Reluctant Leader

My leadership experience began early in life; as the oldest of five and the oldest grandchild on both sides of my family, I was often “voluntold” to lead my siblings and/or cousins in some activity, an exercise usually like herding cats but nowhere near as smooth as that EDS commercial from a few years ago…the one where cowboys are herding cats…but I digress!

That early leadership experience showed me that, with no authority, I needed some other ways to influence my “team” to carry out our responsibilities. I needed to communicate with clarity. I needed to keep my emotions in check. I needed to be more compassionate sister.

I needed to be a better leader.

Inhale Leadership, Exhale Reluctance…
Inhale Responsibility, Exhale Irresponsibility…
Inhale Influence, Exhale Reticence…
Just Breathe

#Leadership
#JustBreathe

Lead Yourself First

You are a leader… even if you’re just leading yourself. Leading yourself is the most important, most difficult leadership task. Leading yourself well means being who you say you are and doing what you say you will. It requires some self-awareness and includes being disciplined, being committed and being accountable to yourself and in alignment with your purpose.

Inhale Integrity, Exhale Irresponsibility…
Inhale Alignment, Exhale Abandonment…
Inhale Your Best You, Exhale A Lessor You…
Just Breathe

#Leadership
#JustBreathe

Extended Adolescence

One of the speakers at a recent TED talk commented that childhood is a “creation of the 19th century,” and though he didn’t mention it, I was reminded that adolescence is a 20th century social construct.

It’s a construct that I’ve been fascinated by ever since the older Boomer’s kids started coming back home. Because even as a better food supply or, possibly the hormones in our food has accelerated the onset of puberty, we have slowed the acquisition of adult responsibility and lengthened the time of transition to adult roles.

And it’s impacting us individually and as a country…

“Adolescence is society’s permission slip for combining physical maturity with psychological irresponsibility.” ~ Terri Apter

Inhale Diligence, Exhale Dabbling…
Inhale Maturity, Exhale Blaming…
Inhale Responsibility, Exhale Irresponsibility…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita

Representative Self

Have you ever heard something about another person that was totally contrary to your own experience? I believe part of that is because the energy we exude impacts how others interact with us. So my (mostly positive) energy elicits a totally different reaction than someone else’s energy.

Or maybe the person in question hasn’t discovered and/or decided who they want to be …

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15 NIV

Inhale Ownership, Exhale Irresponsibility…
Inhale Intention, Exhale Unconsciousness…
Inhale Focused, Exhale Meandering…
Just Breathe

#JustBreathe
Reflections With Renita