Where are you right now?

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”

 Theodore Roosevelt in 1905 (!)

Where are we right now?

There is real challenge and adversity for many (most) people and organisations right now.

The pandemic arrived – suddenly out of nowhere – and we circled the wagons and pulled together to defend ourselves and to battle this invisible enemy…

10 months later, we are still doing so.

The threat that arrived so fast, has not, and cannot, be fixed as fast.

Despite fervent wishes, protestation, arguments, exhortations, instructions, complaints.

This is really challenging for people.

We have become a fast society – our attention spans have really shortened this last decade. We want to have a problem arrive and then the solution pop up to solve it – and move on.

But in reality, life is not like this. (It has not been for the last decade, but we managed to ignore it.)

So many of us are unsettled – threatened, really out of kilter.

Many feel in chaos: business, economies, politics, society itself feels as if it is collapsing.

Humans like predictability, consistency and certainty – it gives us a sense of security.

We like autonomy – the feeling of control over our choices, decisions and environment.

We expect fairness – for things to impact us equally, for exchanges to be fair and equal.

This is NOT what we are experiencing right now – nor have been for the last 10 months.

Our psychological safety has been, and is, really challenged and upset.

As a result, some of us become fatigued, lethargic and exhausted. Others become angry, argumentative and brittle.

Many of us find our creative, thinking and problem-solving skills dramatically reduce.

What can we do?

Many of us are looking outside for answers. To governments, scientists, journalists, academics or leaders.

To my mind, this is not the place to start.

Now is the time to go inside.

Look inwards – connect with yourself.

Breathe, centre and ground.

Pay attention to yourself.

Where are you right now?

How are you right now? 

Are you aligned? 

Or off-centre?

Check in with your head. How is it? How healthy and productive are your thoughts and internal dialogue?

Check in with your heart. How is it? How open, how compassionate, how strong is your heart?

Check in with your gut. How is it? How healthy, balanced and tuned in is your gut?

And are all 3 aligned and connected with each other?

Are you open or shut down? Expanded or contracted?

How grounded are you right now?

This is the place to start. 

With you.

It is only when we have taken care of our own oxygen mask, that we can help others with theirs.

Start with your own embodied leadership.

Accept where you are – and then do the work that you need to enhance and build your own calm, centred, congruence.

And maybe you don’t know what work to do.

That’s ok. 

There are many of us who can help you work out what you need to do to be the best you can be right now

Who will help you create your own individual and tailored plan.

Because we are all different. We all need our own, personalised support. It is emergent.

And if anyone tells you differently – if anyone tells you there is a standard solution – or a quick fix – ignore them.

Start with you.

Start where you are.

Start with what you have.

Start right now.

You have all the resources you need – you just might not know it yet – or know how to access or mobilise them.

Take the first step – however small.

Know this will not be a quick fix. It will take time, but the green shoots will quickly appear.

To build a healthy, thriving, productive plant takes time. More than one season.

So start. 

The time is now. 

You will not regret it.