Reimagining the Future When the Present Seems Bleak
Each year, during International Coaching Week, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) has a theme and this year, the theme is ‘Reimagine the Future.’ The 2021 theme was "‘Defying Challenging Times.’ Given the current events, not only happening in the United States, but around the world, last year's theme still very much applies. The bigger question is, "How do we keep our hope alive, to reimagine the future, while still trying to defy challenging times?”
No matter who you are, your social status, race or background, life can and will happen to us all. The key is to be intentional about how you live your life while giving space, grace and room for those unexpected things that we will all surely face.
Listed below are three coaching questions you can ask yourself and use as journaling prompts to get unstuck when you find that you are having trouble moving forward, especially after traumatic experiences. I’m also providing three tools that can support you in digging deeper into each question.
1. Do I feel physiologically and physically safe? This is the first question that you should ask yourself when you feel stuck. If your basic needs are not being met, it can be very challenging to be motivated to do what we need to in order to reach your lofty goals. If you are having trouble paying your rent or just lost a loved one, you probably don’t really care about that report that your manager keeps asking you for. However, you need to get that report done because you want and need to do a good job at your workplace to meet your basic needs (money, food, shelter, etc.) Simply put, it can be very difficult to thrive while you’re in survival mode. In these cases, it is important to identify what is really going on with you and communicate that to the appropriate parties so they are also aware of what you are dealing and you all can make the necessary adjustments. For more information about basic human needs, research Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Image Credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Expanded_Maslow%27s_Needs.webp
2. What can I actually control in my current situation? Often times we get frustrated because we have literally bitten off more than we can chew. When life gets overwhelming, it’s a good time to re-evaluate what and who you are putting your time and energy into and re-adjust as needed. Focusing on those things that we can control including how we react, who we interact with and actions we can take, can take some of the pressure off when we’re navigating challenging times. A good way to prioritize where you are spending your time is to use The Eisenhower Decision Matrix. This will help you to decide what you need to do right now, schedule for later, delegate or eliminate. I also recommend Valorie Burton’s book, “It’s About Time: The Art of Choosing the Meaningful Over the Urgent.”
Image Credit: https://luxafor.com/the-eisenhower-matrix/
3. What is the reason that I started on this path in the first place? Remembering your “why” can help you to get back on track when nothing else seems to help. What is your reason for starting on this path? What is motivating you to keep going when things get tough? What were you created to do and what legacy do you want to you leave? Remembering your why can also help you to re-evaluate if the path that you originally set out for yourself is still the path that you desire to be on. Quite often, we choose a certain life or career path because of other people’s expectations or plans for our lives. It is a healthy, and sometimes life-changing practice, to ask ourselves if the life we chose is really the life that “we” chose? A great resource to get you started on finding your why is our blog, “When Purpose Meets Opportunity.” You can also watch this Ted Talk by Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action.
As always, I wish you the best on your purpose journey. May you live an abundant and joyful life and leave a legacy of power and positive impact.
-Lekisha