“Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.”
~Khalil Gibran
I’ve recently been explaining myself this way, “I am the Executive Coach who talks about love in Fortune 50 companies and with C-suite executives.”
Now I know I’m not the only Executive Coach who does this, but it is a mantle I’m proud to bear.
Because I do believe that the corporate (and not-for-profit) world needs more love. Love for ourselves. Love for the people we work with and for. And love for the work we’re doing. I do believe we need more of this in order to be our best, most successful, most Thoughtful selves.
If love is defined as “an intense feeling of deep affection” or “a great interest and pleasure in something,” how can it be wrong to feel more love? How can it be wrong to give thanks for another day of loving?
More and more each day I realize that we do get more of what we focus on – and we have a choice on what we focus on. For example, if I can walk into a meeting knowing that it will get us nowhere and my colleagues are wasting my time, it’s more likely that the meeting will get us nowhere and my colleagues will waste my time. I’m not fully certain if this is merely confirmation bias (the tendency to search for, interpret, focus on and remember information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions) or if my attitude and actions toward my colleagues, because of my mindset going into the meeting, are more likely to bring about that outcome.
Either way, that is what I am more likely to get.
But when I can wake in the morning giving thanks for another day of loving, and I walk through my day with the intention to be my best and kindest self, to feel and express gratitude for the big and small gifts that come my way, and to approach others with compassion and care, I generally have a better day.
I coach my clients to treat themselves with more kindness and compassion and to engage with others with more kindness and compassion. I’ve found that this is the best way to get the best (and most) out of myself and others.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart, as Khalil Gibran said, and give thanks for another day of loving.
How have you learned to love yourself and others more, and how has it helped your leadership?
Please leave a comment.
If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For support in loving more, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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