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Have you forgotten to check in with your intuition?

Have you forgotten to check in with your intuition?

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We are intuitive beings. We have an inner compass that, when given the chance, can guide us in the decisions we make and the direction we take.   When we trust our intuition and take action based on its guidance, it will faithfully do it’s best to support us.

But in all our busyness we seem to be forgetting how to tune in and listen.

We have all been carrying a very heavy load over the last 18 months.  Many women I speak to are exhausted!  They are working hard, getting the job done and putting on a brave face.

Maintaining a high level of professionalism and commitment to doing great work while home schooling and soldiering on without a break… is a LOT!

But in all the craziness of our current reality, is it possible you’ve stopped listing to your gut?

When we fail to recognise these tell-tale signs, we miss the need to pause before hitting burnout or fail to say yes to the big opportunity or make a poor choice when recruiting a new team member.

The cost can be high when we ignore the quiet whispers or persistent inner calling trying to guide us.

When have you failed to listen to your intuition?

Looking back on a decision I made last year that didn’t turn out so well, I recognise that I ignored a nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I experienced massive resistance, slipped back into an old habit of procrastination and came up against lots of unexpected roadblocks.

I now recognise that this was my deep intuitive knowing at first whispering – and later shouting from the roof tops – that this was not right for me. Had I listened to the initial whispers, it would have saved me a lot of time, energy and financial pain!

Obviously, there is no exact science to this, but it pays to listen.

We know that when we listen, our gut instincts help us to..

  • Read people,
  • Make the right decisions,
  • Set the right goals,
  • Align with the best pathway forward.

And there is something powerful about people who are in tune with their intuition and make decisions based not only on logic but also gut instinct.

Perhaps it’s time to get your logic and your intuition working in harmony again.

3 ways to tap into your intuition more effectively

  1. Take time to pause. Gut feelings are difficult to recognise when we are caught up in the busyness of our day to day. Take the time to pause and still the mind.

That might mean making time for a little meditation or journaling, taking the dog for a walk, dancing to your favourite music or, like I did today, taking a quiet moment during my lunch break to watch the waves roll in at the beach.

  1. Pay attention to your body. We don’t tap into our intuition by thinking. It happens through feeling. To get back into the habit of listening, simply take a few moments a couple of times each day to scan your body. This will help you become more present, to quiet your busy mind and tune into your body. Notice anything that feels out of the ordinary. Be aware of your breath. Tune in to how you feel.
  2. Emotions leave clues. Take notice of the emotions you’re feeling on a consistent basis. Too often I see smart dynamic women suppress their emotions to a point they no longer feel them.

Your emotional response to any situation provides you with clues. Notice your energy and trust your emotions to give you the signals you need.

You have an inner guide.  May this be a gentle reminder to listen.

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Join “Leading Ladies” – a private FREE Facebook group of over 1600 other mid-career professional women to inspire and support
Join the newsletter list for weekly tips and strategies showing you how to ignite your career, lead your way and accelerate your success. 
Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
Get my best tips on working smarter not harder 
Read my latest blog post.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact my team.

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Has COVID stolen your MOJO?

Has COVID stolen your MOJO?

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If your Mojo has been a NO SHOW lately – you’re definitely not alone!  As we push through another week of restrictions, border closures, home schooling and working from home … today I give you permission to show yourself a little love and compassion.   

Being self-critical or annoyed with yourself isn’t the answer.  Beating yourself up for struggling to maintain your usually high standards of productivity and dedication to excellence, is likely to only make the situation more challenging.

The impact of Ground hog day is not insignificant. 

As I sat down this morning to write this weekly blog – I hit up against a brick wall.  My fingers hovered above the keyboard – and nothing. 

My mind flipped flopped from being totally blank and vacant…  to wildly distracted.  Perhaps I need to check my email, Facebook, LinkedIn and have a long chat with the lovely woman who handed me my coffee.  I answered a few emails and busied myself with a few mindless tasks, while waiting for inspiration strike.

But it didn’t.

And while I struggled to get the cogs turning, time slipped by with nothing of significance achieved. 

The lack of variety in our life is stifling our creativity.  The mental load is heavy, and the absence of deep and nurturing social contact is taking a toll.

 There’s so much of this experience we have no control over – so let’s stay focused on that which we can control.

 Over the years of working with mid-career professional women, I’ve seen 3 key elements are required for us to enjoy our work

  • Growth: We need to be experiencing personal and professional growth
  • Contribution: We need to feel like we are doing meaningful work that is making a difference.
  • Recognition: We need feel our best work is being recognised and rewarded.

So, it gets me wondering … how can we tap into these three elements to re-ignite the spark for our work.

Here are my tips

  1. Focus on Growth

Your mind body and soul are craving variety and one of the best ways to create a little variety is by focusing on your professional development.  But before you freak out – I’m not talking about embarking on an MBA or some other all-consuming program.  NO!  Let’s start small. 

You might decide to focus on setting better boundaries, or learning to articulate your thoughts or plans more succinctly or redefining your leadership style, allowing you to step up to the next level of leadership.

  1. Focus on contribution

On those days that life feels a little heavy – focus on what matters most – to you, your team and your organisation. Get clear on the priorities and set yourself the goal of getting those activities done.  There’s nothing like a little endorphin rush that comes from knowing you’ve done great work, to boost the mood and lift your spirits. 

  1. Toot your horn.

Getting the recognition, you deserve has become even more challenging in this virtual environment. I know that your work should speak for itself, and your boss should be taking an interest in what you are doing, but let’s face it – they’ve possibly struggling just as much as you are right now to notice what you are doing.

So, as much as you hate seeing others boasting about their work – I want you to be bold (while humble) and take every opportunity to raise your profile, speak about the great work you do and sharing the goals your team are achieving.

  1. Find your inspiring tribe

We are not meant to live life in isolation.  Finding you tribe – who lift you are up, keep you moving forward and drive you to continue to strive to do your best work is key. 

Each time I’ve felt a little flat I’ve tapped into one of my professional support groups (I have a couple.)  I get inspired by their achievements and take guidance and support on where to focus my time and energy next.  But what fuels my soul most of all is being able to laugh, cry and celebrate the big and small moments together. 

  1. Cut yourself some slack.

And finally, cut yourself some slack.  Just as it’s OK not to be OK… it’s OK not to be at your very best every single day.  Be kind to yourself and acknowledge how you are feeling.  If today is not a great day – then do what you can and let go of the rest. 

Hang in there.  There is a glimmer of hope at the end of this very long COVID tunnel.  This time will pass and eventually we’ll share stories about how we survived this time.   

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LET'S CONNECT

Click below to…

Join “Leading Ladies” – a private FREE Facebook group of over 1600 other mid-career professional women to inspire and support
Join the newsletter list for weekly tips and strategies showing you how to ignite your career, lead your way and accelerate your success. 
Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
Get my best tips on working smarter not harder 
Read my latest blog post.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact my team.

Similar Blog Posts

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It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

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Navigating the ‘messy middle’ of your professional growth: a helpful hack

Navigating the ‘messy middle’ of your professional growth: a helpful hack

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Growth is never easy, 

One of the most challenging parts of up-levelling in our careers is navigating our way through, what I call, the ‘messy middle’. 

The ‘messy middle’ is the often uncomfortable part of our growth – that sits between our old habits, behaviours, strategies and ways of thinking, and the ones our Future Self needs us to step into, to progress and move forward. 

What I see happen, time and time again in my work with mid-career professional women, is this

The women who persevere and commit to staying the course through the messy middle (no matter how hard it gets) are the ones who successfully make the transition into the next phase of their careers.

They are the ones who are stepping up to the next level of leadership, being offered promotions and getting seen as the ones to watch, in their organisations.

The fact of the matter is, that change and professional growth never come if we allow ourselves to be paralysed by our fear and discomfort.

Professional growth requires us to act with courage.  

There is no shortcut or bypassing the discomfort.  It’s part of the process that we must embrace in order to get to the other side. 

Let me share some of my most successful tried-and-tested strategies with you  for transitioning through the “messy middle.”

  1. Call in support

One thing the ladies in my Ignite and Leadership Connection programs tell me time and time again, is that they would not be where they are in their careers, or had the skills and confidence to navigate the ‘messy middle’, if they hadn’t had the support to keep them moving forward. 

Stepping into the next level of leadership is uncharted territory, and it takes guidance, support and accountability (especially from someone who has been where you are!) to make the journey feel easier and less overwhelming.

  1. Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable

Many women are under the impression that if something feels really uncomfortable, it’s because they’ve made a ‘wrong’ decision. 

But this isn’t always the case. In fact, I’d dare to say that everyone who is aspiring for growth in their career will feel some level of discomfort no matter how many years of experience they have tucked under their belt.

New things take practice and up-levelling in your career requires you to ‘re-wire’ and learn new skills, habits and behaviours – and this will often stretch you outside what feels familiar or comfortable. 

Discomfort is completely normal!

  1. See the ‘messy middle’ as a good thing

While it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the ‘messy middle’, another way to look at it is through a more positive lens. After all, being in the ‘messy middle’ ultimately means that you’re moving forward and making progress!

This chapter is absolutely worth celebrating because it means you’re actively getting one step closer, each day, to where you want to be.

There is much gold to glean in this period of great change and growth.

The career you aspire for yourself really is just one decision away, on the other side of messiness. 

You get to decide whether or not you say ‘yes!’ – you truly do hold all the power in your hands. 

We have many mid career professional women, who have successfully navigated their ‘messy middle’, over in our free Facebook Group.  Join in the conversation and ask for advice, here.

 

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LET'S CONNECT

Click below to…

Join “Leading Ladies” – a private FREE Facebook group of over 1600 other mid-career professional women to inspire and support
Join the newsletter list for weekly tips and strategies showing you how to ignite your career, lead your way and accelerate your success. 
Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
Get my best tips on working smarter not harder 
Read my latest blog post.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact my team.

Similar Blog Posts

Side view.Young businesswoman dressed in light pink shirt sitting at wooden table and using laptop while talking on cellphone.Girl uses digital gadget. On table cup of coffee. Online shopping,working.

A Change of Perception

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

Front view of a doubtful woman shrugging shoulders and looking at you sitting on a sofa at home

What’s holding you back?

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

Portrait of stressed, crying, stylish, worried woman in shirt touching her head with two arms, sitting in work place, station at desktop, having close eyes

How to break free of the…

I’ve had some incredibly enlightening conversations this week with smart, mid-career professional women who, like me, fell into the sneaky trap of being the notorious “go-to girl.” Maybe you can relate. Are you known as the Jack of all trades, the fix-it woman, or have you earned the label of “reliable”? Oh boy, it’s time to take a closer look.

Jane Benston