E is for Eye and finding the center of any storm

I find in coaching leaders that my work is increasingly to help them center themselves amid the storms in their daily life. It is why Coping is the first of our four stages of Applied Mindfulness; it is the foundation for all the rest. However, we can't stop there otherwise we spend more and more of our time just getting by. That is why, in part, we are dividing our business. One will focus on organizational transformation (making the most of the storms of change) and the other will focus on deepening our understanding of how to live and work from the center (and pivot again and again).

You can dance in a hurricane only if
you are standing in the eye. (Brandi Carlile)

Here are three tips if you find yourself in a storm in your life or work, drawn from my own hard-earned experience. 

1. Recognize that storms grow. I realized over the years that many of the storms I experienced were self-inflicted to varying degrees. I observe the same with the people I coach and the organizations with whom I consult. We put off dealing with changes we need to make, we cling to stories and relationships even though they harm us, we hold onto stereotypes rather than open to new possibilities. I found it helpful to ask myself, "What can I let go of today?"​
2. Recognize that storms move. If you want to keep dancing, keep moving with the storm. The center is both a natural part of being human and a natural part of the storm. It its about searching inside yourself and outside yourself—all with deepening your trust in your instincts that everything you need is right in front of you. I found it helpful to ask myself, "What do I most need today?" 
3. Recognize that storms pass. It is easy to get caught up in storms such that everything else is blocked out. A storm is a part of the larger flow that is your life. There will come a time again when it is less consuming and less defining. In the meantime, the stillness at the center of such times is an invitation to see more clearly what matters most to you, what is true for you, and what is calling you. I found it helpful to ask myself, "What can I learn today?"

Where is your eye? What is your dance?

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In the News

Next online narrative coaching course starts June 6th!
This is the last chance to take the course in its current form. It is a wonderful and intimate opportunity to learn the essential elements of this work with colleagues from around the world. The course includes over 200 pages of material, over 20 tools, and opportunities for coaching by David and your peers. You can find out more and register at http://www.narrativecoaching.com/narrative-coaching-for-practitioners.html.

Testimonial from a recent student: The Narrative Coaching program run by Dr David Drake has a great balance of sound theory and real life practical application. It helped me better understand the natural flow of the narrative process in coaching . . . It’s an incredibly powerful and empowering process to undertake both personally and in practice.
HR leader, Australia