Most of the "junk" is business, as in “LIFE 100.3" but there's the family and health issues, as well. Since a few people on our staff read my blog I can’t reveal specific issues but I can generalize a bit.
The combination of having responsibility of these things and clinical depression can be a really bad recipe. To be honest, the depression has been brewing a little more often in the last two months. This isn't the pitiful state of hopelessness like in the past, but it feels like the negatives seem bigger than the positives and the weight of that feels heavy.
I was at the gas station yesterday filling up, looking at the grey sky and thinking about the lousy day ahead - the junk, the silly people issues, and the shortfall of revenue at LIFE with only days left in 2012. I realized that I can look at it all in one of two ways. And I get to choose which way.
I can think about all the things I need “to fix” and let that negativity weigh me down, and take that negative mood into the office and probably bring everyone else down, OR, I can go to work choosing to feel positive, encouraging people and confronting the issues from a positive point of view, expecting solutions are near.
The choice was easy, of course. I smiled.
The sky was still grey but inside of me the sun was shining.
Like the way you chose, encouraging Bro. Persevere in HOPE, only way to make it thro the challenges that come. KgB
ReplyDeletesmiling is always a good choice.
ReplyDeleteleadership is a tough calling where you will carry burdens that other people who aren't in that position won't even know exist. but since god has called you to it he will give you what you need to carry that burden.
one thing i have learned that has changed my method of leadership dramatically is to put people first. i was challenged with this after attending a leadership convention and the speaker said that if we put people first and give them our priority and do whatever we can to empower them we will soon find that where we lead people will willingly follow.
it is hard as phone calls and emails and meetings are so demanding but by putting my people first everything has changed. where once it felt like i was pushing everyone up the hill suddenly they started to follow more willingly. by me empowering them to make the hard choices for themselves and making it an environment where its ok to try things and even to fail my team turned into visionaries in their own making who are willing to follow. it is amazing what putting more faith into people can do.
i don't know if you do this already but its something that i am challenged on daily and it has rocked our team in the best way so i wanted to share.