January is a month that can cause hope, excitement, and commitment in some, while for others it brings on stress, unrealistic expectations, and shame. Not to mention, in February this year we reach the notorious 12th month of living during a global pandemic.
If we break it down, I feel it is safe to say no one could have prepared for the distress, disconnect, and discomfort Covid-19 has induced or exacerbated whether it be personally, professionally or politically. We as a nation have had a lot to sift through and endure while in isolation.
As a certified coach in life, leadership, connection, and habit change I have found a lot of success in becoming disciplined in three concepts:
- Acceptance.
- Becoming an emotion scientist.
- Revival.
If I may, I’d like to share some quotes for some illumination on these concepts. The first is this: “The more you try to control something, the more it controls you. Free yourself and let things take their own natural course.” —Buddha
Acceptance is being open to your thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. It does not mean approving, wanting, liking, or giving in to the experience. It simply means letting go of trying to control what cannot be controlled.
The second quote is from somebody I really admire and have studied under: Tara Meyer-Robson considers herself a Mind-Body interpreter. She’s also the creator of the Empowered Empath Academy. Her quote: “When awareness is brought to an emotion, power is brought to our life.”
Research shows that your feelings affect five major areas in your day-to-day living. They affect your attention capacity, decision making, relationship building, physical and mental health, as well as performance and creativity. By not being aware of this, you may experience more conflict in daily life.
That being said, become an emotion scientist by pausing throughout the day to check in with your mind and body. Recognize in this exact moment what is your emotional state. Understand why are you feeling this way. What is causing it? What could have triggered this feeling?
For the third concept – Revival – let’s consider the words of Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and founder of Taoism: “If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
Revive by taking ownership in restoring consciousness into every element within your make up. Take this time to put light on who you are being, what you are doing and why: mentally, emotionally, physically, financially, professionally, spiritually and socially.
I recently wrote a chapter in a book titled The Successful Mind: Tools to Living a Purposeful, Productive and Happy Life. My chapter specifically was “Connect to Create Success.” I went through five phases needing examination and the importance of how connection and creation of success can occur at any moment in time. So, if what I am tapping into here resonates, you may want to read the book.
By implementing one or all of these disciplines in your day-to-day lifestyle, you will be able to experience greater health, happiness, fulfillment and joy. By no means do I mean to make this sound easy, because each of these concepts require their own tenacious practice. When you discover, however, what you are experiencing and why you are experiencing it, it puts you in the driver’s seat. You can choose to let go of the uncontrollable and instead apply that energy into action, creating something different. That is where the revive component comes in.
Acceptance can be hard, but as people, a community and even as a nation, rejuvenation is necessary. If you do not apply it, you will continue to have greater risk of negative impacts; becoming a workaholic, being hypercritical of yourself, struggling with addiction, and having unhealthy relationships. This is the risk we take if we do not seize the opportunity for growth that exists in the year to come. Be it in isolation or not we all have the same chance to grow in 2021.
To build your acceptance skills, start here: Cultivate compassion, take perspective, concentrate on what can be changed, practice mindfulness (meditation), demonstrate acceptance with your actions (verbalize it), make time for contemplation or reflection (journaling), and take up a practice of paying attention to your body and how it feels (yoga, tai chi, qi gong).
Take ownership in your mindset, regulate your emotions, and commit to actions for a happier, healthier 2021.
About the Author: Alyssa Poggioli helps people confidently create connection, lead with impact and be able to love with intention. She puts a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence (EQ). Her mission is to enable awareness towards a client’s mindset and dis-servicing beliefs so that they can understand and effectively articulate emotions, create deeper partnerships, and take personal responsibility in their habits. Learn more at AlyssaPoggioli.com. The book she contributed to, “The Successful Mind: Tools to Living a Purposeful, Productive and Happy Life”, is available at Amazon.
