Circle of Influence.
Manage what you _can_ control.
Mitigate, accept, or avoid what you can’t. If at all possible.
I find that a lot of people, when faced with life’s big messy problems, tend to descend into disorganised chaos.
“I don’t know what to think.”
“I don’t know how I should be feeling.”
“Things are so messy right now.”
“I can’t see the wood for the trees.”
Strong emotions like fear, and anxiety can be debilitating, and can make you feel as if your circle of Influence is rapidly shrinking.
Liz Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love talks about journaling.
First, to invite ‘Fear’ to come forth and pour out everything she is afraid of, and why, and how. No filters.
Then, thank her for sharing, acknowledging that she is doing that to protect you.
After that, invite Wisdom to come forward, and talk about all the things that have been shared thus far.
What a great idea.
I’m no Sage, but I generally play the role of the left-brained Spock when my team members or my clients come to me with imminent disasters in the horizon.
I let them pour their heart out, and I listen.
Then I help to gently place the emotions outside the area of discussion (metaphorically) and we look at options – what we can do.
What we have no control over, we look at putting a plan in place to manage and mitigate them.
The simple act of giving a voice to our Fear seem to take the intensity out of that emotion.
Having the reassuring voice of Wisdom take us by the hand, like a wise, caring grandmother, helps lifts the veil of confusion to see options, and help make the best of the hand we have been given.
Give your emotions personas.
And give them permission to speak.
And maybe you’ll be able to find some measure of Peace.
#circleofinfluence
#personaldevelopment
#zenhaoprotip