Your Best LIFESPEED

I have been the epitome of a "hurried woman" most of my adult life. Always rushing toward the next goal, feeling certain that once that's been accomplished, I will finally be good enough! Thank goodness I am no longer doing that at this stage of my life.

While setting goals, planning and working hard are admirable, they are not all that's needed to enjoy a satisfying life. I was knocking on Burnout's door when I made the transformational decision to transition to a completely different career. I wanted to help people get off the constant work treadmill and be able to develop ways to integrate their professional and personal commitments that were both sustainable and satisfying.

Shortly after launching my private practice, I signed up for a workshop for women entrepreneurs. In a marketing exercise we were challenged to come up with a slogan for marketing our services. I came up with Finding Your Best LIFESPEED which I believed could help people develop ways to create balance in their work and personal lives. Not only did the facilitator make fun of it, she dissed it in front of the whole group! Feeling embarrassed and somewhat shamed, I dropped the slogan idea.

Now some 20 years later, through work with clients in stress overload and fighting burnout, I'm reminded that the hectic pace most people are experiencing is neither satisfying nor sustainable. I see this as evidence there is merit in exploring what one's ideal LIFESPEED needs to be, with six important areas to consider: Vocational, Mental, Relational, Emotional, Physical and Spiritual. 

I've suggested a strategy for each life area to help you start thinking about your current LIFESPEED and what you might want to do to increase your wellbeing, personal satisfaction and joy.

1. Vocational: Ensure your work roles are deeply meaningful to you. Gallup's 2022 state of the Global Workforce found 66% of workers were emotionally detached and 19% were miserable.

2. Mental: Seek activities and people that will stimulate your mind and enhance your mental capacity. Create a list of those things/or people and consistently fit them into your schedule. Stimulating conversations with interesting people is a bonus - that's what I LOVE about my work.

3. Relational: Identify your special people. Create a list of the most important people in your life. Consider who you might wish to connect with more and how you might do that.

4. Emotional: Know your "satisfiers." A "satisfier" is an experience you have had in the past and you KNOW you want to have it again. It felt really good and left you feeling very satisfied. Brainstorm your list and consider how you can repeat those satisfiers.

5. Physical: Examine your habits - eating, exercising, and sleeping. Consider what health protection measures you need to implement and make a commitment to follow through. Enlisting a partner can help keep you on track.

6. Spiritual: What does this term mean for you? Scholar/scientist Dr Joan Borysenko suggests building a mini-sabbath into your week that is personally relevant. It may be meditating in a special place, participating in a spiritual community, going for a hike in the woods, or simply sitting under the shade of a beautiful tree.

It's important to consider that what is satisfying and meaningful to each of us is uniquely different, and that we may need to adjust our plans as we move through the stages of life.

I truly hope you are well and enjoying life.

 Love and Blessings,

Kathleen