Breathe-Move-Connect-Reflect

We tend to hear about people, myself often included, making New Year's resolutions framed in changed behaviors: I will workout MORE; I will eat MORE healthy foods; I will drink LESS; I will work LESS, and so on. This year I am taking a different approach - focusing on strategies that are rooted in research about how our minds and bodies are deeply connected, particularly as we navigate inevitable stress.

Earlier this week, I heard that about 50% of Americans will NOT make resolutions this year at all.  I’m not sure of the methodology behind this stat, but I get it. The past two years were not what we expected, and yet here we are ringing in another new year marred by the pandemic. So instead of narrowing in on the habits I could add to or take from my life, I’m approaching the year ahead with intentional grace for myself. I’m pondering: What are practices I already engage in that I can more intentionally continue to feel healthy, happy and whole? What are the things that I already know can serve me well, regardless of the inevitable ups and downs that 2022 has in store? This mindset flip is allowing me to reflect on what went well in 2021 despite all the challenges it brought. And what has evolved for me is a mantra of sorts: In 2022, I will breathe | move | connect  | reflect. (Shh- these are all things I’m already doing!) Bonus, this is inspired by research by scholars including Dr. Bruce Perry about how stress impacts the mind and body, and how we can navigate stress through mind-body strategies. Let’s dig in.

I will continue to breathe. I breathed my way through 2021- and so did you. Let’s pause to celebrate our collective presence.  For me, continuing to breathe looks like taking  moments of pause in my days. When kids are upset, adults often ask them to take a deep breath before they begin to unpack what’s behind the tears. The power of breath can be infinite if we notice our inhales and exhales, and rest in their beauty. So for me, a continued commitment to breath is a commitment to noticing what I am drawing in and out. Nothing fancy: I may time it, I may not, depending on the day. But I know this is a practice I want to and very easily can continue doing for myself in 2022 to keep me grounded.

I will continue to move. Not a specified number of miles a day or workouts per week or minutes on a bike. Instead, I will simply make myself a promise to continue to move. It may be an intense workout; it may not. But I will relish in the knowledge that a short midday walk brings me calm and that a softball game with my friends can do the same. In 2022, I will continue to think about movement in a way that is broader than “SMART goals”; motion that’s not attached to a quantifiable outcome but motion that simply energizes my body and mind. 

I will continue to connect. Perhaps most importantly, I know my sense of self is stronger and my outlook on the world happier when I am in community. Sometimes this is in community with friends, other times it’s with my family, and sometimes it’s with the other dog owners at the park.  The ability to converse and be present with others brings me joy, and we know that being in community is a deep, innate human need. And for me it’s not about doing that any differently in the new year, but rather continuing it.

I will continue to reflect. My reflections don’t always look like they’re “supposed to.” I don't journal in the same notebook (I have about three where I store my musings, along with a few Google and Evernote documents) nor at the same time of day. Scheduled reflection may totally work for you. But regardless of how, where or when it’s done, I know that reflection brings about my personal growth. And in allowing my brain to think back in order to move forward, I am doing myself an important service. 

Reflecting in this way allows me to look back at moments that uplifted me in 2021. It gives me time to think about what was instead of what was not. And to frame my reflections with a focus on  what I want to keep doing - not what I want to change. This mindset gives me grace and the ability to enter 2022 with a commitment to staying grounded in what is good for my brain and body.

Breathe | Move | Connect | Reflect. That’s my “formula” for personal balance and one I like the ring of. As you all know if you’ve been following my recent work, the majority of my workshops have focused on how the brain and body are interconnected, and the importance and power of embracing our feelings and emotions as a natural part of us. These four words are becoming not only my personal formula for balance but one I am ready to integrate into my work life as well. As we allow ourselves to Breathe | Move | Connect | Reflect, we can encourage others to do the same, and strive to co-create safer spaces where we all can make room for our own humanity to thrive.

The Power of Journaling

“Respond from the center of the hurricane, rather than reacting from the chaos of the storm.” - George Mumford

Welcome to the end of 2020, a year that has been extremely difficult for everyone. When the pandemic first hit, I was living in Atlanta and had just flown to Dallas for work. As I sat at a restaurant with a friend, the news broke that the NBA season was being canceled due to players testing positive for the virus. As I’m a lifelong athlete and sports fan, this blew my mind and signaled the beginning of an unbelievable shift in life as we knew it. 

At what would have been the end of my Dallas trip, I canceled my flight, stayed with friends for a few extra days, and waited as the impact on Texas unfolded. Ultimately, I chose to drive back to Georgia and self-quarantine. While in Georgia, knowing the impact that our bodies and minds constantly have on each other, I set a goal to hit 15,000 steps every day that the weather would permit. I felt that impact more profoundly than ever during the first few months of the pandemic, as I started looking forward to walking in nature and doing yoga to calm my mind and body in such a stressful, painful time. 

Another practice that has helped me throughout the pandemic has been writing in a loosely structured journal. Reflecting on what I am grateful for and what I am looking forward to reminds me to pay attention to small wins and blessings in each moment. 

To share these strategies and hopefully a measure of the peace that they brought me with others, I wrote my own journal this year. The journal combines mind-body prompts, self-reflection, and gratitude - all of which have helped me throughout the pandemic. I am so excited to share the Mind-Body Journal with you, so much that I’m using it to kick off the first three months of the near year. If you would like to join me, click here to purchase your own journal, and if you want one-on-one support for setting goals, shoot me a quick note at katie@kjconsultinggroup.com. 

For further reading, check out these tips for setting goals, the back to the future planning process, and mind-body strategies to navigate stress. 

Your Teammate, 

Katie

Back to the Future: Plan with the End in Mind

"People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren't getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope with all of their might."

- Dr. Stephen Covey

If you immediately pictured time traveling Marty McFly and eccentric scientist Doc Brown when you read the title of this article, I have two things to tell you. First, you have great taste in movies! Second (besides sharing a name with one of the most iconic films of our generation), Back to the Future is also a detailed planning method that can help you flesh out plans to reach your goals.

The Back to the Future protocol is one of my favorite ways to envision a future that is out of the box, beyond concrete goals that you may already have in place. It is also an effective way to drill down from distant dreams into specific steps to propel you towards your destination, as a team or individual. 

Much like in the backwards planning process that is widely used in the education space, the first step of Back to the Future is to begin with the end in mind. A key component of this stage is to hop into your imaginary time machine and set the date to a given point in time (for example, one year from now), just like Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Speak in the present tense, as if you are living in that reality one year from now, and consider what is true for you and your team. Push for clarity, describing both quantitative and qualitative aspects of your work with specificity. For instance, if you want to increase brand awareness in your industry, you might say “We share our successes (list specific topics) at three conferences per year, including at the (list the conferences).”  To include progress towards quantitative goals, you can say “We exceed our goals of (list specific goals).” 

Throughout this process, consider how you work together, as team dynamics can make or break an organization, particularly when challenges inevitably arise. To do this, you might say, "Our team has high trust in both internal and external relationships. We value and create a safe space for the expression of each person’s identity, and we strive to seek out and incorporate a variety of perspectives in our decision making. We acknowledge and seek to understand the varied working and communication styles of ourselves and our colleagues. This looks like (list what that looks and feels like internally and externally).” Supporting teams to build trust and improve communication is one of my passions, and using Back to the Future framework is one way I help organizations think through how they honor the perspectives and strengths of their people and teams. 

When your team is satisfied with the description, track down your time machine and head back to “one year ago” (which is actually the present reality). Open the doors, look around, and describe what it was like “one year ago,” in the past tense. You might say, “We shared our successes at one conference, the (list the conference). We were struggling to meet our goal of (list the goal). Regarding team dynamics, we had started to get to know each other, but needed more work to collaborate effectively and to honor individual working styles, identities, and voices. This looked like (describe what that looked and felt like).” 

These conversations could bring some discomfort, so it is important to acknowledge that with the group and take care of your team during this description of “the past.” Some tips are: collaborate with a skilled facilitator who can keep an eye on how the group is doing, re-grounding staff in the reason for this discussion - so we can work together towards our shared vision of the future, asking people to be honest but kind when describing the past, and giving staff ownership to do what they need to take care of themselves (ask for clarity and/or step out for a break when needed, for instance). 

After you have described “the future” and “past” states, think back to your highlight reel. Reviewing the successful moments that moved you from the past to the present reality will reveal the links between the two points in time. Drill down into the concrete actions you “took” to get from your reality one year ago to your current, improved state. These specific steps form the foundation of your plan to move into the future reality that you envision, and allow you to track progress and reflect on goals throughout the year. As with anything, you have the freedom to adapt this protocol to your needs - planning for longer or shorter time periods, brainstorming on chart paper or post-its first, or starting directly in a planning tool like Google Sheets or Asana. 

The Back to the Future method is an effective tool for leaders and teams to map out their paths to success. In fact, I use it each year to jumpstart my own annual planning. If you want to collaborate with a skilled coach to implement this model, I would love to connect with you. My team has over 15 years of experience supporting leaders and organizations as they collaborate, execute, and reflect on shared plans for success. Let’s crank up that time machine and get on the road! 

Your Teammate, 

Katie

Leveling Up in 2020: How to Set Goals like a Pro

“Leaders aren't born; they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.” - Vince Lombardi

Welcome to 2020! It’s that time of year when conversations are dominated by goal setting, resolutions, and planning for the year ahead. Many of us consider changing our fitness habits or growing our business, but few follow through. To reach our goals, we need to purposefully consider what we want and why before creating a plan to execute, track progress, and reflect along the way. It’s never too late to set a vision for the future, so let’s dive in.

Transparently, I’ve been through a journey with the idea of goal setting. Though I was successful both academically and athletically in high school and college, I thought the concept of setting goals was cliché, and I didn’t appreciate feeling pressured to conform. When I worked in the nonprofit world, goals took on a new meaning for me. Our staff was given annual and monthly targets, and we spent significant time tracking quantitative progress. Though I still didn’t love having measures of success given to me, I recognized the need to work towards thoughtful goals and pushed myself to achieve them.

When I became an entrepreneur, I synthesized what I learned during my academic and professional career to create my own goal-setting process that I wholeheartedly embrace. Developing a process that is tailored to my working style and motivations drives my focus, provides a way to track progress, and compels me to reflect on what I accomplish throughout the year. 

The first step that I take when goal setting is to envision what I want in the big picture. How do I envision my life overall, including outside of work? What type of work do I want to do, and I what do I want to learn this year? Additionally, I set a revenue goal that provides a range, from meeting my basic needs to a stretch income target. Whether you run your own business or work for an organization, pause to ask yourself what you would want to accomplish without the barriers of money, fear, and doubt.  

As you work through the process, capture your goals in writing or on your device, and organize them into categories. I create my goals with some initial categories (what I earn, what I learn, fitness, and fun), and I remain open to adding a few groups if additional trends emerge. Once you have a holistic vision of what you want to achieve, reframe your goals so they are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound). This quick reflection allows me to be realistic about what I can accomplish in a given time frame. 

Next, think about why you want to achieve your goals, as each of us finds motivation in different ways. Some folks are motivated by other people. This might look like a drive to achieve along with a team, to make others proud, or to compete against external measurements or competitors. Some people are motivated by a vision for the future. This could be a desire to achieve a certain lifestyle, to provide for family, or to have a significant impact in your chosen line of work. On the flip side, consider what would happen if you didn’t reach your goals, as the fear of discomfort could provide motivation. When you determine your motivators, write those alongside your goals. Referring back to your personal motivators can spark momentum when you encounter adversity or a lull during the year. 

To lock in your goals, make them highly visible and establish a way to regularly track progress. Add your goals to your calendar, bookmark them in a document, and/or post them in your workspace. I keep my path to success and target completion dates in a Google Sheet. To ensure that I revisit this document regularly, I schedule a recurring time on my calendar to reflect on progress and make adjustments each week. 

A final effective strategy to accomplishing goals is to connect with an accountability partner or coach. Talk with someone you trust about what success looks like for you, and agree on how they can hold you accountable towards progress. To level up, collaborate with a coach to provide specialized support. Coaches work alongside us to create a purposeful vision for the future, persist through obstacles, and point us towards additional resources using their expertise. Partnering with a coach changed my life, which you can read more about here. 

For support in any part of the process of setting or working towards your goals, contact me. I would love to collaborate with you as you strive towards success!

Your Teammate, 

Katie

Why We All Need a Coach

“Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.”- Brene Brown, Daring Greatly

One of the most meaningful gifts we can give each other is the gift of time and attention. When we spend time with someone who genuinely listens, we feel valued, cared for, and capable. We all have moments of self-doubt and need connection with others to confidently move forward. 

Similarly, in our work, we need to connect with a trusted adviser who listens and helps us identify our vision, set goals, plan, execute, and reflect along the way. At times this can come from a supervisor or another colleague. However, our co-workers can often be pressed for time and have more limited perspectives that are entrenched in the same day-to-day work in which we are steeped. In these instances, as well as for entrepreneurs, it can be incredibly valuable to get the outside perspective of a coach. Coaches have a broader view and dedicated time to support us. They can help us to identify potential barriers and self-limiting beliefs, create thoughtful plans, and move past obstacles. 

A few years ago, I connected with a coach who changed my life. I had worked in education for about 15 years and felt that something needed to change, but I was unsure of what opportunities to pursue next and how to move forward. Left to my own devices, I would have either stayed in a challenging professional situation for too long, or jumped into another role too quickly. Instead, my coach asked me to envision what my ideal future would look like in a year  - a question I had never considered. 

Though I didn’t know it at the time, this marked a turning point for me. I did not experience a dramatic flash of bright light, or specific “aha moment,” but rather the shift came over time. 

Building trust with my coach, as she asked thoughtful questions and made space for me to consider new possibilities, renewed me both professionally and personally. Working with her made me feel validated and allowed me to take ownership of a difficult situation. My coach listened to me, recognized my strengths, and helped me to envision a new future when I felt unable to do so on my own. 

Now, I am forever grateful to my coach, as I celebrate two years of KJ Consulting Group, due largely in part to her thoughtful guidance and support. I still use many of the practices that we developed together to reflect about what I envision for the future year, breaking that down into monthly goals, and planning and executing on professional and personal milestones. 

I have served as a teacher, sports coach, instructional coach, and a manager of full-time staff, and I now support a number of clients through reflective coaching practices. I love helping leaders at all levels to identify a vision for their work ahead, create a plan, develop new strategies, execute, track progress, and reflect along the way. I differentiate my support according to each individual’s working style and needs, serving as a guide, an accountability partner, and a cheerleader, as we navigate obstacles and celebrate wins as a team. 

Connect with me, and let’s start working together towards your 2020 Vision! 

Your Team Member and Advocate, 

Katie