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:
"No one will take care of you if you don't take care of yourself." Alicia Keys
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
It's February and this month I'm going to share some quotes that talk about SELF CARE. You can read last months quotes on FOCUS HERE.
I recently saw that Alicia Keys won a "Global Impact Award" at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, and while I was looking up what that award was,I found this quote from her above.
I'm not sure why these words jumped out at me, but I want to spend the month looking a little deeper into this idea of "SELF CARE" and see if we can learn some things.
While the quote is kind of basic, the idea that our self care being up to us is something we need to be reminded of.
I recently heard a pastor preach out of John 6, and while he was focusing on the storms in life in vs. 16 - 21, I scanned the verse prior to that story, and it simply says this in vs. 15:
"Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself."
Jesus he just fed over 5000 people. People were clamoring to be around him. His disciples were in awe of all that he was doing and saying.
Yet, in the midst of all of this, "Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself."
Jesus had the ability to stop in the midst of a lot of activity and sometimes chaos, and he found time to be alone. Sometimes it was to pray, sometimes it was to rest and sometimes it was simply to get away.
He knew what he needed and he made it happen.
Did you notice the word AGAIN? Jesus made this a habit.
Do you know how to take care of yourself? What does that look like?
DEEPER STILL:
This month, I want you think about something tangible you can do for yourself in the area of SELF CARE.
I'll give you some ideas and examples each week, but don't try to do it all... just find one or two things that you can implement into your life and rhythm.
Here are 2 things that I find helps me...
#1) You know I walk a lot, often 6 - 7 miles a day which does so much more for me than simply movement and exercise.
My wife taught me this on a walk a long time ago, and I still do it almost every day. As I walk, one of my neighbors has a lavender plant right on the sidewalk. When I walk by that plant, I rub the flowers through my hand and then take a deep breath of the lavender fragrance. This fragrance is known to alleviate stress and anxiety simply by the calming aroma.
For me, this works. I have now scouted out other lavender plants on different walking routes I take and I always take a deep breath and somehow this just connects me to nature, to my breathing, to being outside and to clarity!
#2) I have learned over the years how to "Turn-Off Work". What this means for me is that no matter how busy or pressed I might be, I able to stop, step away and then re-engage at the right time. I've learned how to "get away from it all" as Jesus modeled, even when it doesn't make sense. The issues and opportunities are all there when I get back, and sometimes this ability drives others crazy, but remember... we're talking about SELF CARE. What do YOU need to be your best?
Think of something you do on a regular basis that brings you an element of SELF CARE? Maybe you haven't even realized you're doing it.
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
To hear more of Alicia Keys, check out her Essentials Album.
Withdrawing To The Lonely Places by Jonathan Fehr
I'm halfway through this book by Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. I'll write about this later this month when I finish it. Thanks Nate for the tip!
We tried this Organic Edamame from Costco last week, and it was wonderful with a little garlic butter drizzled on it!
If you're in Orange County California (Sorry Global Friends) and you're able to attend a Prayer Walking Seminar this next Friday Morning, the 7th, please send me a note HERE and I'll get you the details. An incredible time with our friends from NOVO and really practical training on the power of prayer!