The Positive Energy Workplace

Create the space...mark that calendar

10 days in, 9 classes in, and...uh...yep, only 4 runs in...and "behind" on blog posts. It's been a buzz! Remember I said I wasn't sure what this series would turn into? Well yeehaa! It's turning into something I didn't expect. A series I'll be posting on just once a week, cuz...let's face it...there's a lot to do besides posting here. (And truth be told, I'm super behind on other writing commitments that need my attention yesterday!) So while I thought I'd be here ever 2-3 days, you're just gonna have to trust me and make up the rest on what is going on in the lead/beek/run challenge. I'll be posting weekly on the lead/beek/run challenge. But stay tuned, cuz I have some additional energy/relationship/leadership blog posts a brewing...and they're feeling kind of juicy!

So what has the last week brought besides 6 classes and 2 runs? For one, I have a deeper level of appreciation for creating space (not only on the calendar, but in my head) for getting "in front of it" with training, nutrition, sleep, etc. I'm learning to schedule my training/nutrition like I schedule projects. It helps a ton. (Full disclosure, the picture above is me leading a business retreat for some clients, but it could be me marking my training calendar!) Secondly, remember how I was concerned about being an extremist and I'm either all in or all out and how would that impact my intentions? (I think that was in post 1 of the series.) Well, I'm over it! Yep! Totally evolved! (LOL.) This, I suppose, is the gift of being so physically present that I don't have time for the drama of extremism/all in/all out mentality. (Either that, or it's a simple survival/thrival tactic I've adopted - either way, it's feeling good.) I've decided that as long as I'm showing up 100% (and only I know), I'm cool. Just because I miss a class or a run or a post, does not mean all is lost. It just means climb back on. Pop quiz: Where does this "extremism" theory apply in your business and/or life? And where will the "climb back on" approach serve you? Go for it!

What else has this week brought? New awareness around "drama, decisions, and competition." Come on now...

I got my lead/beek/run "aha" this a.m. before I even stepped into the hot room. Driving in I noticed how neutral I was feeling. Neutral and present and calm. Open to whatever the morning brought; in everything from the morning class, to the morning client calls, to the morning run (yes, it's time to start amping up my running), and the morning projects (I am in the middle of a big project, which you will soon see the fruits of on this blog.)

Today has been a mix of emotions. Driving in for the early a.m. practice, I listened to some of the tributes of 9/11. Although that day is 10 years past, I can still remember the feeling, the horror, and complete sadness of it. One particular visceral image that will stay in my heart, I imagine forever, is the sight of my son, on his 1st birthday, "navigating" through all the balloons for his birthday party - getting tangled up in them, tripping and giggling with delight, and in the background, the TV broadcasting the burning towers while my mother and I watched the events unfold wondering where my husband was (he was boarding a plane at the time.)

A complete mix of emotions for me; pure joy and delight and gratitude on one hand, mixed with heartbreak, fear, and horror...and...confusion on the other. How was this happening even possible? I know this is nothing compared to what others went through on this day, nothing. But it is that mix of emotions I can tap into instantaneously that brings me back to the surreal-ness of 9/11. It is that mix of emotions that brings up tears of gratitude, sadness, and heartache all over again. It's also this mix of emotions which had me pretty raw for class today and gifted me 3 predominant awarenesses...

I thought I'd do something very different on this blog for a bit. Consider this an experiment on multiple levels. We're actually in the process of giving my site and blog a full "facelift", so things are a-changing here, and today I feel compelled to play.

Quick preview: a 60 day blog series integrating energy/leadership development with my personal aha's/experiences from doing a Bikram Yoga Challenge while training for a 1/2 Marathon all at the same time. I get some serious clarity when I push myself physically, and integrate business, leadership & the body. It's no surprise that this has had such a strong impact on the work I do with people. In this series I'll be linking leadership/Bikram yoga/running (lead/beek/run) to share some ideas that 1) I hope are fun, 2) will serve you in your own business and life, 3) will provide space for us to learn together and create more connection, and 4) will push me out of my own comfort zone in bringing you more deeply into my internal quirks!

A little background: What I know is that my energy, success, effectiveness, and personal levels of joy and groundedness directly correlate with my level of activity, what I eat, and how well I do at "getting in front of" and "leading" in my life and relationships. The more I ground in this way, the more intentional I am, the cleaner I eat - the more my energy soars, the more grounded I feel, the better I am in my relationships and leadership, and the more my business and life thrive. This is the virtuous cycle, as I've shared with many of you, and one that I work with clients on just about everyday. And of course, as we all teach what we need to learn, this virtuous cycle is on the front lines with me daily.

One of the things I've been acutely aware of lately with my clients is the challenge they have of being pulled in so many directions. They're expected to lead, communicate, navigate change, collaborate, direct, give feedback, grow their people, engage, mentor, produce results, model mindset, and, if they're working with me, stay incredibly present while managing their energy and impact through all of it! Tricky.

The impact of having so many demands and wanting to do a good job with all of them, is that often the leader ultimately feels they're not doing enough, or that they're not doing anything well. On the flip side, the people who look to them for mentorship and leadership can feel the energy of this, feel "neglected" or worst case, interpret it all as "that they're not cared for or valued." Neither of these perceptions is the intended one, and no one feels great.

So what to do, what to do?