Leadership starts with you: How are you leading yourself to be healthy, calm and focused in this unprecedented time of change and uncertainty?

Leadership starts from the inside out.  As Brené Brown shares in Dare to Lead (2018):  “Who we are is how we lead.  Self love and self awareness matter.” Self leadership encompasses being self-aware, self-compassionate, self-confident, and holding the belief that you can do what it takes to achieve your goals.  In this time of unprecedented and wide-reaching change, self-leadership becomes even more important.  If is the foundation from which we make choices and take actions.

To amplify your self-leadership right now, you need first to look to yourself to maintain calm and stability.  This is akin to flight attendant instructions to put on your own life mask first before attending to others.  This is where it all starts – with you.  What can you do to take care of yourself? 

1. Mindfulness:  Breath.  Get outdoors.  Reflect, meditate, and/or pray.  If you have very little time, the one thing that you can do anywhere is breath.  Try out this simple, yet effective, box breathing method:  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321805
2. Movement:  Whether its stretching, strength training, cardio, or a combination thereof, get yourself moving.  This will also help you feel energized, strong and capable.
3. Sleep:  With no commute, you may have more time to sleep and to get up when your body tells you to rather than to the sound of the alarm.  Without sleep, you can’t function at your best.  Check out these benefits of sleep:  https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/04/benefits-slumber
4. Hydration:  Drink water throughout the day.
5. Nutrition:  Eat a balanced variety of whole foods every day – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein.  Support your immune system.
6. Connection:  Use the tools available to you to stay connected to family, friends, team members, and other connections – examples, webinar software such as Skype, Webex, or Zoom, and shared document software such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.
7. Keep a log:  Reflect on your day – write about your new awareness, learnings, and next steps

Do whatever it is that keeps you grounded so that you remain creative and resourceful.  From there, you can be present to effectively lead others.  You are, thereby, already modeling the way for others to follow.

Yours in leadership from the inside out,

Jamie

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