It was awesome to be away at the weekend – a much needed break that felt really restorative. Now I’m back at the coalface, I’m finding it hard to concentrate. Not because I’m knackered, but because I’m crystal clear about what I want to do more of. Of course, that can’t just happen without doing what’s necessary to make it viable. Whether that’s work, appropriate … Continue reading Post weekend blues

I’ve been packing for a long weekend away on the motorbike, and it’s taken a while. Not a lot to pack though, really – three days bimbling around an area I know well isn’t a tall order. I used to deploy globally with around four hour’s notice. I literally had two sets of bags packed – warm kit and cold kit – to accommodate wherever … Continue reading My brain doesn’t feel in gear

Reflecting on my day I thought back over a chat with a fellow coach just now. They offered an opportunity to do something quite uncomfortable for me. The thing itself isn’t going to move my plans forward particularly so I hesitated. Then after a brief pause I said “sure, it’s helpful to practice pushing through discomfort.” Making progress isn’t merely advancing toward the goal, it’s … Continue reading Uncomfortable things

I said I’d do the thing and I did. And felt quietly proud. Not because the thing was especially hard, but because I had reasons not to do it and did it anyway. Make a commitment. Do the thing. If it’s aligned with where you want to go, it’s its own reward. Kindly, keep going. Continue reading Alignment of things and pride

As I sit here wrestling with feeling a bit of a fraud and that I’ll never make it, I’m reminded that: 1. I’ve felt that in almost every job, ever 2. There’s been great feedback for me in almost every job, ever, including some awards 3. Success doesn’t happen overnight When you’re not employed, you don’t get paid just for turning in the work. You … Continue reading Imposing Imposter Syndrome

I haven’t been finding the joy that I’d like and hoped for lately. Not for a long time, in fact. I have still found moments of joy though, in every day. Just enough to sustain me, but they’ve been there. I’m reminded to be open to what comes our way. And when good things land, be grateful for them. Kindly, keep going. Continue reading Open for joy

Start each day considering the choices you have, no matter your situation. I’ve got things going on that are making me grumpy and aren’t about to change, if I live according to my values. Given that, I still have a choice about how I spend the day in this situation. How can I move towards where I want to be, behaving in a way I … Continue reading Every day I’m shuffling, no, choosing

Today I had just one notable goal – attend a therapy session. Just one hour and I didn’t consider anything else as ‘must get done’ today. Doesn’t sound very productive, I grant you. This one hour meant that I spent the rest of the day in processing, researching, planning, reconciling. I hadn’t known what would come up exactly, nor what I’d come away with in … Continue reading One hour and nothing else

Well, not much later than I might normally write a post, but today I’ve been lost in work. Joyfully lost in getting things done. What a blessing to have that feeling. Hasn’t always been there, even doing almost the exact same things. The difference? Feeling it’s the right direction. Even when you’re slogging away under a cloud, it helps to know each step has merit. … Continue reading Late to the post

Resolutions are quick to fall away as get lost in the day to day. With the resolution apparently broken, it’s abandoned and we wait for the next notable opportunity to say “this time, this time I’ll stick with it”. There’s another way. Choose a direction. Tell yourself you’re going to move *toward* things that matter to you. Perhaps the next step in your career. Or … Continue reading Resolutions vs direction