Earlier this week I was feeling like a ball of yarn that my daughter had gotten ahold of… a bit frayed with loose ends.
I’m not a fan of the words overwhelmed and busy. I try to construct my life so that I don’t feel like I’m going crazy with my work and family activities… but sometimes, I say yes to too many things.
My very top strength on the Gallup Strengths Finder is “Activator.” It looks similar when I take other assessments (which I do because I’m endlessly curious). So, I LOVE to say yes! to new ideas and projects. To start and create and make and go, go, go. (Anyone relate?)
And while there’s nothing inherently “wrong” with saying yes and diving in (it can be an awesome asset), it can also pull me away from my clarity of vision if I’m not careful. I can become that ball of yarn and lose sight of the greater picture, the overall contribution that I hope to make with my work and time.
But I don’t want to stop “activating,” because it’s who I AM and how I BE in the world
So, here’s what I do instead:
- I reset my clear vision (which takes a moment of quiet to reconnect with my vision).
- I recalibrate my support (which takes the strength of relationships and making requests for help).
- I re-energize my “no” muscle (which takes courageous action to set the boundaries, let go of fear of missing out or disappointing others).
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, scattered, tired, or too busy (yes, the realities of the world play a part in all of this too) – consider how you can reset, recalibrate, and re-energize?
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And this week on Race, Culture, & Beyond: A Naked Conversations Podcast Series, we talked about “Microaggressions: Death by 1,000 Cuts.” It was a hard conversation. I had to look at myself and my unintentional actions of aggression. Erica was brave and honest in sharing how microaggressions have hurt her in her life. It is definitely worth listening to here.
As always, thank you for being in this conversation with me. If you know someone who wants to live more courageously, with an amazing community, and create positive social impact – please tell them to reach out!
Much love and more nakedness,
Sage
