The most defining moments of your life will rest on your ability to remain grounded in the face of uncertainty. In light of this, I had a friend once ask me, “In the midst of chaos, how do you stay grounded? When I received this question, I thought long and hard about how I could best respond. At first, my mind drifted to what I consider to be the meaning of the term “grounded.” It directly equates to a feeling of being in complete control over one’s life and circumstances. This doesn’t mean that you are in control of all of life’s external circumstances, but rather your own mentality and inner peace.
However, I’ve been around a long time and I know that this is not always how life plays out. The reality is, we’re all going to have some hard days at some point. I bet that most of you reading this have been on an unexpected journey that you didn’t sign up for. During these times of chaos, the ability to connect with your predetermined values, purpose, and vision is what will ground you. Even the strongest and most organized of leaders need constant spiritual and mental refreshments because after all, we are human! In today’s blog, I’m going to take you through three practices that will keep you anchored when there’s a storm on the horizon.
Remember Whom Your Serve
We serve a mighty and generous God who brings blessings upon us when we need them most. When the time comes that you feel uninspired or unable to grasp the spirit of Christ, you need to ask yourself why you started your journey in the first place. Who is it that inspired you to find the calling in your life? Maybe you’re not there yet but have someone in mind that you admire greatly. Take some time to capture your original muse and use it to motivate your efforts. Make a clear path towards the destination you would like to reach and anchor yourself to it. It’s easier to stay grounded when the end goal is outlined clearly. There’s nothing more disheartening than losing the vision that you worked so hard to create!
Know Where You End And Others Begin
There is such a thing as spreading yourself too thin. When you take on more you can handle, it can be difficult to find a happy medium between being content and being completely overwhelmed. When friends, family, or even our coworker’s reach out to us, it can feel near impossible to turn them down. This leads to overcommitting.
We often prefer to be overcommitted because saying “no” feels unsympathetic and insensitive. Especially to the people in our lives who are requesting our help. So, we continuously lead with our heart and agree to pile more on our plates. Working like this keeps us feeling out of control of our lives. We are motivated by guilt and manipulated instead of working towards our vision with compassion. The truth is, we often mistake the feeling of stress for productivity. As a result, we chop this negative feeling up to a mere, “well, that’s just the way it is.”
However, this is far from the truth! It is possible to stop overcommitting while preserving your relationships at the same time. You can do this by redirecting. Instead of declining a plea for help, simply explain that your capacity is full but you can recommend sources of help elsewhere. I do this by keeping a running list of references, colleagues, and friends that can serve as great resources. The next time a friend comes to you with a project that you don’t have the bandwidth for, you’ll be prepared to hand them over to someone who is more qualified to help. This will allow you to focus on the tasks and goals that are most closely aligned with your vision and abilities. Your trusted references will take on all the others! It’s a win-win situation.
Take Stock of What is Permanent
Unpredictable factors are going to hit you head-on and most of the time, they are completely out of your control. Maybe the market drops, a relationship turns to turmoil, or you’re let go from your job. Unfortunately, in life, there’s no way to steer clear of these predicaments. When the world seems to be betting against you, you might be tempted to ask, “What good do I have left?” The answer is, you have more than enough! Now, my answer isn’t meant to diminish the feelings and that each of us has in response to these situations. However, I believe you can work miracles by simply changing your mindset.
When you let the darkness creep in with every negative situation, you allow a little bit of light to escape each time. Consider what you do have the next time you feel at the end of your rope. Consider your visions and beliefs, your family and relatives, the supportive community at your church, and your good friends. These are all the things that you still have. These are the things that you can reach to. If you truly can’t imagine anything positive in your life, perhaps you have some essential things to start investing in. I can promise you one thing, that investment will be the most important investment you will ever make.
We’re getting so close to the release date of my brand new book, “Leadership Mastery.” Today’s blog was inspired by the content in the new book and I hope that if you enjoyed it, that “Leadership Mastery” finds it’s way into your 2020 reading list. This book holds a lesson for every type of leader. If you want to continue to learn more about becoming your best self, you can preorder “Leadership Mastery” on Amazon through this link. If you want to receive email updates every time I post a blog or a vlog, subscribe below by entering your email!
