“If you haven’t paused long enough to find gratitude, you haven’t paused long enough.”
~Andrea Currie (LeaderImpact Podcast Ep. 46)
It’s fair to say that most leaders are pretty busy. Finding time to pause can seem impossible when there are deadlines, fires to put out, people to manage, events to network at, kids’ activities to attend, quality time to spend with your significant other… the list goes on. We don’t often have time to get everything done that needs to get done, let alone pause.
What happens when we get so busy in life and leadership and don’t take the time to pause is we can often start to feel overwhelmed and anxious with all that we are doing and need to get done, and we may even start to become negative. Possibly even to the point of taking out our angst on those around us.
Deep down we know that this is not the person, the leader, the parent or the spouse/partner that we want to be. We may even begin to feel shame and guilt as this is probably not the person that we truly know we are nor the example that we want to be to our team and especially to those we love.
The first thing you need to know is that it is normal to feel this way and that you are not alone. Most leaders juggling all that they need to juggle in life can relate, myself included. But maybe this is the reminder that you need to hear. If you want to be a good leader, spouse/partner, parent and a better example to those around you, take the time to pause and find gratitude on a regular basis.
There is a verse in the Bible that states, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Even if you don’t pray, this is sound advice. It’s telling us that when we are anxious, overwhelmed or stressed out… pause… and find gratitude.
The verse then goes on to say that when we have paused (or prayed if that is something you do) and focused on what we have to be thankful for, peace comes over us. What an amazing promise! And we know that a person who is at peace is a person who is more positive, kind and caring… a leader who is a good example, the kind of person that people want to follow and be around. Most importantly, the kind of parent that our kids need and a partner that our significant other wants.
Take the time today, right now even, to pause and be grateful. It doesn’t take long but it is so worth it! We have so much to be thankful for. Think of all those things, experiences and people that you are grateful for. Try doing this once a day for a week and test it out, especially in those moments when you are feeling really anxious. You will begin to enjoy the peace that comes with it and start to live in gratitude, appreciation and positivity, a wonderful place to be and more importantly, a wonderful person for others to be around.
If the spiritual things discussed in this post are new to you or you are curious to know more, we encourage you to check out one of our Groups for leaders. It is a safe place to explore and discuss life and leadership with like-minded people and find out more about integrating your spiritual life with your personal and professional life.