NEAR

I was recently listening to a podcast and heard one of the participants talk about an acronym they use to help them get and stay grounded during times of stress and tension.  I found it super helpful, so wanted to share it here with you this week.

NEAR - Nature - Encounter - Art - Ritual

Nature

There's something about intentionally spending time in Nature that can be very grounding. When we can go outside, even for a few minutes, and slow down, breathe, listen, watch - basically, paying attention to what the natural world is revealing, we can find a space of reconnection with the larger world and with ourselves in the process.

Encounter

The same way we can slow down and become more present in Nature, we can also do that with people.  Taking time to intentionally Encounter someone else can help us find a renewed sense of perspective. When we take time to be present with another person or a group of people, we can become re-grounded in our shared humanity and recognize that we are not alone in this world.  Taking time to Encounter can help us reawaken the beauty of what it means to be us!

Art

Connecting with Art doesn't mean I have to go to a museum. I may want to do that, but it can also be creating some Art myself, listening to music, reading a book, or maybe even watching a movie.  The idea here is to engage with something that requires creativity to bring it into the world. When we connect with Art we open up another side of our brains and literally allow our minds to expand.

Ritual

This final piece of being NEAR is about connecting with rhythms and patterns that draw us to something larger than ourselves. It may be engaging in some type of religious or faith practice, but it could also be establishing a new routine for a morning or evening ritual (i.e. get up, grab a coffee, sit in the same spot and journal before heading into the day). When we participate in Rituals, we open up room to see the larger spheres of the world and remind ourselves that we are part of something more vast and beautiful than just all the tasks we've got to accomplish this week.

How does being NEAR help you find a place of grounding?  Which aspects have you engaged in recently, and what kind of impact did it have?  What is one element you could add to your life this week (NEAR) that would help to open you up and find a place a greater grounding?

Here's to being NEAR this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center. We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we'd love to support you! Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

You Matter!

In light of a series of conversations I have had this week, I just want to share a simple message with you:

You Matter!

That's it.  You Matter!

You may be tempted to think that who you are and what you are doing in the world doesn't really matter or make an impact. I'm here to tell you today that's just not true!  Regardless of who you are or what your role is, You Matter!  

Wherever you are reading this right now, hold your head high, let your shoulders roll back a little, take a deep breath, and remind yourself, "I matter in this world!"

Because it's true!

You matter!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center. We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we'd love to support you! Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

The Thief of Joy

I was chatting with a leader this week and they said a phrase that really stood out to me.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

I've been thinking about it ever since they said it and wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

In one of the trainings I do with leaders and teams, we talk about a disease I call Comparitivitus. Basically, it's a simple (silly) version of this beautiful phrase from my friend. When we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of Comparison, we will always come up with a feeling of falling short, or not measuring up to a more perfect standard, or not being enough.  And I think social media has made this 10 times worse. Most of the images we see on our platforms of choice are curated images of the best of people's lives (or at least the better parts of it).  Sometimes you will run into the minority account that shows "Here's what my regular Tuesday looked like when I went to Costco in my sweatpants to get gas!" But for the most part, it's "Look at this amazing sunset I saw tonight on my vacation in Bora Bora! #blessed" Or, "These are the most incredible cookies I've ever tasted, and look how cute they look with their spooky spider web frosting! #BestHalloween #Blessed"

I know I am exaggerating (kind of!), but when I see all of those curated images (and then all the ones the algorithm brings too), it's easy to fall into the trap of, "My Halloween cookies never look that good." or "I wish I could go to Bora Bora instead of visiting my family in Nebraska!"  I lose the simple joy of making cookies for my family because I am trying to make them "measure up" to some other standard I've decided is a better outcome.  Or I miss the joy and beauty of being with my family because I think I should be somewhere else on a more perfect vacation instead.

Comparison is the thief of joy!

So how do we not let Comparison steal our joy? I'm glad you asked!

I know it would be easy to say, "Just get off of social media" but I think it's more than that. I think it's about starting with a healthy perspective that recognizes most of those images are super curated (and only going to be more so with AI), so it's not realistic for me think they are the "standard" I should be striving for.  Then I think we add to that healthy perspective the process of practicing gratitude for what we do have.  I believe this two-fold approach - a realistic perspective combined with a good dose of gratitude - can really help to protect us from letting Comparison steal our joy.

How about you? In what ways are you tempted to allow Comparison to steal your joy?  Are there certain situations that create those feelings of not measuring up or being enough in some way? Do you think there are specific circumstances where you need to apply a more healthy perspective and practice some gratitude for what is already true? What other tools have you found that help you combat the disease of Comparitivitus?

Here's to not letting Comparison steal our joy this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center. We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we'd love to support you! Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.