Coaching Corner: Let's Talk Life's Challenges
Today I want to chat about being proactive rather than reactive. We have all established by now that life will present challenges along the way; it's just how it is. The trick is how we handle the events that throw us off kilter. Early in my real estate career, I observed how quickly agents (myself included) would jump to show a home, or sprint to a listing appointment in the fear that we may miss an opportunity, allowing someone else to “win.” We react--it happens!
So, how might we shift this paradigm? How can we exist with more balance and less chaos and overwhelm? This shift can occur with focus and commitment. It begins with you! Imagine yourself as a savings account. As with any savings account, you must make deposits if you intend to withdraw. Countless people are withdrawn beyond comfort, which results in living in overwhelm, exhaustion, and sometimes even illness.
How do you make deposits into yourself? What does the idea of self-care mean to you? If you find yourself jumping into the “but I don’t have enough time as it is” camp, then you truly had better keep reading. Unfortunately, I also realize that the folks who need this the most are probably never going to access this information due to their “busyness.” If you know someone like this, please share what you’re reading here with them.
Think about how you can make deposits. Create some space that you may think doesn’t exist. There isn’t a right way to do this, and you can’t screw it up. Imagine what might feel good to you that connects you back to yourself. It may be reading or meeting a friend for coffee. It could be listening to something uplifting or turning up the music and dancing as you prepare for your day. When we get ourselves into the mental space of “not enough time,” the account that is you will deplete extremely quickly, leaving nothing but anxiety and stress, and the quality of what you are giving to others is a mere fraction of what it could be.
Find yourself! Commit to YOU! Think about what you hear each time you board an airplane. The flight attendant tells us each time that, if there is a need to use the oxygen masks, put yours on first before helping someone else. This is so you don’t pass out and become unable to help yourself or anyone around you. As you learn to make healthy deposits into the YOU account, you will find you are experiencing more ease and a greater ability to go off the rails when something does happen. You will be building a strong foundation that can flow rather than crumble.
There can be stressful times--that doesn’t mean you need to walk around squeezing a stress ball. Make a list of actions/activities (or lack of) that would equate to a deposit and determine how you might become consistent with your deposits. Build your YOU account today!
Marilou Butcher Roth
Marilou Butcher Roth is the owner of The MBR Group, a coaching and training company working primarily with REALTORS who have a desire to work and live from a more inspired place. She is also the Broker/Owner of Group REALTORS in Cincinnati.
Marilou is a member of the Ohio REALTORS Board of Directors and past chairman of the organization’s Communications Committee.
