Do you pay attention to what’s happening in our world?

Climate change is scary. The economic environment is horrible. Politics are just screwed up, and despite Trump leading this category, he’s far from the only problem. We, humans, are burning through the earth’s natural resources faster than they regenerate. Tensions exist between countries which could lead to World War III, making the rest of this irrelevant.

Sigh.

Last week, I found myself reading through the news and feeling somewhat helpless. I wondered if it was making me depressed and whether I should stop reading about those things. However, that’s not what it was. I just felt helpless. I wanted to stop reading, yet I don’t want to deny the reality of what’s happening. So I kept reading.

When you read so much negative it’s hard not to start feeling down about life. Some of these risks have existed for a long time, so it’s really nothing new. Perhaps it’s the ease at which we can get information, and the fact you don’t know what to believe anymore.

I wake up every morning. I spend long hours trying to make a difference in the world. I go to bed exhausted, only to repeat the same thing next day.

What’s the point?

The other day, I was working with my coach on this topic. I knew I was stuck and I wanted to confront what I was feeling about this perspective I was holding.

At one point, she asked me to move and get into the perspective of how I feel now. I found myself crouched and looking down at the floor. There was sadness. In fact, it almost felt like I was grieving something senseless. The spot on the floor even had a piece of mouse poop laying there … oh crap … literally!!

The thing is, when my coach asked what I would name this perspective the word which jumped to mind was “hope.” Hope?!? This was a very negative feeling, and yet the first thing which jumped to mind for me was “hope?”

Perhaps there is hope.

What is hope

Hope for me is the experience of believing in possibilities despite all the signs to the contrary. Hope is not naive. Hope is acknowledging what’s true and holding a belief of what’s possible.

For example, I believe we’re in a time of climate change. I no longer believe it is just the normal cycles of the earth, rather something we humans are manifesting at an alarming rate. Are we beyond the tipping point? I’ve heard we might be. Despite this I will not lose hope.

If I lose hope, then I may as well crawl in a hole and wait for the end of the world as we know it. If I lose hope, what’s the point of continuing with my work and life because it would all be pointless. If I lose hope then I may as well let go of life.

I’m back

For my regular readers, you may have noticed I’ve been fairly quiet these past couple months. To be honest, I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just needed headspace to figure this out.

Thanks to working with my coach, I’m back. In fact, my coach challenged me to post 4 times this week. Despite feeling a little stressed about that, it’s going to happen.

As many people know my passion and focus these days is on leadership. With everything going on in the world, I believe now, more than ever, leadership is exactly what’s needed. In the coming days, I will talk more about this, and what it means to be a leader.

I’ll give you a hint that this discussion has little to do with what company you work for, what title you hold, or what letters you can put behind your name. Being a leader has little to do with those things, and everything to do with owning your impact.

To prove my point I only have to look at my blog. Through your overwhelming feedback over the years, I know when I share my experiences and thoughts I have an impact. Yet, here I’ve been sitting quietly for several months. How is that taking ownership of my impact?

So, I’m back and yes there’s a point to wanting to write again. Through taking responsibility for my leadership, and helping you do the same we can make a difference in the world.

In chaos theory, there is something known as the butterfly effect. This effect grants the power to cause a hurricane in China to a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico. It may take a very long time, but the connection is real. If the butterfly had not flapped its wings at just the right point in space/time, the hurricane would not have happened.

I am like the butterfly. So are you.

There is a point.