Can we change the conversation?

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting weary of all the drama, turmoil and spinning going on about the economic situation we’re in.

Now, I feel like I’m going out on a major limb saying this…I do, after all, live and work in the Metro Detroit area and see everyday the realities of what’s going on economically.  And yes, it’s serious.  And we should be looking for answers.  And in no way do I want to diminish the real life experience of those most affected.

But it feels like what we’re really looking for and talking about most of the time is blame, and lots of ‘ain’t it awful’ worrying that solves nothing and gets us nowhere.

As a coach, and chronically long term thinker, it makes me wonder if we’re talking about the right things and asking the right questions.

Here’s the thing:  when times are abundant, I think we all get a little bit complacent…and tend to go ‘unconscious’.

Dare I say it: The beauty of this blip (and in the grand scheme of life it is a blip) is that in these transformational dips we come face to face with who we really are deep down.  We find out what we’re made of.

Think about it.  Haven’t there been times in your life where you’ve had to face down a crisis?  You survived, and possibly even thrived.  And you walked away with a deeper understanding of what you are capable of and can handle…right?

Imagine the power if we harness that collective strength and put it to purposeful use NOW (not hold back until abundant times swing around again).  Instead of contributing to the spinning and anxiety, instead we’d all be making the world a better place.

So my challenge to myself and my clients is to bring out the great stuff you’re made of and use it every day, in the here and now, with a clear purpose.  Take the long term view…where do you want to be 2 years from now when the tide turns?

What difference do you want to have made during this time?

How do you want to show up in the world, in good times and bad?

Are you getting caught up in the frenzy of everyone else’s opinions, fears and anxieties or are you following your own voice and being a voice of reason and clarity when others can’t see the way out?

That’s the opportunity we’ve been gifted here.  Our success isn’t measured by our stock portfolios, net worth or any of that.  Our success is much deeper, much more personal than the external measures and visible signs that ‘we’ve made it’. So how DO you define success, right now, at this point in your life?  Are you living up to it?

I am loving these conversations as a coach and find them way more meaningful than the ones we were having 18 months ago when things were easy-peasy going.

So, I wonder how if feels to you to change the conversation…and the questions you’re asking…and I wonder how much faster the tide would turn if we all were able to set the worry aside long enough to see how capable we really are.