Sustainable Ambition Forum - 12.17.20
Hello all,
We’re at the close. Get ready to start to put to do’s down and s l o w i t d o w n. Start to pause. I hope you are able to carve out space to both enjoy yourself after a tough year, indulge in some self-care and nurture yourself, and find moments of calm to reflect.
With that in mind, below you’ll find a round-up on:
The power of pauses and how to take pauses on different timeframes
The power of breath
The power of savoring moments
I close by offering a Practice, 15 Questions to ask yourself and contemplate to close out the year and welcome 2021. While this year has been tough, it’s also unprecedented. We are living in a unique moment in history. A pandemic hasn’t hit the world for 100 years! Such an event and its impact globally, locally, and on oneself is worthy of reflection.
I wish you a safe, calming, and happy holidays! See you in the new year!
Kathy
We’d love to hear what would be helpful to you on your Sustainable Ambition journey.
The Round-Up
Pause: Start to believe in the counter-intuitive productivity power of pauses.
Read: From Robert Poynton, author of “Do – Pause”: Learn why you should impose your own pauses in life.
Watch: Hear Robert Poynton share more about his ideas.
Read: My take on taking breaks, learn the downsides of being exhausted, and get inspired by those who build breaks into their work style.
Breathe: Learn about the power of breath.
Read: ICYMI, read the wisdom from James Nestor, journalist and author of “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” who is getting a lot of attention for this piece of work.
Listen: You can also hear him interviewed on the Goop podcast.
Watch: Or, see him interviewed by Patrick McKeown, an academic who is also an expert in breathwork.
Savor Moments: At the close of a difficult year, savor the closing moments.
Read: Create a moment to commemorate the year, yes even 2020. Learn about the power of moments from the Heath brothers.
Read: Why Dr. Rick Hanson believes it’s important to “take in the good”to help you build resilience.
Learn How to Fit in Breaks
Why is it important to take breaks? There’s a lot of evidence that our “go, go, go” lifestyles end up making us less effective in the long run. We stop seeing clearly. We aren’t our best selves. We are less productive. Breaks help us recharge and be more present and effective in the moment. Don’t let time be a barrier.
Read more and get a reference download here >
A Practice: 15 Questions to Close Out the Year & Welcome 2021
Say good-bye and thank you to 2020 with these prompts:
What (surprisingly, small thing) brought you joy?
What are you (surprisingly) grateful for from this past year (i.e., a silver lining)?
For what do you want to thank yourself or recognize yourself (e.g., you made it!)?
What was difficult?
What do you want to say good-bye to and release? What can you surrender?
What do you want to do differently next year?
Who do you appreciate and want to thank for support from this last year?
Who do you want to connect with before the end of the year?
What is an act of compassion you can show yourself and/or others as a close to the year?
What is something unique and special you could do to commemorate and close the year? Light a candle and say a few words? Write a journal entry and say thank you and good-bye to 2020? Hold a call with friends to share what you want to leave from the year and what you want to pick up going into 2021? Enjoy a moment at night with the open sky to ponder and release your thoughts into the universe? Other?
Start to build resilience tools for 2021:
How do you want to feel in the coming year?
How do you want to be to create those feelings?
How can you bring a small bit of positivity into every day (e.g., read a mantra, go for a short walk, breath, draw a smile, give someone a hug)?
What can you do to shift your energy in the moment (e.g., music, jumping jacks, walk outside)?
What tiny pause can you add to your daily practice to recenter yourself and build your resilience?
While I suggest answering these questions in a journal with your favorite beverage nearby, if you prefer you can also get a template download for easy note-taking here.
Find Your Guide:
Find the perfect guide to match your journey.
“If you stop trying to right yourself, you will find joy. If you stop laboring to gain other’s approval, you will find relief. And if you stop all your doing, you will discover stillness. And that… will change everything.”
– Maria Shriver
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