Fuego.

You know those people who in very few words can ignite a spark 💥 within you?  I met with one of those people recently.  A woman that I highly respect and appreciate.  She tells it to me like it is, laid out as fact, but with a tone that is sincere and caring, not accusatory and demeaning.  The distinction in her delivery is important.  Great leaders cater the message for the recipient to feel in a positive way.

With all this COVID shit going on, I’ve been feeling a lot of different emotions.  I’ve been trying to be patient with these emotions, because I’m not sure if I’m feeling them just because COVID has disrupted my “normal” life or if they are indicators that it’s time for a change. 

I think it’s both.

If you remember from this post, there are underlying themes to our emotions.  The underlying theme for happiness is making reasonable progress toward the attainment of a goal.  In the Trust Factor, Zak talks about “challenge stress”.  The moderate stress of being challenged to reach an attainable goal releases neurochemicals, including oxytocin and adrenocorticotropin.

Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the “love hormone” or “cuddle hormone” because it is released when socially bonding.  This is how trust is created in relationships, personally or professionally.  Adrenocorticotropin is produced in response to biological stress and intensifies your focus.

I live in a constant state of improvement.  I want to leave this world knowing that I lived my best life, and I make the conscience effort to better myself everyday in order to achieve this.  (Some days are better than others, let’s be real.)  In my posts about Insecurity and Emotion, I talk about celebrating small wins.  Not every day am I out slaying large goals, and I need the reminder that there are small successes.  Turns out, celebrating small wins can make all the difference in how you feel and perform.  It’s called the Progress Principle.

Of all the things that can boost inner work life, the most important is making progress in meaningful work.

Teresa Amabile and Steven J. Kramer

Personally, I thrive on being challenged.  I like work.  Bottom line.  If I’m not working hard toward something, I’m not as happy as when I am.  And currently, I’m not feeling challenged.  What I struggle with as an employee and as an entrepreneur:

• As an employee, my challenges are typically set forth by someone else.  Although I somewhat operate in an “ask for forgiveness” fashion, there are still limitations and boundaries that have to be respected within the workplace.
• As an entrepreneur, it feels like I’m wandering through the forest without a map or compass.  I take small strides forward because I don’t know how the hell to get where I want to go.

But each of these are challenges within their own right that must first be overcome.

What my mentor/friend said to light a spark beneath me was this:

Step up!  Your capability and awareness is greater than the environment that you’re in.

Sometimes, it takes someone else to point out what you’ve “known” all along.  Now, it’s time to reflect and come up with a strategic plan. What that may look like, I dunno yet. Maybe it’s an emotional renewal. Maybe it’s a side hustle breakthrough. Either way, it’s going to bring 🔥!