How Are You Coping?

Time to read: 2 minutes if you read both PSes.

Yup - I've seen all these seasons of the Bachelor(ette)

You don't need me to remind you of all the ways that things are stressful right now. Some days, the stress is so all-encompassing that it's hard to face the day. We are in survival mode - quite literally - and when in survival mode, you figure out how to cope.

Some coping is good.

Some coping is bad.

What are good and bad strategies, you may ask?

I have the most frustrating coach-y sort of answer...

It depends.

We can probably agree that violence against others is a bad coping strategy and finding homes for kittens is good. What about all the others like wine? TV? Cake? Work?

The answer goes back to last week's newsletter - know thyself.

Let's take my favorite coping strategy. My 16-year-old and I are on our 12th season of The Bachelor(ette). That's a lot of group dates, rose ceremonies and interpersonal drama. If you had suggested a year ago that The Bachelor would feature heavily in my mental health, I would have laughed.

To stay sane these days, something mindless and absorbing is not only fun, it's crucial. You can't consume a steady diet of politics and coronavirus news and stay mentally healthy. Mental breaks are vital. As a mental vacation, The Bachelor = good coping.

If I start to disappear into stupid TV to the exclusion of daily activities or you start to use wine to numb the discomfort of these hard times or if overworking is masking your feelings, then we've crossed into bad coping. Only you can know where that line is (that's the "it depends" part).

A glass of wine, TV time, and productive work may be exactly what you need to survive these times. Then know when your excellent coping has crossed into disappearing, numbing and denial and pull yourself back.

The Corporate Rebel coaching group is the best kind of coping. Fantastic colleagues. Consistent support. A step-by-step process to get to know yourself so you can powerfully navigate this moment in history and come out the other side ready for what's next.

Clarity U, will start in October. This program opens once a year, and I'd love to chat with you about how Clarity U will support and grow where you are now and where you want to go.

Sign up here for a 30-minute chat.

We'll talk about what's going on for you, what you need, and whether Clarity U is a good next step for where you are headed. For any of you who have worked with me, you know this initial conversation is casual, fun and productive whether you decide to join or not.

Here are some words from last year's participants:

"Doing this work has been more valuable than a lifetime of therapy. (And a lot more fun.)" - E.G.

"The Clarity U program has helped me in ways I didn't realize were possible." - A.C.

"I am so glad I participated in this program, it has changed me in ways I never expected!" - A.R.

I can't wait to connect!

Christina

P.S. Want to talk about Clarity U? Choose a time here for us to talk about what's going on in your life and career and how Clarity U will help you use the next few months to build your capacity for what's next.

P.P.S. Here's more information. Let's talk!

Do you relate to any of these statements?

• Life feels chaotic and uncertain, and you feel overwhelmed and depleted.
• You make decisions from a place of fear instead of empowered choice, constantly second guessing yourself.
• You’re simultaneously unproductive and working more than you ever have.
• The ineffective patterns that have held you back for years have intensified, showing up in work dynamics and personal relationships.
• You’re reaching for ways to get your life and work back in control and not sure how or what to do.

What's in it for you? Starting in October you will learn to...

• Shake off negative patterns of thinking and behaving so you can stop holding yourself back. Your life will be easier and work more fulfilling during this stressful time and into the future.
• Gracefully navigate uncertainty so you are confident in your ability to handle change and instability.
• Ground yourself physically and spiritually to allow radical transformation so you can stand steady in the midst of chaos.
• Wield your new, portable Toolbox of Skills so you're ready to take action, make choices, and be in control of your career and life.
• Get clear about who you are and what you want, and bravely take action to make your goals real.

Searching For An Answer?

Time to read: 1.48 minutes

Where is that darn answer, anyway?

Last week I talked about the depletion of your "surge capacity." The sourdough bread, gardening, and Zoom happy hours aren't cutting it anymore. You need a new set of strategies to face the next few months of the pandemic and the ugly election.

Your brain is full so I'm keeping things simple. One step at a time. One idea/thought/recommendation at a time. This way, you only have to think about or do one new thing each week. Easy peasy. I have the attention span of a gnat these days. I need things to be easy and think you might need that, too.

Where to start?

How about here... I (and everyone I know) have been reading a lot of news. Last week I realized I was looking for THE ANSWER. I was looking for the person who is smart enough, who has a big enough vision, who knows what will happen next. If I could just find it, then I would feel less anxious and more in control.

Unfortunately, the answer is not out there. No analyst or commentator or friend knows where we are headed or what to do next. No one person has the solution or the power to fix the mess that we see on the news everyday.

The good news is that the answer is in you. You know what's best for you, your career and your family. You know how to take care of yourself. You have the power to change the world with your choices and behavior every day. You can trust yourself to handle whatever happens and that you have everything you need to manage the future just like you have always managed the past.

So, this week, look around your life to see where you are looking for the answers "out there" and start to bring your awareness to the answers that are "in here." This new awareness will help you feel more powerful and in control in a situation that feels very much out of control. From there, you can take action.

Awkward transition

I'm excited to announce that The Corporate Rebel signature group coaching experience, Clarity U, will start again in mid-October. This program opens once a year and the plan was to launch in early 2021. Your emails tell me that stress is high. You've told me you have a lot to figure out. A community of personal and professional growth is just the place to learn how to live through this moment in history with power, possibility and courage so I moved the start date forward.

Intrigued? Let's talk.

Sign up here for a 30-minute chat.

We'll talk about what's going on for you, what you need, and whether Clarity U is a good next step for where you are headed. (See the PS for a few more details about Clarity U.) For any of you who have worked with me, you know this initial conversation is casual, fun and productive whether you decide to join or not.

One of last year's Clarity U participants said, "Doing this work has been more valuable than a lifetime of therapy. (And a lot more fun.)"

I can't wait to connect!

Christina

P.S. Want to talk about Clarity U? Choose a time here for us to talk about how the current moment is affecting your life and work and how Clarity U will help you use the next few months to build your capacity for what's next.

Want to know more?

Do you relate to any of these statements?

• Life feels chaotic and uncertain, and you feel overwhelmed and depleted.
• You make decisions from a place of fear instead of empowered choice, constantly second guessing yourself.
• You’re simultaneously unproductive and working more than you ever have.
• The ineffective patterns that have held you back for years have intensified, showing up in work dynamics and personal relationships.
• You’re reaching for ways to get your life and work back in control and not sure how or what to do.

What's in it for you? Starting in October you will learn to...

• Shake off negative patterns of thinking and behaving so you can stop holding yourself back. Your life will be easier and work more fulfilling during this stressful time and into the future.
• Gracefully navigate uncertainty so you are confident in your ability to handle change and instability.
• Ground yourself physically and spiritually to allow radical transformation so you can stand steady in the midst of chaos.
• Wield your new, portable Toolbox of Skills so you're ready to take action, make choices, and be in control of your career and life.
• Get clear about who you are and what you want, and bravely take action to make your goals real.