Re-Energising
Spring is coming and it feels like it’s time to re-energise. The sun has been out and the view from my desk is looking brighter with spring flowers starting to appear in the garden outside. Hopefully the coming months are going to be more energising than ever, with the arrival of warmer weather and the exciting prospect of getting back out to do the things we love with friends and family.
From a business point of view, we are starting to put the mixed experiences of the last 12 months behind us and look to the future.
In some cases, there are still fears about the longer-term impacts of lockdown – for others it may quickly start to feel like business as usual. As business leaders, our staff look to us to set the tone - if we appear positive about the future they will also feel more confident and secure.
How we go about re-energising though is different for each of us. For me, running on-line coaching sessions with many of my former clients gave me a real boost of energy and an insight into how people have started to get into action. One client has thoroughly enjoyed carving out some time each week to focus on marketing, another hired a new member of staff to shift the way they manage projects, another is excited to be writing a book, another is running online seminars and one has decided it’s time to move on!
Whilst our environment and experiences can support our energy, that isn’t always going to be the case.
As we have seen, the events of the last year have taken a real toll on us physically and emotionally. Sometimes we need to find ways to re-energise ourselves, rather than relying on the world around us as our source of energy.
One positive from the last year may be that we have found new things to appreciate whilst our freedom has been restricted. For me, I have certainly learned to enjoy the simple pleasure of going for a walk alone or with a friend, not to mention the excitement of a short drive, even if it’s just to the post office!
Whilst we all look forward to the big treats like a holiday abroad, there is a lot to be said for finding pleasure in the small things - it might be as simple as putting on an item of clothing we love, listening to a certain song, writing with a special pen or taking a minute to sit quietly outside with a cup of tea, rather than rushing back to our desk. Making a conscious choice to be present and enjoy the moment.
There is also the less explored impact that the people around have on us.
When I’m working with clients on developing a positive mindset, I ask them to think about the people they are surrounding themselves with, both professionally and personally, looking at who lifts their energy and who drains their energy.
The lists can sometimes be surprising. When I did this exercise a few years ago I was surprised to observe that relationships with some long-standing friends were no longer the positive force they had been in the past, whilst some people I had met more recently had really inspired and energised me. It certainly made me think about where I wanted to invest my energy and who I wanted to spend more (and less) time with.
The key for me is awareness. The better we understand ourselves and how the things we do and people we mix with affect our energy, the easier it is for us to maintain a positive mindset. Rather than have our energy be the outcome of the things that happen to us, allowing ourselves to take conscious steps which help to put us back on track when things aren’t going our way, to put disappointments into perspective and enjoy life.
“Always leave enough time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous. That has more of an effect on economic well-being than any other single factor.”
