Who you are, how you are and who’s with you, are keys to overcoming challenges.
Since our capacity to keep going when pursuing a breakthrough is likely to be impacted by our wellbeing, we’re following on from the previous blog by taking a closer look at aspects of this frequently unexamined aspect of our lives.
There will be times when it’s efficient and effective to go it alone when pursuing a dream or breakthrough. At other times asking for help will enable you to progress more quickly. Sometimes, you might not make any progress without getting help. If you feel uncomfortable approaching people for help, check out #40 Asking for Help where we look at this in more detail.
Other people are likely to be able to help, not because they’re ‘better’ than you, but they will have different experiences, different skills and won’t be as close to what’s going on as you. This enables them to see things from a different perspective, which might open up different choices to enable you to overcome something that’s blocking your progress. Supporting you to re-frame something might have the obstacle disappear completely without having to do anything! A friend can also help you to re-imagine and re-create your possibility and to re-ignite your passion - something we recommended in our last blog as a regular practice.
When life is busy, you may believe there isn’t time to focus on your own wellbeing, but ignoring it is likely to have a really significant impact on your breakthrough and on your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. If your wellbeing suffers, it’s likely to slow you down, cause you to function less effectively, and even result in poor decisions about your breakthrough and your life. So, why not put some daily practises in place to check in with how you’re doing. These will give you an opportunity to notice things before they become more serious. Try asking yourself:
How am I doing. How am I really doing?
Do I find enough time for rest and some fun? How could I make more time for these?
Am I sleeping well? What could I do to enhance my sleep?
How’s my physical health? Am I exercising as much as I’d like? If not, why not and what will I choose to do about it?
Is my diet what I’d like it to be, or could I make changes that don’t take a lot of additional time?
How is my emotional and mental wellbeing? How would I know? Who can I share with? How would someone else know if I wasn’t in a great place?
How are my relationships? Do I feel connected, have a sense of belonging and a support network? Are there any aspects of this I could choose to invest in more?
How is my spiritual life? Do I have a clear sense of purpose and meaning in my life? What could I do to build stronger foundations?
When you identify an issue, don’t just decide there’s nothing you can do about it – take action. Caring about yourself isn’t a selfish act, it’s what enables you to pursue what’s important to you, and that includes being there for the people that are important in your life. But don’t try to tackle everything at once. Pick an area and choose to act.
When facing obstacles in your journey, there are likely to be many things to celebrate and be grateful for. If being grateful and finding joy are part of your routine when things are going well, you’ll find it easier to find something good even when it seems like lots of things seem to be going wrong. This isn’t about always being positive - that’s unlikely to be authentic. It’s much more about accepting the fluctuations between joy and difficulty and being able to find joy even when you or others are suffering at some level. Try not to give meaning to having a ‘bad day’ occasionally (that’s normal) but probably not the best time to make key decisions if you don’t need to. If you really can’t find anything that brings you joy, this could be an indicator that you might benefit from help from others, possibly a professional.
Remember, when the going gets tough, you are enough, you are sufficient and you matter. Care enough about yourself by focusing on your wellbeing.Why not pick one thing and start today?