doing hard things
One of the practices that I offer to all of my coaching clients is something called A Year in Review. We look back at the year and make 3 lists:
1) What do I want to celebrate about this year?
2) What were my disappointments or failures?
3) What do I want to carry forward from my learnings of this year into the new year?
Those 3 powerful questions create rich lists, which are then digested in a rich conversation that results in deep learnings for my client about him or herself.
It's not the first of the year or the end of the year - it's smack dab in the middle (almost smack dab), so why am I talking about this now? There are three reasons.
1) It's a completely wonderful practice that doesn't need to be attached to a date on the calendar. Taking a look at the year that is behind us at any point in time, can offer valuable input for where we want to go in the year ahead. July may be a great time to plunk down in a lawn chair with a cold beverage and make your lists. You might want to alter the questions and do it on a quarterly or monthly basis. The point here is that pausing to reflect on the life we are living can teach us how to live a better life going forward.
2) You don't have to be my coaching client to hire me for this process. While it is a helpful exercise to do on your own, it becomes very powerful when you have a coach lead you through the reflection process. Maybe this is a good investment for you at this point in your life or year. Send me an email on the website and we can schedule a "year in review" for you soon.
3) As part of a client's plan, he made a commitment to do hard things. When I pushed him to do something hard every week, he said yes. It's now been 27 weeks and he has done at least 27 hard things. This past week, he brought up the fact that this has become a key part of his week and his planning for the week. He looks ahead and asks himself what is something that I really don't want to do - it's hard for me to do it - and he gets it done. "I am learning to like doing hard things." That's a great accomplishment!
This last point has been on my mind the last few days and I wanted to share some things that are hard for me to do and challenge you to do something hard every week. You will be better for it and so will those around you. Things that I think are hard are:
* Walk the dogs even when it's really hot and humid
* Sit and visit with people, even when the topics being discussed bore me to tears
* Eat fresh veggies and fruit every day
* Drink lots of water instead of lots of Diet Coke
* Hold people accountable
* Ask for help
* Be honest, when it might be received badly
* Keep going when I really want to take a nap at 2:00
* Introduce myself to people I don't know - at church, in a meeting, a new neighbor
* Ask to be paid what I think I deserve
* NOT scratch a mosquito bite
* Let the tears flow when I feel something, even if it's in public
* Say NO
* Stop enabling bad behaviors ... in anyone
Will you do it?
Will you commit to doing one hard thing every week or every day?
You get to decide what is hard - only you know.
