Personal Well-being Before Your Professional Well-being
July 19, 2010 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
An organization can only be as good as the people who run it. We do business with PEOPLE in an organization, not the organization itself. If the people behind the organization aren’t feeling well, treated well, doing well or being well, then the business isn’t doing well either.
If you’re part of a larger organization, the team members must bring their best self to the job. One person can drain the energy of the work group and clients alike. People like doing business with people who like doing business. If you don’t bring your best self to the marketplace, it’s a downward spiral.
Taking care of our personal well-being is essential to organization well-being, whether it’s a solo-preneur operation or a multi-national organization. We can’t focus on work if we feel lousy, have anxiety about our mortgage, worried about our kid’s safety or our family’s health. We need to get our priorities in order and take care of ourselves first, watch out for our well-being so we have the energy to look out for other’s or our organization’s well-being.
Here are some qualities of well-being. How do you measure up?
1. Is your life purposeful with direction? Do you have a bigger vision and purpose and is it fulfilling to you? Are you in alignment with it? Does your work foster your purpose?
2. Have you experienced life transitions and have you handled them with aplomb, in your unique or creative way. You can solve problems and have others for support in times of need and transition. You can weather the storms of life, or at least know how to dance in the rain.
3. You feel optimism for your life and believe the universe conspires in your favor. You feel more optimistic than pessimistic and experience gratitude over disappointment.
4. You have a Life List (similar to a Bucket List, but couched in more positive terms) and you have attained many things that are on your goals list. You feel accomplished in different areas of your life and are a life-long learner. You list may grow larger are you grow older and learn there is so much more to learn about the world. You have a sense of discovery, adventure, curiosity and joy about life.
5. You are coachable, remaining open to learning more about yourself and the whys and hows of your decisions. You are interested in not only personal development but enrichment and have a willingness to share your lessons with others to enrich their lives. You share yourself with the world through your abilities, gifts and talents.
6. You have love in your life from friends, partner, pets, family, clients and colleagues. You have mutual respect, support, admiration, loyalty, friendship and companionship.
7. You have laughter in your life and seek the humor in situations. You choose to laugh through things now rather than wait until time passes to see the humor. You bring laughter to others.
8. You are resilient to stress, criticism, bad behavior and the little annoyances in life. You have learned how to masterfully handle life’s irritations and know how to diffuse stress in your own way.
9. You are physically and mentally healthy, taking time to practice self-care, eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. You choose health and incorporate daily rituals and practices to keep your spirit, mind and body strong and flexible.
10. You keep things in perspective, have an open mind, and keep fear at bay. You dwell in the realm of possibility and positivity. You think the best of yourself, others and situations. You let things flow and believe in the rhythm nature. You believe in the power of the Universe, Source and Spirit to work things out how they are supposed to be. You believe the Universe has more control than you and you let go and let it flow.
Keep in mind these key areas to creating your well-being so you can go out and do well in the world. Keep your balance so you may bring your best self to your work and to the world.