Wise Wednesdays

  So it’s that time of the year when society sanctions rest and holidays. How are you doing with taking time to yourself? I’ve noticed some guilt and resistance to taking a break myself. Several coaching conversations have also led to the topic of boredom this season. Many action-oriented professionals and leaders have an underlying fear of boredom and a judgement that boredom is bad… Boredom is a relatively new concept, by the way. “We are less bored than our ancestors were, but we are more afraid of boredom” – Bertrand Russell. This week, let's praise the beauty of boredom. Here's why. [Photo: artist unknown but hopefully got that nap] A recent review of the boredom literature in the Experimental Brain Research Journal reported two types of boredom: 1) Searching boredom: when you feel restless and bored (= “can’t get no satisfaction” feeling) 2) Apathetic boredom: when you feel disengaged and bored (= “meh” feeling). Which one do you lean towards? Boredom is essential ...

  So in the space of 3 years, we’ve had to face the cost of living crisis, the energy crisis, the Covid crisis, a new war, etc. But has life always been like this? Before that, we had world wars, bloody revolutions, the plague, etc. It had me wondering about how we relate to crises in general, and what makes something a crisis rather than part of the routine ups and downs of life or a longer-term challenge. When I practised emergency medicine, it didn’t matter what came through the door, everything was to be dealt with, from an unresponsive baby to chewing gum stuck in someone’s hair. But how did we deal with it all? You’ve guessed it. We used the science and art of Triage. This was vital when working in a warzone, especially in dealing with mass casualty events. Those were some of the most intense moments of my life. Here's a simple system to triage life crises and use them as an opportunity to transform: 1) The Acute crisis: If your kid has a serious accident or house is falli...

This week, I’m sharing from my mid-year reflections with prompts you can play with. Life is seasonal and transitions involve messy middles that yield rich insights (with a little patience and guidance). Join me in the joy and messiness of the seasonal cycles of life. [I’m celebrating] crossing a significant milestone in my coaching revenue. When I started out, I just wanted to replace my physician income and gratefully, the coaching work has more than done that these past few years. The point is that if anyone tells you that you can’t make a decent living doing something you love and make a difference in the world without exhausting yourself (even if it’s different from your current career), you can safely delete their comments and get on with your life. [Reflection]: What are you obsessed with? What is calling you forth in this season of life? [I’m mourning] that there is still so much trauma in the world around freedom, money, health needs in both work and relationships. It can be ov...