I was scrolling through facebook and came across this post by Laina Chavez that asked, “What is in your diet?” She talked about how when we think about diet, we often think about food. She goes on to nudge us to think about including all kinds of things that we consume that isn’t just food. Things such as emotions, conversations, social events, business decisions, etc. We consume so much on a daily basis that is so much more than just food. Things that are physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, environmental, and nutritional. This got me thinking about what our leadership diet looks like for our brains, emotions, business, and social lives. I thought I would dig into that and reflect on the types things we leaders consume, how it affects us, and how we can make some positive changes so that we are being intentional about giving back to ourselves. Let’s take a look at what we consume as a leader in each of these areas:
Physical – This means exercising, eating right, and getting away from our desks to move our body any chance we get. At times, we can get bogged down and stuck to our desks, covered in admin type work. It is so important to make an intention to get up and move around, go for a walk, or set up a movement break throughout the day to keep our bodies moving and to energize us. I realize you knew this already but have you actually made an intention to do it? Set a timer on your phone that goes off to remind you to move and get active throughout the day. As for being physical outside of work, figure out a routine that works for you to get moving. It will change everything in your personal and professional life. Here is a simple exercise tip: Don’t neglect resistance training and try eating more whole foods this month than processed food.
Emotional – Holy cow there are a lot of emotions we can consume in a day as a leader! It is a lot for us to take in from other’s emotions as well as handle our own emotions. It is downright exhausting some days. We take on heavy emotions from the people we lead, the students we teach, the parents we serve, our own families, and our own emotions just to mention a few. Therefore, we need to be mindful of how we consume these emotions and set an intention to breathe through it and pause to relieve the pressure a little. Take time every day to focus on the simple act of breathing and notice what feelings are coming up. Let go of the stories that swarm in your head and tell you untrue stories about what other people think. Allow yourself to feel without judgement and give yourself some grace to feel how you feel. Celebrate and find gratitude in the hard stuff and try to scale back on social media to give yourself some space to be with yourself and to not compare yourself to others.
Intellectual – Your brain is full of so many things already as a leader. But, have you filled your brain with learning and knowledge that feeds your passion? It doesn’t always have to be about work. It just doesn’t. You can do other things that light you up too. Find intentional times to focus and work on your passion to feed your brain. Always feed your brain with knowledge and try real hard to adopt a growth mindset. Read whenever you can and try to swap your phone for a book. They say reading 10 pages a day can change your life!
Social – We got a lot of social activity swarming around our office during the days. So much so that we can sometimes get lost in it all. Make sure you consume those conversations that are necessary and say no to the ones that do not. Set up a community that lifts you up and feeds your soul. Nurture friendships and professional relationships that are good for you and don’t steer you down the rabbit hole of negativity. End the relationships that are not good for you. I know, this one is harsh, but if this relationship is weighing you down, then it is not for you. Protect your energy and spend your energy on the growth minded people and stop worry about the fixed minds. They may come eventually or not. That is ok, either way.
Spiritual – The art of noticing gratitude in it all is so powerful. Feel grateful for today, every morning that you wake up, that you get to move your body, that you get to be a part of a powerful community. Feel grateful for the hard stuff and your past that has taught you so many lessons and left you still standing. Those lessons matter the most. If we fill our hearts with negativity and regret we are simply taking away from our present and our future. Let it go.
Environmental – Schools need to be a place of safety, sanctuary, and hope. Do everything that you can to bring that in. Choose to be in places and situations that make you feel supported, worthy, loved, happy and then spread that around whenever you can. Avoid the environments that take away your joy or stress you out. Look at the environments that will serve you and you can serve it and say no to the rest. You are what you tell yourself, read, believe, do with other people, and put out into the world. So be intentional about that!
Your leadership diet feeds into your quality of life professionally and personally so feed it wisely and with so much abundance. Think about your menu for leadership and what you consume. I have a free download that gives you some tips and tricks on how to show up for yourself. You can download it here! Perhaps you may want to make a few changes to your diet so that you are taking actions to make you feel strong, loved, successful, rejuvenated, healthy, confident, worthy, and loved. Cheers to you!
Be sure to share ideas of your own leadership diet in our private facebook group called Principals and Leadership!
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Even If You Miss..... 