Three Rs for a New Year
“It’s not as simple as coming up with a strategy for managing an inbox and a to-do list.
The only way I know how to navigate a constant stream of information overload and impending demands is to get off the merry-go-round and practice self-care in ways you might imagine you don’t have time for or cannot afford.”
As January approaches, I notice that people are referring to the current year as a doozy. Some reasons seem global, and some are more personal. What about you? What’s it feel like to contemplate saying “good-bye” to 2024?
I’m setting intentions to increase my practice in three areas I’m calling the Three Rs: Reverence, Radical Self-Care, and Risk-Taking. I’m not a big fan of the idea (or impossible practice) of what people like to call “work-life balance,” but I do believe in living and working from a place of wholeheartedness and presence. I also know that Worshipping at the Church of Busy-ness is the gravitational pull for most people I work with and for me.
Routine vs. Reverence: How can you examine things that are routine—perhaps it’s a morning routine right after you wake or the way you get yourself to work? What about meals or client meetings? Certainly, there are benefits of repetition and discipline and doing what seems to work, but what if things that are routine for you could be more like rituals with the added element of Reverence?
This reverent practice is making its way into my mornings, my writing, and even my phone calls and coaching sessions with clients. What if, instead of the ordinary around-the-table check-in with your colleagues, you posed a beautiful question or asked everyone to name something that’s inspired them recently? It’s still a check-in, but the tone and tenor are completely different.
How can you be radical? I’ve written and talked about Radical Self-Care a few times in the past. So many organizations and leaders have been dealing with tumultuous change, whether in their markets, with employees, resources, or the politics of organizational life. People want to know, “How can I keep up with the pace of change?” or “How can I deal with a chronic sense of overwhelm?”
It’s not as simple as coming up with a strategy for managing an inbox and a to-do list. The only way I know how to navigate a constant stream of information overload and impending demands is to get off the merry-go-round and practice self-care in ways you might imagine you don’t have time for or cannot afford. Weekend massages and walks at lunchtime are good, but what about an entire day with nothing on your calendar and no technology? What about a real vacation? What about pausing before saying “yes” immediately and saying, “Hmmmm. I’ll think about it,” and then really thinking about it? What about a #yearofyes where you lean into things that make you uncomfortable that you’ve always wanted to do?
True confession here: I wrote that paragraph above because I need it just as much as my clients and just as much as you—a leader, building a better team and wanting to do so without sacrificing everything that brings you joy or makes you sane. The most important thing is to define what radical means to you—something that feels a bit uncomfortable that you don’t think will work. Put that on your calendar!
What about a gamble? Every entrepreneur and business leader has a relationship with Risk. Whether you describe yourself as a risk-taker or risk-averse, there is always the unknown and the beautiful mystery that unfolds within and without us.
How do you cultivate trust with yourself, your intuition, and your inner voice that actually knows what to do, the direction to take, a risk to manifest? What happens if you fail? What happens if you succeed? This self-trust is one of the underrated skills that leaders need to hone. We get pulled in so many directions and by so many opinions and conflicting views that we can get either paralyzed or careless with what needs to come next.
What does it cost to sit in your sameness, ever drifting from your true alive-ness? Take a risk. Do something that doesn’t make much sense. Pay attention. Pay close attention.
Although I’ve spent most of my professional life doing some of the same things, especially helping people find their voices through writing, speaking, and leading, each year, I think about where my growth edges might be, and I try to balance that with my own deep listening. This month, I’ll be taking time to consider my horizons, shake up my routines, and push myself to try something new.
I hope you’ll join me in Reverence, Radical Self-Care, and Risk Taking. The path is windy, beautiful, mysterious, and brambled, but it’s our path, right?
How can you thrive in 2025? Here’s your chance to tell me your biggest challenges, and I will use this feedback to guide my pen in the coming months! Click the button below to take a quick one-minute, one-question survey.
Want to talk about building a better team? I’d love to hear about yours! libbywagner@libbywagner.com
