Reflections on Adversity

It's been a tough few years. No-one can deny that - everyone has suffered - unfortunately some more than most.

But adversity can be the forge of creativity - 'fire tempers steel' - it depends on your mind set and your physical circumstance. It's all very well to say 'cheer up' or 'be positive' but if your physical surroundings or physical self are in tune then such exhortations are wasted. 'Psycho' (the mind) and 'soma' (the body) are intimately connected.

A wounded animal will rest to heal itself - it will eat if it can - but mostly it rests. We are all a little wounded but now is the time to rest and recouperate. Spend time with those who mean the most to us, remind ourselves of the value of connection and love, by sharing it we receive it in turn. Take time to be grateful for what we hold and refresh our energies to re-build and grow.

Adversity is never wasted when we use it a spur for creativity, learning, adaptation and change. The new decade will demand a new approach. The old world and old the ways of doing things is coming to an end. Where before there was competition now the demand is for connection. Where before it was 'me' now it's 'we'.

'They' never taught us this. We must learn it ourselves and seize control of our personal futures if we would make them all we would wish them to be for many years ago someone defined magic for me as the ability of the magician to bend the world to his (or her) will.

But first, we take some time to rest.

Then we begin anew.

R&R

Rest and recreation and yes, I am re-visiting the topic.  Maybe it's because I'm heading out next week for two weeks in Malaysia and Borneo - with the family in tow and mightily looking forward to the opportunity to take time out and take stock of things. Expensive - yeah, there's always a little financial pain but I learned the importance of not putting money before memories some years ago.

Money can always be earned and renewed but the time in one's life in which it can be used to make memories that sustain you, your loved one and especially your children - to awaken young minds that experience a world that is global and diverse - is finite.

I spent four different coaching sessions with senior executives last week and the theme was exactly the same. Take time out - get away from the job. Give yourself some space - and for good business reasons too.

Most of our creative insights, our new ideas, our renewed motivation comes when we are not working. Typically they come when we take time to go on holiday - or usually when we are asleep and kept awake until the idea forms itself and thus we often lose good quality sleep.

By keeping ourselves at the coal face we fail to see the ideas and the insights that can help us transcend the challenges that we might be facing in the role. Our unconscious minds need time to integrate and synthesise,  to reflect and resolve,  to connect the pieces - it is from this that the insights which drive  our success and creativity come from.

Taking time out regularly is a critical business decision - it boosts our brain power, connects with the universe and shows us the way.