breathe

In business there is SO much posturing. Everyone is worried about not appearing smart, or buttoned up enough or “on the proverbial ball.” Honestly, it’s just silly. NO ONE, I don’t care WHO you are, can be that “on it” all the time. 

My motto for the end of 2009 (and it’s been an interesting year, hasn’t it?) is: TRY to lighten up a bit and keep it real. We basically do this anyway, but I think it’s going to be more important in 2010. Now, this does not mean fall down on the job, get sloppy and throw caution to the wind. But if you read my blog from yesterday, I think it’s a good time to BREATHE, assess reality (as you know it) and keep it real.

Example: I got a deck yesterday from an associate that was a bit “over thought.” Totally understandable, she is doing Herculean things and is in a perfectionist mode. I get it. But I had just heard that my grandfather had passed away and I now had to leave town in the middle of fashion week. So, instead of getting bummed about an edit job that I wasn’t prepared to do, I took a deep breath, remembered what it was like to be sitting in her seat, thanked God for her commitment to my business and got down to it. We kept it real and we now have an amazing deck. I sure do hope I can do that more often. Just keeping it real!
 

I write a lot about how to run a business. I also write a lot about how to handle your people. I have learned over time that it is a lot harder to practice what you preach than you think. And I’ll tell you why. We live in a crazy, dynamic world. I think you have to be a saint to always keep your head and not lose it. Well, anyone who knows me knows I’m NOT a saint. And I don’t try to be one, because that’s crazy talk. But I do advocate for trying to remember what is important to you, what your values are. And if things don’t go the way you hope or expect, try to keep your head straight so you can handle your disappointment gracefully.

So, what do I think is a key factor in making this happen for you? BREATHE. Yep, breathing is something we don’t do often enough. We take breathing for granted, of course we do. But of all the things that can help you make better decisions, not lose your cool and generally live a more relaxed life, it would be breathing. Just try it. Instead of yelling (oops, do I do that?) BREATHE. Yep, that’s better. Guess it’s time to practice what I preach, LOL!

Source: madmanicmamas.blogspot