DRIVEN Newsletter Apr 4th, 2023
Decades of Lost Sleep, Redeemed?
March 2023 follows directions well, at least where I live: In like a lion, out like a lamb! Mid-month, when my in-laws in the next village experienced a dusting of snow, we had our first “snow-in” of the season on top of the mountain, needing to dig out from under 15 inches of heavy, wet accumulation.
During the month, I found plenty of opportunities to practice radical self-acceptance. This is the 2023 topic one of my masterminds is exploring. We’re now reading Tara Brach’s book on the topic. And energy indeed flows to where attention goes.
Upon reflection, I recognize I had been procrastinating quite a bit. When I investigated and then comforted my shame, I felt a sense of relief that client work was always attended to. Disappointingly, it was the DRIVEN “development projects” that have been moving sluggishly. The bottleneck? Yours, truly!
This is somewhat humorous, since I’m in a self-declared state of “recovery”. You see, I had the epiphany earlier this year that I’ve been exhausted since I was 17 years old! How do I know? I read about my teenage state of exhaustion in a newly-unearthed letter I’d written to my Aunt Rose forty years ago. Seemingly, during this essential age for sleep acquisition, I was getting less than 7 hours a night. Thankfully, we now understand the importance of sleep, and I’ve been indulging in at least 8 hours nightly as a badge of honor, as I commit to recovering from decades of exhaustion.
So, I now face a conundrum: How can I be productive while in recovery? And how can I be kind to myself about what I’ve labeled as procrastination? Is it such? Or am I setting unrealistic expectations for myself?
My conscience was assuaged and my soul, soothed as I listened to Martha Beck coach her partner, Ro, about procrastination. I also could give myself some grace, as I recognized that I closed out a big coaching contract in March, having just submitted my last feedback form.
So, as I look forward through April, I get to focus on some of those DRIVEN projects that have taken the back burner to client work. I’m also excited to work on a couple of small projects this month. I’ll be working with a team on their Executive Presence, and another team on creating WOWs (Ways of Working) at their ever-growing organization.
I will now have the headspace to continue developing the Sustaining Resilience program, preparing for client engagement in Q3. And, my writing partner Ute Franzen-Waschke and I will have our first article published by The Three Tomatoes!
As you embrace and enjoy spring’s daily progress, you can also look forward to more practical, science-backed tips about sustaining YOUR resilience, both on DRIVEN’s website and at the 3T website! Start with my latest blog article on breathing as a miracle cure for so many of your health & wellness challenges.
Cheers!
-Deborah Goldstein
Climate-Friendly Investments ARE Within Your Reach!
Over 80% of Americans are worried about climate change, but 99% of Americans with retirement savings don’t have the option to make climate-friendly investments. If you are motivated to put your money where your values are and support the mitigation of climate change, you will want to check out Donors’ Forum’s latest meeting recording. During our March session, moderator Doug White interviewed Alex Wright-Gladstein, founder and CEO of Sphere. Sphere’s aspiration is, “Everyone can get access to climate-friendly investment options." Find more details HERE.
What's Most Important to You?
When working from home, are you distracted by the belief that there are too many demands on you, but not enough time to meet them? DRIVEN’s coaching clients, when asked to dig just below those emotions, were surprised at what they discovered! As it turns out, there's plenty of time available to focus on what you deem most important. DRIVEN founder Deborah Goldstein lays this out in her recent Forbes article, How To Make The Most Of Hybrid Productivity Through Focused Work. Check out her article and end your anxieties today.
A Lesson in Happiness.
A cherished colleague of ours mentioned that Dan Harris did a week-long series featuring the Dalai Lama’s outlook on happiness, on the 10% Happier podcast. And boy, are we grateful! Not only is His Holiness charming and wise, we also learned quite a bit from Dr. Richard Davidson, the foremost neuroscientist in the world studying the impact of meditation on the brain. Is your interest piqued? Treat yourself to this series of science-backed inspiration. Link to the podcast HERE.
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