REFLECT!
Mondays are often a day for me to reflect on the past week, especially when the weekend was somehow included and made it a package instead of a bookend. Even though today is Friday, this is one of my tasks: reflect on last two weeks and place it all into perspective.
As usual, part of the past weeks’ story is not totally mine alone. People I love are sick, some even maybe dying. Other people are celebrating- births, birthdays, other good things. Both sides of life are emotional and energy consuming. Life and death: past, present, future. Of course, there is my own life to consider, too.
MY weeks
The dance of life and death would have already been enough for me to reflect on, but of course, there’s work andthere are other activities in my life that made up my weeks. For example, I was part of a great EASC Coaching Conference in Eichstätt, DE last weekend. This was a time to consider the VUCA World (the conference theme) and to meet new and old colleagues. Then there was the semester begin with new students (about 80) and the semester meeting of lecturers. I saw work colleagues who I don’t usually get to see during regular working hours and I met a new co-worker or two. Teaching in four hour blocks after not doing it for the whole summer takes some getting used to again. My feet hurt.
I’ve had some coaching- easier and harder situations and conversations. Those take reflection on my part, too.
What about you?
Begin your week with some reflection- or end with it, it doesn’t matter when you reflect; just do it!
What do you do to begin your week? Do you look at your calendar and prepare mentally and physically for the days to come? Do you reflect on the previous week, on what you learned and experienced? Do you try and place all these activities, emotions and relationships into an integrated whole? You can also do this on a Friday late afternoon, too. Today I am doing these very things.
A rather important part of how I do my reflection is to look at my assumptionsand decide if they are limiting me and if they are true. I thank Nancy Kline and her books, “Time to Think” and “More Time to Think” for the following ideas for you to consider.
Time to Think
So, here goes: What am I assuming that is stopping me (or my business) from moving forward? Do I thinkthe assumption is true? What is true and liberating instead? If I knew that the true and liberating assumption is correct, how would I go forward?
I wish you a reflective, productive, and very liberating week!
Patricia Jehle
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