What’s in your personal & professional ‘brilliance’ kit bag
I’ve found the start of 2023 more of a struggle than most years for various reasons - and am thankful to have developed a kit bag of ‘getting back on track’ tools to keep me straight.
I know I’m not alone in feeling the effects of winter.
When I notice that downward spiral of mental and physical health - just not feeling up to it, being exhausted, a bit fed up and not my usual chirpy ‘can do’ self - I know that I need to check in and make sure I am doing the habits I know keep me feeling good.
I have regular habits and for those times when I’m in need of the check in - I have my absolute essential non-negotiables, which I know will get me back to the Kate I want to show up as.
I also design these with clients, so they can step into their own, what I call ‘zone of personal brilliance’.
In my kit bag:
> walk every day. Walking unwinds my brain, regulates my breathing (which calms that good old parasympathetic nervous system), massages the vagus nerve and gets blood circulating round my body. I instantly feel calmer after a walk, have processed a load of mental stuff that would otherwise keep me awake at night, and feel more at ease with my self and the world. Consciously including some #awe (though I’ve never had to force that) are the icing in the cake.
> get sleep. Crucial - especially in the winter months where it feels more natural to want to hibernate- there’s a reason for this. Sleep is vital! SO much more than we realise.
> follow the seasons. Continuing the sleep point - studies have shown we do need more sleep in the winter and its hardly surprising is it? I’d happily adapt to reduced working hours in winter if it were on the cards, we are simply not designed to crack on at the usual rate of knots in my view. Wintering is a thing, and I see more and more people use this natural seasonal pattern as a way to replenish.
> connect and shake up the routine. How easy it is to work in isolation, come back home for dinner, chores and kids bedtimes and hit the sack just to be on repeat. How very depleting! Install some fun. Instil some adrenaline. Connect with friends .
> dance and move. This has saved my bacon recently. I’ve been attending a dance class that has put me back in connection with my body in such an incredible way - I knew the power of this (Somatics is a go-to in my coaching for the right client) but when do we create time in our lives for movement? I’ve always done a little dancing first thing when I get to the office / studio (delights of working in such a fabulous space) but I’ve now discovered a deeper connection and way to tap into emotions and use dance as a processing tool. It’s wonderful and liberating.
> eat real food. Enough said. All that crap on the supermarket shelves that is packaged as food ?? You are having a laugh. Get real. We literally are the things we put in our bodies. Such a lot of food is packed with toxins and hormone disrupters - it’s no surprise we are sick in our bodies and our heads.
In coaching sessions we sometimes create personal manifestos that include core principles particular to that client. These will serve as a reminder and keep them on track way beyond the coaching sessions. This guide includes both personal and professional keys to stay grounded and in connection with core values.
It’s a lovely thing to bring an awareness to our Personal Brilliance - you’d like thinking-space to explore what yours looks like just hop on a free call. https://kateb.co.uk/appointments
#kitbag
#emotionalneeds
#survival
#resiliance
#personalbrilliance
