Tuesday at 2:00pm with Russ

It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)

Greetings to you!

Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.

Russ...

LEADERSHIP QUOTE:

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. Henri J.M. Nouwen

What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.

A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:

This month I want to focus on the word JOY.

Last week, while recording a podcast with a friend, I was asked the question, "what brings you joy"? It was a great question, and it kind of stopped me in my tracks.

Earlier in the week, Gina and I had attended the funeral of a good friend, and while there was sadness, there was also so much joy around the way he lived his life and the influence he had on so many people. It was a broad scope of emotions as we celebrated his life and as we connected with good friends in the process.

I then came back home to a really full and hectic week, and I'm learning that sometimes these transitions from one thing to another need a little time! The truth is, I flew back really early in order to make an important meeting, so I was tired, emotional, and not ready to dive into the tasks that were before me.

In the midst of these transitions, these emotions, this fatigue, and the urgency of things on my plate, we escaped late Thursday afternoon to attend our grandsons first art show at his preschool. (Yes, he's truly an artist). As members of our family came together to celebrate this beautiful child, I was overwhelmed. It wasn't just the art, but it was the love that was being displayed through our family, it was my 2 grandkids running on the grass chasing a ball, it was smiles and laughter, it was cheering and encouragement, it was just pure JOY.

I didn't realize it at the time, but it was so much more than a moment.

It was a reflection of what was stirring in my heart and soul in the midst of everything that had gone on during the week, and I didn't realize it in the moment, but when I reflected back while doing the podcast, that was the first thing out of my mouth when asked, "what brings you joy?".

Nouwen shares this:

"Joy isn't the same as happiness. Happiness is reactive - it comes and goes based on circumstances. Joy is something deeper: a settled sense of meaning and gratitude that can coexist with suffering, grief, or difficulty."

It's a discipline, not a moment and I want to keep choosing it everyday.

What Brings YOU Joy?

DEEPER STILL:

I was asked a while back, "How do you find joy in the midst of chaos?"

I don't remember how I answered that question then, but this is how I would answer it now:

First, CHAOS ALWAYS COMES. Chaos can be described as being too BUSY, as being too NOISY, as being too CROWDED, as being too FULL, as being too PAINFUL. There are lot's of ways to describe the chaos that comes into our lives, but it will come.

Second, IDENTIFY WHAT'S NOT CHAOTIC. In the midst of everything going on, find some small things that aren't going crazy: a trusted relationship, a safe place, a calming rhythm.

Third, CHOOSE GRATITUDE AS A PRACTICE, NOT A FEELING. Just start writing down things you are thankful for. This often changes your perspective and redirects your mind.

Fourth, DON'T ISOLATE. Stay connected to the people who bring you life. Managing all of this on your own is always difficult.

Fifth, LET GO OF WHAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL. There are things that you need to simply let go of. Don't let those things control you. Focus on the things that you can hold.

Joy is less about what happens to you and more about what you pay attention to. That's the part you can actually control.

What can you do today to find joy?

 

Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:

Source: www.leadermundial.org