Yesterday morning, I woke up and peered out my window at the new coating of shimmering ice on the ground, roads, and trees, and contemplated skipping my morning walk. The conditions are treacherous. I’ll fall and break something. Yup, my Ya-But excuse maker was working overtime. Ya, I could go for a walk, BUT…. its too _______ (insert excuse here). Luckily for me, the words of my friend and colleague Mandy rang louder in my ears “How you show up here, is how you show up everywhere….” and I knew, I needed to show up for my walk.
After finishing my coffee, I pulled on my wool socks, and my hiking boots, and slipped my Yak-Trax on. I whistled for Lexi, and we were off.
The cold air squeezed my lungs and reminded me of my breath. I navigated down our little side street towards the quiet section of the neighborhood and fell into a meditation of listening to my boots crunch on the ice. Despite having the grip of my Yak-Trax, I had to walk slowly and methodically on the slick walkways. Because I was forced to slow down, I started noticing things I hadn’t noticed before. The neighbor next door put out their wreaths. A bunch of chick-a-dees were working the ice-encrusted crabapple trees on the corner. The rising sun turned everything pink and shimmery. It was well worth the risk of limb to be out there – I felt alive. I was glad I pushed on, despite the icy conditions.
Sometimes, we get hit with icy conditions – illness, a bad year of sales, a family crisis, a break up of a relationship. If we went back to bed and pulled the covers over our heads every time the weather wasn’t in our favor … where would we be? Back to my friends saying… “How you show up here, is how you show up everywhere.” If you skip a morning walk because of icy conditions, you are likely taking the easy way out on other things too. If you are not pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone in one area of your life – you are likely not pushing yourself in other areas. This can affect your relationships, your health, and yes – your profits.
How can you persevere in icy conditions?
Don’t treat it as “business as usual”…. If you are facing hardships or crisis in your life, don’t press on as if nothing is happening – that will only set you up for a fall. Adjust your speed and use resources that are readily available to you to get you through the rough patches. Slow down, give yourself time and space. Let others know what you need from them, and set realistic expectations. Remember, there is a difference between pushing yourself too hard and perseverance.
Use this opportunity to learn new things …. Life slows us down for a reason – sometimes life comes in the form of snow and ice, and sometimes it comes in the form of illness or financial hardship. There are lessons to be learned in the art of slowing down. In a case of financial hardship, maybe take a basic bookkeeping class or a money management workshop. In the case of illness, perhaps learn new ways of stress management or pain relief. Then ask yourself, “Why was I meant to learn this lesson?”
Find beauty in the storm… Whether you have a medical storm, a financial storm, or a spiritual storm… find the beauty in the aftermath. Perhaps you will discover the beauty in loyal friendships, the comfort in family, and the camaraderie in supportive colleagues.
Lastly, always be gentle with yourself, but keep moving When you are going through a hard time, be sure to go through it. In other words, don’t wallow and get stuck, but find ways to move forward, even if it’s just one small, carefully managed step. Don’t let ice keep you frozen in your tracks.
Have you ever had to keep going through icy conditions in your life, and would like to share your story? Please leave a comment below, or message me.
In the meantime, Hit the Heights!
Priscilla Hansen Mahoney
Business Leadership Guide