SO BUSY BEING BUSY
You know how professionals are so busy working and mentoring others, but often find it hard to take their own advice? Well I was one of those, and I wore my ‘busy’ like a badge of honour. I was dedicated, passionate and committed to my career, delivering results and contributing to the world of business as an HR Professional.
In reality I was nearly drowning on some days and completely bored on others, with occasional good days thrown in for good measure. But I couldn’t see it at the time, so I kept telling myself “If I can just keep going, I’m sure I’ll find a way to break free of this stress. It’s OK, let me just finish this …” (email/report/insert your whip of choice here.)
I continued to ignore my little voice and stayed on the get-up-go-to-work-come-home-hamster-wheel, knowing that I was physically, emotionally and spiritually spent, but still pushing my thoughts to one side and repeatedly telling myself “It’s fine, I’m fine, it’s all good”.
Until the day it wasn’t.
Now I’ve always been passionate about the fact that words create worlds, and that we ARE our choices.
I had been considering taking a new job, but on this particular day, the more I thought about it, the more my body seemed to close in on me. My shoulders dropped, my heart closed, my hands were sweating and it was like everything inside of me was yelling NO!
I realised there was something very wrong.
Over the course of my HR career I had always spoken about how we spend so much of our lives at work, it’s so important to love what we’re doing.
And then it hit me – I didn’t love the work I was doing any more! Wait, WHAT?!?!?
I was both horrified and confused. Horrified because I realised I’d been living out of integrity with myself, and confused because I thought I knew better. How could this happen to me, of all people?!
And then the reality of what I’d been ignoring for the years prior to that dawned on me. When I started putting all the puzzle pieces together, I realised that I was in prolonged burnout.
It was only then that I finally understood how things simply had to change, and the relief was absolutely enormous. I couldn’t hide behind my work anymore, and I certainly couldn’t keep saying those words (about work) without actually living them too.
RECOVERING MY MOJO
So began my journey to empowerment. I took the decision to better ‘practise-what-I-preach’ and reminded myself what it is that makes my Heart sing.
I stopped moaning about how dissatisfied and exhausted I was, and embarked on a process of reconnecting with my values.
I unearthed what was hindering and what was helping me in finding that elusive work-life ‘balance’.
I did a proper assessment of what I had always thought was ‘my healthy lifestyle’, went back to my doctor, discovered some mind-blowing research about burnout, and set about creating new systems, a better lifestyle and sound habits for myself with clear, new boundaries.
I also recognised how much I’d been sabotaging myself, and purposefully set about reclaiming my Sense of Self – my ‘SOS’ if you will.
And I discovered that when you trust your Heart and take the time to be still and listen to your Self, your path will open up.
When I finally decided to stop ‘trying to do it all’ (at my own expense) I was able to make different choices in order to keep things easier for myself.
A simple yet profoundly important decision.
JOY IS THE KEY
As any productivity expert will tell you, being busy is not the same as achieving.
The Greeks have a wonderfully lyrical term known as ‘MERAKI’ that translates to “artistry; the soul, creativity or love you put into something; the essence of yourself that you put into your work”.
Some people describe it as being in flow, or in the zone.
My path to empowerment took me from lagging in a chain of pain to revelling in a space of joy.
I embraced my WHY, redefined my ‘MERAKI’ and slowly GOT MY MOJO BACK!
My entire experience gave me remarkable insights and led me to develop a bespoke programme of support for you – and with you – from the perspective of someone who truly understands where you are, right now.
So if you’re that weary professional who’s lost your mojo, feels tired all the time while (unconsciously) sabotaging yourself, get ready to bring your mojo back, reclaim your Sense of Self and become more authentically empowered in life, at work and at play.
Click here or on the ‘Leading Edge Empowerment’ button below to schedule your complimentary 45-minute Leading Edge discovery session.
WHAT ELSE SETS ME BUZZING?
I am in awe of the exponential growth of information and disruption that is taking place around us. Conventional belief systems are being powerfully challenged and old paradigms radically shifted, all of which requires us to be agile and responsive in this new VUCA** world.
I’m all about unlearning, tuning in to the real power of our Infinite Self and knowing we are each responsible for our own joy.
Amongst multiple other knowledge sets, I hold a University Certification in Executive and Management Coaching, have a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology.
I discovered the delights of coffee while living in Belize in 2017 (late bloomer I know!) am an avid dog-and-cat person, love photography, travel and scuba diving, and these days will take a walk under the stars over a night out clubbing any time!
If you’d like to connect and have an opportunity to chat, click here or on the ‘Leading Edge Empowerment’ button below to schedule your complimentary 45-minute Leading Edge discovery call.
You’ll discover some opportunities you may not have recognised, and get some valuable insight into what’s getting in your way.
You’ll walk away with a clear roadmap of action steps you can take to reach your goals, and perhaps a little reminder of what your mojo feels like.
And if it looks like we’re good travel partners, I’ll be happy to share how I can support you in a tailored coaching programme.
**VUCA originally described the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity of situations. Harvard Business School suggests today’s world calls for Vision, Understanding, Courage and Adaptability. I much prefer the latter, don’t you?