lives important, we show leadership through our caring. When we take time to help others, giving others credit for their achievements, laughing with others and nurturing our relationship with them we do really make the world a better place. This kind of positive human exchange strengthens your role as leader.
The Inner Leader
Being a leader is about constantly learning and growing both in one’s outer skills as well as in one’s inner life. By cultivating an inner life of self love and self awareness you set the foundation for self leadership and success.
To become a leader in one’s own life, I invite you to examine love, the love that you embrace yourself and your own life with. When we begin by loving ourselves first, then it is easier to love our lives, the people around us, and our jobs.
We can cultivate self love through the clarity of self awareness, by being honest with ourselves about ourselves and our place in the world around us. We can tend to our health. By loving a cultivating a healthy body and lifestyle we are better equipped to embrace life, it’s challenges and all there is to do. Find time to read inspirational books. Grow a positive, loving inner environment which will lead to acting in positive loving ways. Love your family and spend time with them. Always strive to be the best you can in all your relationships.
Rather than focusing on making money, make your focus that of doing great work, everywhere you go. Imagine arriving at work and knowing that love and caring were foundational to the work environment you were stepping into. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that when you went to work you would find an atmosphere in which love, respect, care, trust, forgiveness compassion and inclusiveness were integral to the environment? By embracing self love, self respect and self leadership, you can become part of the solution that will touch the lives of others. You can affect change in the world. It all starts at home within your own heart.
Show up in the world and truly serve the hearts and the well being of yourself, others and the planet. This reflects a common leadership creating a world we all dream about. If each of us brings to the world a leadership that reflects loving awareness and personal excellence, the world we live in will transform into a world that we are all proud to live in.
Personal Reflection
- What do you see are the qualities of self-leadership?
- How are you showing up as a leader in your own life?
- Who are some every day leaders that you notice in your family, friends, workplace or the world around you?
- In what ways can you become a greater leader in your own life?
References
Church, Dr. Maria (2010) Love-Based Leadership: Transform Your Life with Meaning and Abundance, Balboa Press
Sharma, Robin. (2010) The Leader Who Had No Title, Free Press