Reconnecting to what matters
Image: Vincenzo Landino
Whatever you want to create, it starts with reconnecting to where you are, who you are-- and what is essential to you (and what is essentially you).
Now that we're free to move around the community again, my husband and I recently joined friends for a beautifully sunny day of tasting Oregon wines.
During one of our stops, one friend and I started talking about our work. She was feeling pressured by her board to take on a bigger role, one that, to some, seemed like a dream promotion. Yet it felt like anything but. In fact, she had been quietly thinking about leaving the organization altogether. And maybe moving, too.
We talked about what we want versus what others want for us, and how easy it can be to become disconnected from what we really, really want-- and from many other essential pieces of our selves.
I'm seeing so many people asking new questions about this right now.
It feels like there is a bit of a Great Reconnection going on.
(Recent surveys have shown that nearly half of employees want to leave their jobs this year-- and I'd bet that number is even higher if we were polling about other life changes. It's never all about work.)
Years ago, I learned an exercise that I use a lot with my clients (and that I now apparently also sneak in when wine tasting with friends). It starts with identifying the top five areas of focus that you value most in your life, the things that feel most important at this moment in time.
The list flowed pretty easily. Like many of us, my friend was pretty clear on what matters and what fuels her. But something was missing. She wasn't on the list. This is pretty often the case, and it was a wake up call that really resonated.
So often, we are not on our own list!
When I do this with my clients, we also go a bit further. We look at the top five places they're spending time and energy on a typical day.
The disconnect is real.
This is why everything we want to reinvent, retool, reenergize in our lives and careers has to start with reconnection. It's not optional to build from a solid foundation if you want things to last, and that's especially true when it comes to sustainable success, well-being, dream-building and living a life that is everything you want it to be.
But it's not just big reinventions. Every goal, everything we stretch for--- all of that starts with reconnection, too.
I've been hanging out on this part of the Reinvention Cycle myself for a while. Reconnecting has been critical to tackling all of my biggest "pandemic projects:
☑ and ☑ completing an immersive research-based training and achieving a next-level coaching credential so I can continue to bring masterful coaching and the latest science to my clients
☑ becoming a permanent resident of New Zealand
☑ finishing the draft of my upcoming book
☑ fine-tuning my reinvention coaching framework + programs
☑ becoming a more strategic investor (my new obsession).
This summer, while you're out reconnecting to your community, your family, your friends and "normal life" in general, I encourage you to make sure that you are on your list. And that your list is aligned with where you're spending energy and time.
And most of all, that you get reacquainted with anything and everything that may be feeling disconnected.
Where do you need to reconnect?
To yourself? Your values? Your needs?
To your strengths? Your experience and accomplishments?
To your procrastinated or postponed dreams?
To a bigger vision of your future or a new potential career path?
To the priorities that truly matter to you?
To your personal mission or your professional goals?
To your creativity, leadership or sense of balance?
Remember: Reconnecting to yourself is the first step of making everything that you desire possible. It's also critical to the energy + impact you bring to others.
If you need help with this, my 6-month Reinvention Partnership starts with reconnecting and offers a clear and structured path with dedicated support to walk you hand-in-hand on your way to clarity, confidence and creating what's next.