Rising Strong, Moving Forward

So, here we are. Today doesn't look like yesterday, nor last week, and surely doesn't look like it did a month ago. Perhaps you were recently laid off and are wondering how you are going to make ends meet let alone what you are going to do in your career. But which way are you facing?

Much of the world is observing Good Friday today and will celebrate Easter this Sunday. Yeah, I know it's hard to think of celebration in a time like this. Despite the grief that we carry for what's happening in the world around us, it's a time to think about rising up, not lying down. It's about realizing everything we have done before was "time in the womb, not time in the tomb."

So again, I ask which way are you facing? Are you looking back to the way things used to be and trying to figure out how you can get back to the job you were in or something similar? Are you waiting for the dust and ashes to settle so you can find the same kind of role? Are you frantically making yourself anxious on every job scraper site, LinkedIn, and what have you trying to find something just like the way it was? Ok, but what if you pause for a moment, take a deep breath, and ask yourself something: Is that what you really want?

There's no question that these are trying times in so many ways. But with every disruption comes the catalyst for change - in organizations, teams, and individuals alike. (More on organizations and teams in a later post) What would it look like if you took this time as the opportunity to assess what you want out of life? Well, what do you want? If there were no barriers, what would your life look like 15 years from now? Would going back to your previous role get you there?

We spend most of our lives doing and forget how to be. Life is really about who you are, not what you to do - being, not doing. Have you been missing a version of you that you forgot was there? Now's the chance to get familiar with the real you and start taking the opportunity to build a life around who you really are. Here are some steps to help you get there.

First, close your laptop, step away from your computer, and take a deep breath. Light a candle and just focus on your breathing. I bet you haven't afforded yourself the gift of simply being as you are always rushing around doing. Then, take a walk (wearing a mask might be a good idea) and enjoy the exercise as you allow your mind to clear and wander as it may. Don't worry if it's full of "stuff" - that's just part of being human.

Once you've had some time to lower your anxiety, grab a notebook or your favorite journal and dream. Imagine your life in 10 or 15 years and write a story or draw a picture. What does it look like? Use as much detail as possible. Who will you be?

Allow yourself to sit regularly with these ideas, thoughts, and most importantly, the questions. As your new reality is birthed from your true self, take note of where you are now and what it takes to get where you want to go. Is it time to start a business? Do you need to find a completely new role? Coaching is another great way to help you get those answers that are within you just waiting to come to awareness.

Just keep rising, keep looking forward, and most importantly, don't pressure yourself to find the answers right away, because the less pressure you put on yourself, the easier the answers will find you. Rilke meant it when he said, "Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." I have a feeling that distant day will come sooner than you think.