Taking the Lead for an Unstoppable Life
The name of my book, and the essence of my work, is about Unstoppable Teens – teaching them the inner work of love, resilience, strength, and courage to LEAD an Unstoppable Life of fulfilling their dreams and purpose.
Well...I can think of no better example of what COULD stop us than what has happened in the world these last six months. Have there been times when you have felt – or are still feeling – very “stoppable?”
There have been so many things to feel uncertain about and afraid of, that it can be easy to sink into “catastrophic thinking” where you ruminate about irrational, worst-case scenarios, letting your fears take over positive, powerful thinking. Believe me, I had my moments in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.
It Begins with Us
I’ll share with you what I teach my teen clients and, in fact, reminded myself when I felt “stoppable.” If we wish to impact our outer world, we must first change our inner world. When you work on yourself, you get to know yourself better, how strong and resilient you are, and how much there is to love about yourself. From that place of power and grace, you take the lead in your thoughts and actions, instead
of letting the outer world “stop”
you.
Taking the Lead for an Unstoppable Life
Many of us don’t consider ourselves leadership material. It’s time to dispel that myth!
Research shows that leadership isn’t something we are “born” into; that leadership is not gender-specific; and that no one really knows who SHOULD or CAN be a great leader – it’s a wide-open field of possibility! Intelligence (IQ) does not necessarily make a leader effective. Just as important are qualities like integrity, strong values, compassion, and resilience.
Your influence and impact determine the destiny of one cherished soul – YOU. “Whether you think you can or can’t, Henry Ford once said, “either way, you are right.” You are the leader of YOU, and you can think of yourself as resilient, optimistic, and exhibiting grace in the times we’re in.
Your thoughts reflect your VALUES – what you stand for. When your values are aligned with who you are, you can tap into your resilience and courage, and play to your strengths (rather than focusing on improving your weaknesses, as some people suggest). Identifying and reflecting on your values and strengths shift negative thinking to empowered action! Being clear on your values will never lead you astray.
The Courage to Be Yourself
Gratitude Brings Out the Star in You
Leaders understand the importance of gratitude as a constant motivator to achieve their dreams. Take this opportunity to go beyond the obvious things to be grateful for – health, home or happiness. Here is a simple but powerful practice for you to exercise your gratitude muscle, and to refer to during times when you’re feeling “stoppable:”
Each morning, write down three things you are grateful for about YOU. Your gratitude may be about what you have accomplished, acknowledgment of a strength, a personality trait you possess, or a moment when you chose to shift your thinking from “catastrophe” to “possibility.” Doing this every day helps set the stage for you to be aware of your gifts as your day unfolds and how very Unstoppable you are!
RHG Magazine TM - July 2020 © All rights reserved.