THELASTWORD
GUEST COLUMNIST : CLAIRE FOY
HOLDING IT LIGHTLY …
Welcome to 2023 ! Another year , another fresh start . But for me this one feels very different .
REFLECTING ON WHY , I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY WE ’ VE ALL BEEN THROUGH A HELL OF A LOT . TWO YEARS OF PANDEMIC TURMOIL ; LOCKDOWNS AND RESTRICTED EXERCISE , THEN ‘ EAT OUT TO HELP OUT ’. HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS FLASHING THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM IN A MATTER OF DAYS , AND THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT WAS TO COME BECAME THE ONLY THING WE COULD BE CERTAIN OF .
Just as we were getting used to that , along came 2022 . The tsunami of motion that had bubbled up while we were all oddly hibernating . War in Ukraine left us aghast that this could happen to a European country . Followed swiftly by the fuel crisis , climate crisis , cost-of-living crisis , migrant crisis , Truss crisis , markets crisis , NHS crisis , police crisis , mortgage rate crisis , and the complete devaluation of the pound crisis .
Key service providers went on strike , we had more government reshuffles than children had hot lunches , and I ’ ve yet to hear of a successful ‘ hybrid ’ working environment . Kids pay more attention to TikTok than their parents , who must somehow navigate them away from trolls and online driven polarisation .
It ’ s no wonder we ’ re all thoroughly exhausted . Weary even . The thought of another year like that encourages longing for another lockdown .
Life has changed beyond recognition . Evolving faster , more frenetically daily . The news tells us we have more to come . It is simply impossible to keep up . Yet we keep trying , scrabbling around the hamster wheel attempting to stay relevant .
What if we just stopped ?
What if , for just a moment , you simply stepped off the wheel ? Let it spin away into the distance .
Pause for a moment … What is the worst thing that could happen ? How likely is that ? What if you could hold it all a little more lightly ?
Release the grip on what you should or need to do and only do what you want to do . Peer over at the madness from afar , view another perspective . Just for a moment , try it and embrace the calmness that ensues .
We are all human with a variety of strengths and weaknesses , all different . We care about , enjoy and dislike different things . We can ’ t know or control it all .
If we ’ re kinder to ourselves , we could just focus on what was important to us , the things we really care about . Reflect more on our successes and less on the seismic issues we haven ’ t solved .
You cannot control the world around you , only your reaction to it . This is entirely within your power . So in 2023 , gift yourself a little space to pause and think . Consider only what you control , and focus on how you could make that better . Prioritise your controllables and then let the rest of them go . By holding it all more lightly , you ’ ll start to realise the world keeps on spinning , you feel more in control and you may find the time to actually enjoy moments you ’ re living .
Claire Foy Barefoot Coach is a Kent-based female leader , ICF ACC business and personal coach , mentor , team facilitator , keynote speaker , culture improver , and mother , navigating life ' s leg ups and slap downs .
info @ clairefoybarefootcoach . com 07949996828 www . clairefoybarefootcoach . com
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