Every year, I spend the first couple of weeks assessing. What is working? What isn’t working? What should stay? What should go? What needs adjustment? Basic 101 questions I can normally answer on my own. This year had me reaching out to members of my inner circle to assist me to make sense of a few things. They help me understand some things I think deep down I knew on some levels, and some I was clueless. I am blessed to have these people I work with who challenge me to see all the positives in things that can seem less than positive.
Some of my best gardens have grown out of manure.
I specialize in change. I am my best in my role as a marketing consultant. I go in, assess, locate gaps in systems and processes, make recommendations, and sometimes I am hired to implement those recommendations. These recommendations typically require a great deal of change, and they typically bump into what I call “sacred cows.” Sacred cows are those organizational processes that have always been done this way or things that have had a great deal of time and/or money invested. They are precious to someone or someones because those individuals are emotionally invested in the work. I understand this, but unfortunately, sometimes those investments are no longer carrying the value they once did or had intended to carry. And even more unfortunate, they are often costing the organization more than the value invested.
Not everyone appreciates my “get ‘er done” approach to work. If bumping into a sacred cow means projects or a part of the project is taken off my desk because the cracked sacred cow is too precious to repair, so be it. If the flaws in the sacred cow continue to cause problems, it’s not my cow. These cows belong to someone else. I’m not responsible for the cow. It’s not my cow to feed. It’s not my cow to water. Not taking care of the cow means I have more time and energy to do other things. Am I sad the cow is sick? Yup. Do I have tools to help the cow? Sometimes. But it’s not my cow. Tending to cows that are not mine takes away time taking care of my own putting them at risk.
Change is scary.
Letting go of a sacred cow is definitely asking for a great deal of change. Pretty sure most of us can agree on that any change is at a minimum uncomfortable and the worst terrifying. Why is that? I believe change is scary because there’s unfamiliarity, and with unfamiliarity, a lack of control, and without control, we live in a state of reaction.
When we begin reacting, the brain starts to shut down its ability to think and instead go into default modes.
Think about it. When unexpected things are happening around us, we react. Do this. Do that. Douse fire with water. Bang the nail with a hammer. Boom Boom Boom. Get it done. Check box. Check box. Go. Go. Go. Do this. Do that. No, not that. What’s wrong with you? Don’t you see this fire? Why aren’t you helping put it out? This is dangerous. React. React. React. React. React. React. React. Until exhaustion and burn out.
Slow down. Slow to a stop. Stop. Really. Just. Stop. Now breathe. In. Iiiiiiiinnnnnn. Deeper. Ok, exhale. Slower. Breathe again. Feel the air. Do you feel the air? You were breathing this entire time, but you weren’t feeling it before. Now you can. Count. Count something. Count books on a bookshelf. Count the number of steps to a door. Touch the knob. Feel the knob. Is it cold? Warm? How far to the left or right do you turn the knob to open the door? Do you know? Watch as you turn the knob. Go outside. Look up.
The world is big. Bigger than the reactions. Breathe. Smell. Step. Reconnect your brain. Don’t think about the fires. Don’t think about the tornados or hurricanes in life. All storms pass. Start walking. Count steps. Count leaves. Count trees. Count clouds. Force your brain to engage at a higher level. These are your cows. Tend to your cows. Create your own circumstances. Create your own environment. Create your own change. No one’s approval is needed or required. This is your life. It is yours to possess — cows and all.
Moo