Whole Body Yes
Is your “yes” a whisper or a roar?
At times, when we respond to a request, we do so with excitement, elation, and anticipation. We are fully committed and we look forward to reaching the stated goal or completing the task ahead. In this month’s read, the Conscious Leadership Group describes this as a “whole body yes” - balance and alignment with our head (mindfulness), heart (emotions), and gut (intuition). A whole body yes draws us closer to our core values and communicates our willingness to be held accountable.
Yet, there are times when our responses are rife with trepidation, apprehension, and anxiety. In these cases, our commitment is reduced to compliance, feeling more like an act of obligation and obedience than a communication of our interest and dedication. The absence of a whole body yes makes it difficult to invest at the levels required, which can damage our credibility and reputation (both easy to lose and difficult to rebuild).
When we decide to say “yes”, there are a few things to consider:
Is the request a requirement or a choice? If it is a choice, does my “yes” roar (like Katy Perry) or land feebly with a whisper or whimper? If it is a requirement, can I reframe my “yes” by focusing on the opportunity to learn something new?
Am I saying “yes” for fear of judgment, FOMO, pressure, ego, etc.?
If I choose not to say “yes”, am I doing so out of fear, lack of confidence or competence, or implicit biases?
Does my “yes” create a value win (balance and alignment) or a value rub (not sit well in my gut or my spirit)?
As we close out the first month of 2020, this is a great time to reflect on our commitments, resolutions, and mindsets. Where are you today with the promises you made to yourself and others? How many of them still feel like a whole body yes? I encourage you to create habits around checking in with your full self (head, heart, gut) before agreeing to commit to something - it may be the key to living a happier and more balanced life at home and at work.
Quote for Growth
“Somehow I said “yes” to whatever put me here and “no” to whatever did not. And if I don’t like where I’m at, maybe I should start trading out one answer for the other.”