The foundation of the quality of your life resides in how you engage with the present moment each day.
– Shannon Ables, Founder and Author of Simply Luxurious Living
I believe it’s fair to say that the past few months have been “unique”. In the U.S., so many huge things are happening every 24 hours, we don’t have time to process before the next disruption occurs. It’s difficult to stay fully present in the moment when it feels like we’re standing on ground that shifts daily. Things we assumed would always be there, like our Constitution, are no longer absolutely certain.
If you’ve read enough of these newsletters, you know I believe that we’re never truly stuck. Why? Because we can always choose our perspective – how we will BE in a situation, even when there’s nothing, we can DO about it.
Reflecting on the year so far, I identified a few perspectives that have served me well thus far. The cool thing is that these apply to company politics as well as the governmental version.
Ostrich
Sticking my head in the sand has preserved my sanity quite a few times thus far! A total news blackout, time in nature, driving without the radio on, not keeping my cell phone with me, a cruise balcony with only ocean around me – all of these reset my nervous system so I can come back and face whatever is next. Simply taking a moment for some deep breaths or a walk around the block can work too!
When the mind is fastened to the rhythm of breathing, it tends to become absorbed and calm. Whether on or off the court, I know of no better way to begin to deal with anxiety than to place the mind on one’s breathing process.
– W. Timothy Gallwey, Author
Owl
Owls see well in low light conditions, can rotate their heads to get a 270° view of their immediate surroundings and are symbols of wisdom, intuition and transformation. I’d like to think I spend most of my time here, focusing on what I can control in my immediate sphere of influence.
They’re also farsighted, which means they can’t get bogged down on the minutiae of everything close by. It seems like a good idea to stay in the present, handle each day the best as possible, and look at what’s coming soon ahead. It’s too hard to predict very far out when things are changing so rapidly, so let’s get the best quarterly plan we can and use leadership agility to navigate whatever comes.
As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery, French Writer, Poet, Journalist and Aviator.
Eagle
Eagles have incredible eyesight – according to the National Eagle Center they can see a rabbit running from 3 miles away! They also have two focal points in their eyes so they can see in front of them and at a 45-degree angle on each side of them at the same time.
The eagle is a great metaphor for our need to take both a far and broad view at times. Certainly, this helps us identify both opportunities and threats – and prepare for each.
For me, I’m in eagle mode when I’m hopeful about the opportunities possible. What we had wasn’t perfect. We can create something even better moving forward, if enough of us do the necessary work. On the other hand, it can be very scary thinking about all the negative outcomes possible. Then it’s time for disaster & recovery planning … perhaps after some ostrich time to regroup!
How About You?
What perspectives are serving you best this year? Please comment and share your best practices below.
I’ll leave you with another best practice:
Especially in the deepest darkness, where it feels like there’s nothing else, even then we have a choice that we can make to see that there’s also goodness all around us.
– Simran Jeet Singh, American Educator, Writer and Activist
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