And…. Pause…
What have we learnt in 20 years of coaching?
The single most significant thing we know you can do today to help cope with everyday life, is to consciously pause more.
And as you pause, breathe…. In for 3, and out for 6. Do it three times. It’s going to take less than 30 seconds.
Take a moment to pause right now, before you read on…
In this tiny slither of time, you’ve shifted something immense. You’ve brought yourself into the present and calmed down your nervous system in the process.
Modern life can feel incredibly busy for many people much of the time. The pull to constantly switch from one thing to another is extremely powerful and leads to a quickening of pace in all of us.
This comes with so many downsides attached. The constant drip, drip, drip of adrenalin damaging our immune systems, and leading to at best mistakes, at worst burn out.
If you can consciously pause more, breathing as you do, you’ll reset yourself. In that moment.
So next time a colleague upsets you – before responding, pause and breathe.
Next time an email worries you – before responding, pause and breathe.
Next time you wonder what on earth do next – before acting, pause and breathe.
It will help you so very, very much.
Get What is ‘In’ Out
We are all human, and there will be times when we feel so ‘full up’ there’s no room for anything else to fit in. But despite that, modern life has a knack of continuing to keep throwing more at us.
So inevitably we can start to overflow. Which can could look like:
Crying or retreating
Shouting or firing off a grotty email
Being short with a colleague
Going into overdrive
Just to name a few.
Whatever way it comes out – trust us, there will come a point where it all has to come out whether we like it or not. We usually get to the point we can’t control it, even if we’re masters at avoiding.
When this next happens to you, because it will, we recommend you find the way of it coming out that works best for you and your situation. Sometimes you may want to shout, scream and hide. But sometimes you’ll want to manage it differently to that.
Whether privately on a piece of paper, over a drink with a friend or in the safe space of a coaching room, there is so much importance in getting things safely out.
You release the pressure valve and increase your objectivity
And in turn you’ll find you create some space to help your head work out what it needs to do next. In a more pragmatic and considered way.
If you then decide to send the grotty email, at least you’re doing it with thought. But we strongly suspect that you’ll have found a better way that works more for you.
So please remember, you are a human, and humans get full up. When you notice this happening, pause, and find get it out safely. Then you can work with it.