General Post

You can react or you can respond

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It’s actually really weird sitting down and writing here. I’ve been holding a pen a lot more lately. Sometimes that would lead to the computer screen, but mostly it would stay in my notebook.

This though – I’m writing this from my phone. I don’t do that often because I really do enjoy sitting down at my desk, feeling real keys under my fingers, but I guess I felt I had something to say.

The past month I’ve divided myself into a few parts. I’m a big believer in that you can’t truly divide yourself – personal you and professional you mesh and influence each other. However, under stress my coping strategy of choice is to dive deeper and compartmentalize, possibly segment myself so that these worlds collide a bit less.

That’s why I backed off the blog in January and sadly, just when I thought I had the newsletter where I wanted it, I found time had escaped, again.

I am strategic in what I take on and it disappoints me when I drop the ball. Mostly, because dropping the ball is a let down for me directly and doesn’t usually impact others. I’m actually really good at making sure others aren’t let down, which is why my clients are all aware of what’s been going on with me.

I decided to tell you that my head has been funky because I think far too often we see glimpses into other worlds through windows created online and we dream about how great it must be on the other side of the window. We eliminate context even when it’s given to us. We make the best and worst assumptions of others, we then take that and look inward and think, what’s wrong with us, where are we lacking – where did we go wrong.

The other week, while I was finishing a training session with a client who has become a good friend, she looked at me and said, “ok, I’m your coach for a minute. What can you offload? What needs attention today, what can wait until tomorrow?” I laughed and cried at the same time because she used my words exactly and I just didn’t know what reaction to have.

There is nothing wrong with us when we show defeat, when we show exhaustion. There are good days – there are bad days. There’s so much not in our control, and that causes us to overlook what is right in front us and what we can control.

Our attitude about our circumstance influences our actions – we can respond or we can react. That’s a choice we do have.

Funny enough, I’ve been reading through Romans the past few weeks and considering this more deeply than I’ve ever posed to clients as a coach.

So, in January, I offloaded the blog unintentionally, but it happened. I focused on my lifting, on my clients, on my writing, and setting up February.

I didn’t shutdown, though there were times I wanted to and I’m sure there are times you do too. Instead, I allowed her voice to fill me more times than I want to admit – it meshed with mine: what needs attention, what is my purpose, what is fulfilling, what moves me forward, what’s the plan of attack?

If you’re frustrated, go ahead and be, but don’t let it consume you, don’t let it stop you. If you’re tired, grab a pillow and take a nap, we all need rest sometimes.