Personally, January and February felt like the longest months ever. And not in the “wow, I packed so much in” way, more like “Ugh that was emotionally exhausting”. You too? Keep reading – together we can navigate this better.

I’m still processing the grief, a new level of uncertainty, and the fallout from having one of the richest countries in the world pull out of decades long agreements that protect humans and the world, make economic decisions that tangibly hurt the most vulnerable, and the list goes on. #HGT

To be honest, when I think about it all or hear more news, I feel angry. I feel powerless. Then I feel more anger. I feel nervous about the world my children are inheriting. I feel upset that I didn’t say more about what I know to be true about the natural ramifications of insidious hate speech, scapegoating and toxic controlling leadership that was very clear to me back in 2016. Regret, Grief, Disappointment. I cannot deny what I’m actually feeling. 

Whether or not you are experiencing something similar, you probably also have a set of emotions rolling through your body and mind. Or maybe they are suppressed in some corner of your mind fearing that if you feel them they will overtake you. I get it.

Most of us were not taught how to process or work with our emotions. If anything, we were most likely told to, “control our emotions”.

It comes from a cultural belief that, “control” is what is needed; when in fact, a controlling approach to both emotions AND leadership only creates more harm.

To be fair, much of the neuroscience of emotions and culturally expansive approaches to leading were not readily available in the past (at least not in my experience).

Lucky, we now have access to more regenerative ways of living with the complexity of our emotional life. (I bring this to life through my holistic 1:1 coaching).

As I navigated the cycle of disgust, anger, fear, and sad emotions the past two months I have been SOOOOO grateful to have tools to work WITH my emotions. Every day and every moment I have the opportunity to use emotional awareness. To practice a more regenerative approach to emotional processing and find my way back to empowerment.

I am not a victim to my feelings.

When I mindlessly feed the anger or judgement my energy plummets and I do not have access to my empowered creativity.

Through awareness and emotional processing I am able to reconnect with my commitment to love, purpose, and steadfast values .

I encourage myself through things I know to be true and meaningful connections.

I find energy in taking small actions and believing they matter.

Developing Emotional Capacity is an essential practice for life and leadership.

If this is something you want in your life, join me, Thursday March 13th at 12p CST (10a PST, 1p EST), for my free Holistic Leadership Masterclass – Emotional Wellness Relief for the Empathic Leader.

You are not a victim to your emotions, in fact emotions are your greatest leadership asset when you know HOW to work with them.

“

If you’re not angry, you’re either a stone, or you’re too sick to be angry. You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it. You paint it. You dance it. You march it. You vote it. You do everything about it. You talk it. Never stop talking it.

— Maya Angelo

Upcoming: Holistic Leadership Masterclass – Emotional Wellness