- Tamara Dias
Focus on Your Progress
A few weeks ago, I realized that I was feeling pretty crappy. I’d started to think about all of the things I set out to do in 2020 that weren’t happening the way I’d planned. There were conferences, meetings, presentations, and speaking engagements that I’d lined up, and though some went virtual - many ended up being canceled. I noticed that I had several weeks of sitting at my desk and noticing everything that didn’t happen for me.
After taking some time to journal my thoughts, I decided to flip things around. Instead of highlighting everything that didn’t go as planned, I reflected on all of the things that went really well. I remembered extra time I had to rest in the spring, or the therapy sessions that I prioritized. I also thought about the few extra moments I had to catch up on projects around the house.
When was the last time you paused to reflect on all of your progress?
As someone who’s naturally driven, I know how easy it is to get stuck in a space of criticizing yourself. As leaders, we often have big goals to reach. While this requires us to be thoughtful, I want to remind you to ease up on yourself a little. We could all be a little less critical.
This week, take some time and think of what went well for you this year. If you’re stuck, try answering these questions:
Did you connect with anyone you’d lost contact with?
Did you take any steps towards bettering your mental and/or emotional health?
Did you complete any projects?
Did you get much needed rest?
Did you say kind things to yourself?
Did you encourage someone who needed it?
All of these are things we should be proud of. When you’re stuck in a cycle of criticizing yourself, remember that all progress counts!