I gave a workshop last evening to Women of Success members and guests, “Attitude for Effective Communication”. The feedback was great for this “insightful workshop”, and some people are interested in my new workshop series Navigating the Relationship Landscape.
Left home around 11am to go to a meeting, then another one, continuing with the workshop in the evening. Coming home around 10pm, after handling a full room of women through experiential and interactive exercises, I returned Minerva’s call. After briefly catching up with our stories since we’ve last met (a few years ago), she asked for a 25 min. presentation for today, at the Rotary Club where she’s a president. Without thinking too much, I accepted the challenge and started to work on my presentation: a Power Point that squeezed yesterday’s 2 hours workshop in 25 min. (she considered the same topic useful to their members).
Went to bed around 1:30am, and waked up in the morning … still tired! With s_l_o_w_l_y m_o_v_e_s, I went through my morning routine, got a freshly squeezed fruits juice and went to the Rotary meeting at noon.
The presentation kept me alive (well, I love what I do!), but the tiredness kicked in again right after! Grateful for getting home safely! Not easy to keep my eyes open on the highway! 🙂
As usual when tired, negative thoughts show up to have a “party” in my head: “Will I make it to get into companies to help them get a more positive environment that help both employees and the company?!”, “Are these the best actions to do now, in my situation?”, “I don’t know where to approach key people that are open to test my Systems Coaching approach with their teams!”, “Workshops are going very well, but they don’t bring enough money yet to pay my mortgage!”, etc., etc…
The “party” would like to continue, and even get worse, but I know from experience that this is just the tiredness effect on me!
A good sleep, recharge my batteries in nature, and … I’m good to go toward my dream, again! 🙂
What works for you to stop the negative train of thoughts? To help you focus on what you want to achieve? And keep believing that you’ll get there?
Gabriela
Hi Gabriela,
Nice to read your thoughts in each of the newsletters you send, although I do not always reply.
I have thought to comment this time.
My belief is that you can not just stop the “negative thoughts” from your mind when they come, because you have to face the reality and set up priorities.
Trying to stop the negative thoughts when you are in a crisis situation is like when you would try to stop a train that would come in full speed towards you. It would impossible. Facing the reality and recognizing a problem is the most difficult thing someone can do. I have noticed that while analyzing and breaking a difficult situation into basic steps helps a lot. So, when I am in such a situation, I break the problem into smaller steps and I see clearly where I have got entangled and why. Then it becomes much easier to set priorities, take decisions and go ahead.
In regards to tiredness, my belief is that setting priorities is the best that one should do. I am the one who used to work 14-16 hours a day just a while back, and I do not want to go there anymore, not even in nightmares. Even now when I have started on my own, if I can’t resolve a situation, I do not push myself onto resolving it right away because it will simply does not work this way. I am used to waiting, meditating and getting the baby steps, in order to succeed.
I hope this could help you too.
My best wishes,
Flavia.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Flavia.
If we can or not stop our thoughts (positive or negative), could be a totally separate topic. During a meditation we aim exactly that: to stop the train of thoughts and just be! And with a daily meditation practice, this becomes easier to do outside the meditation as well. I’m talking from my experience with meditation, and it seems that it’s a common outcome for those who meditate daily. Well, that day I skipped it.. because sometimes the meditation gets me logged in for 3-5 hours long. 🙂
What I was trying to say in my post though, was to notice the negative thoughts when they show up, but not focus on them for a longer period of time – because they could block us from taking the right actions, or we could become depressed.
It is possible to shift our attention from a negative thought (or train of thoughts) when noticed, to something more positive or action oriented! In my case, tiredness diminishes this ability and, since I’m aware of it, I know what to do get me on track. Staying too long in that “negative” place doesn’t serve me.
Talking about being on your own: it gives some flexibility, so after those two days that brought my tiredness, I took some time off (plus a walk in a beautiful forest ready for Spring) and my moral is back again like I’ve anticipated. BTW, I considered a priority for my business to take accept that new opportunity – so I agree with you about priorities.
Some of your comments seem to be too general, while my post was about a specific situation. It was about noticing that negative thoughts could be facilitated/ amplified by certain conditions (tiredness in that case), and knowing yourself and your reactions… you can better handle that situation.
Cheers! 🙂
Gabriela
Hi Gabriela,
Nice to read your thoughts in each of the newsletters you send, although I do not always reply.
I have thought to comment this time.
My belief is that you can not just stop the “negative thoughts” from your mind when they come, because you have to face the reality and set up priorities.
Trying to stop the negative thoughts when you are in a crisis situation is like when you would try to stop a train that would come in full speed towards you. It would impossible. Facing the reality and recognizing a problem is the most difficult thing someone can do. I have noticed that while analyzing and breaking a difficult situation into basic steps helps a lot. So, when I am in such a situation, I break the problem into smaller steps and I see clearly where I have got entangled and why. Then it becomes much easier to set priorities, take decisions and go ahead.
In regards to tiredness, my belief is that setting priorities is the best that one should do. I am the one who used to work 14-16 hours a day just a while back, and I do not want to go there anymore, not even in nightmares. Even now when I have started on my own, if I can’t resolve a situation, I do not push myself onto resolving it right away because it will simply does not work this way. I am used to waiting, meditating and getting the baby steps, in order to succeed.
I hope this could help you too.
My best wishes,
Flavia.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Flavia.
If we can or not stop our thoughts (positive or negative), could be a totally separate topic. During a meditation we aim exactly that: to stop the train of thoughts and just be! And with a daily meditation practice, this becomes easier to do outside the meditation as well. I’m talking from my experience with meditation, and it seems that it’s a common outcome for those who meditate daily. Well, that day I skipped it.. because sometimes the meditation gets me logged in for 3-5 hours long. 🙂
What I was trying to say in my post though, was to notice the negative thoughts when they show up, but not focus on them for a longer period of time – because they could block us from taking the right actions, or we could become depressed.
It is possible to shift our attention from a negative thought (or train of thoughts) when noticed, to something more positive or action oriented! In my case, tiredness diminishes this ability and, since I’m aware of it, I know what to do get me on track. Staying too long in that “negative” place doesn’t serve me.
Talking about being on your own: it gives some flexibility, so after those two days that brought my tiredness, I took some time off (plus a walk in a beautiful forest ready for Spring) and my moral is back again like I’ve anticipated. BTW, I considered a priority for my business to take accept that new opportunity – so I agree with you about priorities.
Some of your comments seem to be too general, while my post was about a specific situation. It was about noticing that negative thoughts could be facilitated/ amplified by certain conditions (tiredness in that case), and knowing yourself and your reactions… you can better handle that situation.
Cheers! 🙂
Gabriela
congratulations!
Thanks Ben! 🙂
congratulations!
Thanks Ben! 🙂