As the end of January is quickly approaching, take the time to review how you did this month in creating a quiet space for reflection. In my last blog post we explored the importance of reflection for leaders and the vital role that breath plays in centering yourself.
As leaders, it’s important for us to take the time to sit quietly with our thoughts and reflect on the past year as well as what we hope for in the New Year. Paying attention to where your breath is coming from in any given moment allows you to bring yourself back to a place of balance from which you can make better decisions.
This is not some “woo woo” practice, but a powerful way of leading and showing up in the world. I have worked with hundreds of leaders and have found that many of them are racing through life without really understanding the ramifications of the decisions they are making, the direction they are going, and the impact on their teams and their customers.
Strategies to Maintain Your Practice of Reflection
Breath will continue to be your best friend as you strive to hone your inner awareness and take the time to reflect. Focusing on your breath will allow you to notice where you’re leading from, and allow you the opportunity to breathe from deep within your belly and center yourself once again.
I also recommend you keep a leadership journal, somewhere to document your learning journey. Here you can take note of the things that have made you feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, instances where you were able to create moments for reflection, how you were able to support your team with thoughtful decision making, and instances where you used these thoughtful practices to solve problems.
Take Away for Leaders
The important lesson for you is to not lose sight of yourself in the busy process of being a leader. There are opportunities for you to start identifying those moments for collaboration, involvement, and engagement as you start looking towards February.
February, which is almost upon us, is a heart month. For many people Valentines is the first thing that will come to mind, but it’s not the only thing. February is a great time for you to focus on heart-based leadership – leading from the heart. Heart-based leadership doesn’t mean being overly emotional, but instead it implies being a very balanced leader between both head and heart. Making decisions that feel right in your heart and mind, as well as a sense that you are well equipped to make those decisions.
With every new season comes a change, and a chance for us as leaders to gain insight. Winter in British Columbia is typically rainy and dismal, which can often cause many of us to turn inwards. We can use that to our advantage and take that time to reflect and become more introspective, to move to a place where we’re leading from the heart. To take the time and understand what you really want this year to be, instead of simply focusing on implementing goals and delivering results.
My powerful request of you is to practice mindfulness vs. mind-fullness, set strong intentions every day, and be clear on what you want to create each day. These are the things that the presence of compassionate leadership are made of.
Have you taken the time this month to look within and reflect on what you want for this year? As always, I’d love to hear from you! I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
