Tag: life

Leadership and humility

As a single mom, I have long led my life independently. I felt reassured to have full control over my decisions, and to decide for myself which way to go. It took me a long time to understand that I was under the illusion that I was in charge and could handle the responsibilities towards my son that I felt squarely on my shoulders.

I discovered that it takes a village to raise a child. We probably each come to realize in our lives that behind each one of us stands at least one person. In the past, we often looked to our spouse to be that person. Some of us had the helpful experience of realizing that this is not the exclusive role of spouses, and that we are meant to have many supporters to allow ourselves to do the things we want to do, to realize our dreams, to become ourselves fully.

Have you come to appreciate how life is perfectly orchestrated to bring the right people around you to get to where you want to go? Have you become aware of how you are yourself being placed on someone else’s path to support that person? As you take time to acknowledge everyone that has supported you on your path, and how many times you were there for someone else, you will gain an understanding and genuine appreciation for the amazing human support system that life is and, thereby, develop the much-needed humility that today’s leadership in a chaotic world demands.

Adverse circumstances

We all know that when the sun is not visible, it is shining somewhere else. Whether the clouds are blocking our views or the night has fallen, we know that the sun will return. We also experience periods of gloom and darkness that make us lose sight of the light, but hope is the promise of returned sunshine in our lives. Warmth and glowing rays have a way of brightening even our thoughts.

Under lockdown, in the midst of a pandemic, I have experienced life at a standstill. It seemed to have stopped all around on the planet. So I reached to the Universe for a sense of motion beyond my usual sense of boundaries to rekindle faith. Despite the general slowing down, there was just enough room to continue doing my work to attend to my activities, even in the absence of visible results. The war in Ukraine is yet another exercise in reaching deeper to stay the course while finding my light.

You may have come to discover in this darkness that actually light has started shining within. Whatever may occur around you, that source of light is never extinguished. Believing in your own light may take more time, but it glows even in the dark. Your light becomes the energy that connects you to the Universe. You can become your own sunshine, whether you feel its glow or not. Others will notice and enjoy your light as you lead the way.

Rewriting your story

Our wounds and traumas are beyond what we inherit in life. They reflect what is passed on from generations to generations, the family story, but also our own difficult personal moments in life. They are not necessarily meant to be healed or forgotten. The pain inscribed in the body physically, emotionally, and spiritually becomes over time our own architecture of compassion to relate to others and humanity at large: a window into what might become, a pathway to change against all odds, our groundbreaking work, our contribution to the world.

I always wanted to make a contribution. I embraced the world from a young age. I felt this urge to travel, learn languages. I slowly woke up to the desire to transform the collective, unspoken, perhaps hidden promises of a better world. I believe we are all emerging into a new post viral world in this life time albeit at various paces; a world which will look rather different in its outer forms than the one in which I grew up. But I trust that it will carry many of the tried and true, the ancient inner wisdoms and resources from my ancestors.

Have you noticed the re-emergence of inner powers: the power of attention and attentiveness, a renewed self-confidence translated into courageous speeches? Are you aware of the hidden courage waking up inside, kicking and screaming inside like a newborn? Could it be that having stopped your normal way during lockdown, you gave some space for the unknown to manifest and transform your understanding of the destination?

Have you stumbled somehow on the way to self-enquiry?

Leadership and stillness

In the past few months, given the pandemic and teleworking, I have had the luxury of trying to spend a moment by myself in the quiet space of my home every day.  Doing nothing, sitting in stillness… I have been amazed at how challenging this has proven to be. There is always something to do at home, be it the laundry, the dishes, whatever else. The distraction is constant. For some it is children and other people in the house, for others it is chores and screens.  

Our lives consist of everything we engage in, from showering in the morning to sleeping at night and everything in between. It is a race: do, do, do… Basically, we make sure that we are so distracted that we keep away from looking at our lives. Why do we do this? Because of that little voice that may question how we run our lives, the choices we make. Sometimes that little voice reminds us of that dream we once had. It is uncomfortable. In our busy lives, we have become out of practice when it comes to connecting with ourselves. 

You may have noticed how unnerving it is to have a moment to yourself. As a result, you stopped trying to carve out that time to take a seat at the center of your life. You prefer to watch a movie, read a book, reach out to a friend, or have a relaxing time with your partner and consider it your time. Reconnect with that little voice and feel how you have been avoiding it. It knows much more about your way forward in a world where everything is crumbling. Little makes sense and disinformation is everywhere. Leadership is not out there; it comes from within.