When was the last time you felt triggered or dysregulated? If you’re paying attention, it was probably within the last 48-hours. Something happened that caused your nervous system to get a little out of whack.
Paying attention to both the stimulus AND the response precedes your growth. If you’re going to make conscious changes in your life, you first must be conscious in your life. If you’re going to increasingly become your whole self and live into your potential, you must make the space.
It’s far too easy to live from stimulus to response without even considering the space OR your response. Becoming your whole self in life and leadership requires you to pay attention, pause, and then act.
I often say “Your body travels by train; your soul travels by camel.” I think Dr. Latting’s quote speaks to this reality. Life happens too fast. The clock never stops. Events – personal, professional, and communal – happen at a rate we can’t possibly process in real time.
If you want more growth and freedom, create space in your calendar for one of these five practices:
- Silence and Solitude Day has been my #1 monthly soul-saving practice for almost two decades. You can view a “Silence the Noise” workshop where I shared how I structure the day and focus the time (FREE for members on the website).
- Morning Pages which is particularly life-giving for creatives.
- The Daily Examen is a 5-step process practiced by contemplatives have used for hundreds of years.
- Process it out with a friend or partner is certainly valuable, but a therapist and coach have been my most valuable guides because of the structured accountability and support I need to keep doing the work.
- Ask yourself “What’s it for?” This connects to last week’s email that shifts your focus from a passive/victim mindset to a proactive/engaged mindset.
While we’re in the heat of the summer, don’t miss the space between the stimulus and your response.
Your growth and freedom aren’t accidental or inevitable. There’s supernatural power when you create the space to listen to your life and respond in ways that are liberating for you and others. I’d love to know what practice you plan do this weekend.