It's easy to get stuck in auto pilot - even our reaction to the news, major events and business developments can be automated.
Whirling into chaos, we numb out and forget our big Why, for why we do this. Why we started a business, why we continue to try to improve it and ourselves and we we hope for positive change if everything seems to be burning like the Notre Dame.
When it rains we run outside to roll up our car windows, adrenalin spikes and that one task is all we focus on.
I feel like since the global shut down of cities, the echo chamber on C19 has become a little too dominating, and a message of hopelessness. The reality is, there are good moments that still happen.
Every day.
Pictured above is a man in New Jersey who used a sign to thank hospital workers for saving his wife's life.
"Thank you all in emergency for saving my wife's life," the man wrote on his sign. "I love you all."
The nurse who snapped the photo is Allison Swendsen, who later shared the photo on Instagram and Twitter, where it quickly went viral.
When you are running your own business, crunching numbers, fighting with Facebook when they disable your ad account for no reason at all - it's hard sometimes to touch base with reality.
It's tempting to get sucked into the negative news vortex as well. But we are more productive when we nourish heart smarts and take time out for self care.
We function better, make more informed decisions and see more options open when there is also a little extra inner space that comes from setting the intention to genuinely care about your community, your customers and yes...your self.
A friend of mine recently told me that she felt like with all my big plans, launching a second business, being mentored by millionaires in ecom, writing a book - that I had forgotten to actually love myself.
It felt like I was being put on the spot and forced to be vulnerable while my attention was more focused on impressing this attractive girl I went to UT with, telling her all my grand designs.
She had a point - and I took it seriously.
It wasn't something that I vaguely considered - I set a specific intention to meditate on this during a break in one of my work days building my eCommerce store.
I focused on good moments that happened in my life, the things I've accomplished that I can celebrate as being uniquely me. Not just college degrees or starting businesses but repaired friendships, kind acts for others and developing self awareness.
My heart, which was weighed down with over concern for national issues, the pandemic, people I couldn't help but want to save - felt a release. The attachment lessened to trying to change things I couldn't, at least at this moment.
Afterwards, I got some great news for my business and even better developments unveiled themselves for my new startup.
It isn't a coincidence - there is a causal relationship between our mind state and emotions, and the quality ranking of business decisions -personally & professionally.
According to the Harvard Health Blog, self-care through exercise changes the brain to improve thinking skills:
"Exercise helps memory and thinking through both direct and indirect means."
"The benefits of exercise come directly from its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, & stimulate the release of growth factors—chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the abundance and survival of new brain cells. Indirectly, exercise improves mood and sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety."
"Problems in these areas frequently cause or contribute to cognitive impairment."
This is good to remember as we all teach ourselves how to cope with lockdown as discussed in Monday's blog.
Need ideas for how to change up your self-care rituals or want to start from scratch?
Here are 80 Self Care Ideas which include:
√ Journaling
√ Taking time for slow contemplative morning coffee
√ Bookclubs
√ Exchanging social media time for nature time outside
√ Getting up early and reading inspirational books
That man in New Jerz, with his simple sign but powerful message, was so affected by the work done by nurses at that hospital, and his wife's life was saved, that he took the time to share this message even with social distancing.
The nurses that saw this both on social media and at the hospital went to work the next day, even more dedicated to saving lives and feeling glad they are appreciated.
Turns out compassion is great for business.
So take a moment to reflect on why you should love yourself and appreciate the efforts you've taken to get here today.
This will improve your mood, reduce stress and help you make even more strategic choices with better outcomes in your business.
What experiences have you had that give you hope? Comment below!
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