#SUNDAYSTORIES | CHOICES WE DO HAVE
Anyone who knows and/or follows me has heard or read my words about many things in life and work being linked to what we choose to do or not do:
- mindset
- taking action
- staying stuck
- not reacting
- getting in or out of our own way
- evolving (or not)
- holding ourselves accountable (or not)
- and on and on ...
My recent experience being on the I.R. with lower back spasms from a cross country road trip doesn't make that list and that is what sparked this edition of this series.
Last night when I was feeling very irritated about it, I realized it was mostly bc this bike break was not my choice. I was suddenly on the I.R. after I had won a race two days before. Instead of the post-race plan I had in mind - I was suddenly having to figure out how to heal, what moves to make, who to seek out for help and how to wrap my head around it all.
And, THAT was when the work parallel hit me đ the sudden I.R. has a hell of a lot of similarity to sudden lay-off.
I know it first-hand x 2 courtesy of the pandemic and the tech down turn. Many of you reading this know it first-hand too. I know this bc of the countless friends and acquaintances who have talked about it with me.
When sudden layoff happens instead of the plan we have in mind for ourselves - we are thrown into having to figure out how to heal, what moves to make, who to seek out for help and how to wrap our heads around it all. And, simply said, there is something about the lack of choice in the situation that absolutely SUCKS.
On the I.R and in layoff moments, the thing that tends to help most is shifting focus to the choices we can make in the present that actually serve to make us better and propel us on the journey. I did that with the lay-offs and this morning when I opted to take my little Peaty-girl đ¶ on a big hike.
When life happens in sudden ways - as it will - let's remember to pause, assess, and figure out what choices we actually do have.
And, let's choose wisely, #LEADERS