For many of us in North America, we are coming into a season of holiday celebrations, family events and travel. For those who have a calling to career and business, it’s also a time for some space, rest and introspection.
If you feel like you just need to rest, I would encourage you to do it (without any guilt). We have been on fire mentally for nearly two years now, and the amount of complexity we have dealt with is staggering.
Also, make sure to take time to celebrate your passage. It may have been hard, it may have been chaotic and it may have been unexpected, but you are here.
Lastly, express gratitude. If you are like me, it’s easy to think about it, but not say it. Now is the time to say it and be it.
Give attention generously. Tip generously. Be present.
Some Journaling Prompts
During this downtime, there will be some of you who won’t be able to avoid finding a comfortable chair, favorite hot beverage and notebook of choice. Many have found the ritual of journaling therapeutic, discovering unarticulated and powerful insight lurking below the surface.
In regular practice, clients have found this to be a consistent source of freshness and stability. For now though, give yourself some room to try it and see what happens.
Let me offer a couple of questions and prompts.
I have found that the most universal, clear and productive reflective framework is also the simplest: From, To, Toward.
- From: Don’t rush this part. It’s very rare we grant ourselves the gift of truly being present. What business were you in prior to the pandemic? What role did you play in your business and your clients’ lives? Which of your talents were best aligned with your clients’ needs? Which systems and processes around you created or released the most value? Which rituals became impossible? What skyrocketed forward during the pandemic? What moved from an asset to a liability?
- To: What’s on the table for the next 270 days? ( 270 days is about the edge of our detailed planning ability). What could be on the table? What do you get to resume that the pandemic pushed aside? What do you need to let go of? Which business rituals are you doing as a team that are not delivering? How are you going to become more adaptive as an individual, team and business? Do you feel you can pivot faster now than 24 months ago? Is your team more or less productive than before the pandemic? Why?
- Toward: What new framework, business model or client need is coming at you out of the fog? Is Web 3.0 going to impact your business? If you were going to construct the perfect competitor, what would it look like? If you were brought in to “turn around” your business, what actions would you take? What is the headline you’d write for your firm in 2025?
The secret with questions like these is to read them and let them simmer in your subconscious – then put a pen in your hand and see what comes forward. If any obvious actions come, that’s great. But if not, put it in the “drawer” for 30 days and you’ll likely be surprised when you come back to the notes. Pay particular attention to those that jump off the page at you. Those are the ones to activate – then lose the rest and do the exercise again at the end of March.
It’s been a great year. Yes, there were challenges, but it also provided a strong reminder that above all that, humanity has a strong underlying forward journey that finds a way. To my clients, colleagues and readers, a hearty virtual handshake. Best wishes for an amazing Holiday season.
Looking forward to 2022!
PS: Time for that 20-minute call to explore what it looks like to have a strategic implementation coach and advisor? Use this link to schedule directly.
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