A Series on Initiating Change
After months spent editing my book to be published in June, Losing Sight, Finding Vision: Thriving Throughout Life’s Lasting Losses, my right hand and wrist started to ache.  My doctor advised me to buy a wrist guard and take over-the-counter pain medication. While facilitating a board retreat, the pain worsened. I handed off flipchart writing duties to a participant. In my “If I can just get one more thing done” daily grind I got the message my body was delivering – slow down! I would only further damage my impinged nerve if I continued to push so hard.  I started using the mouse with my left hand and cutting back on use of the computer. Slowing down has allowed me to reconnect with myself as a human being, take time just to be in the present moment and stop treating myself like a machine on and assembly-line.

Our bodies speak to us – but are we listening? In thinking about career pathways and discerning our next career steps, we can pay attention to our bodies for clues.

Questions

• What is it like when you are feeling drained at work?
• What are you noticing about your breathing?
• How do you tell the difference in your body between stress and excitement?
• Where are you ignoring signals from your body?
• How does your body tell you when you are feeling a yearning to do something new?

Practice
Take one minute three times during your work day to “check in” with your body.  Notice what is happening, and wherever possible, note underlying emotions or mood.
When has  your body pointed you towards some change or career step?