The Gift of the Gaps

I’m writing this on a plane. We’re on our descent into Sydney and all large electronic devices have had to be stowed. I find myself sitting here wondering what to do. My nearest and dearest are frequently telling me I need to learn to relax. But because I love what I do there is rarely an incentive to stop.

Doing for me is fun. What I’m learning though is that sometimes being is the most fun version of doing. Being is the space in which we sit back and acknowledge who we are, what we’re thinking and feeling and who we’re becoming. We may be in a place in our lives and in our leadership where we have much to be grateful for. Equally, we may be in a place where things are tough, and the challenges ahead seem endless.

In the gaps, we get to pause and decide what we need and give to ourselves. Maybe what’s needed is an acknowledgement, maybe it’s to allow ourselves a moment of pride, maybe it’s kindness or self-compassion, maybe it’s giving ourselves a well-timed stern talking too. But only we know what we need, and only we can give it to ourselves. This is the gift of the gaps – the opportunity to pause, take a breath, figure out what’s going on and give ourselves what we need to be able to continue showing up as the humans and leaders we wish to be.

 So, reading this was a mandatory pause for you – what gift would you give yourself right now?