05.01.2022

Empty Words | Responsibility | In Your Own Way

Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS. 

You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach: 

Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: something that’s creating an energy and positive impact
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge

Have you taken the GLAS Understanding Assessment
and received your free report?

LEARN
Something Worth Sharing

Empty Words

Every year we all exchange the words “Happy New Year!” - often while slightly inebriated in the early hours of 1st January. However, this exchange seems to continue long after the ‘new’ part is over - especially in emails. Why? Because we feel we SHOULD, that it’s what is expected. So I decided to look up the correct etiquette, this is what I discovered:

Statistics suggested that 22% of people stop wishing people a Happy New Year once New Year’s Day was over, whilst 63% said they kept it going through the first week of January. I read a lot of articles that echoed my issue that it immediately becomes an empty, hollow, meaningless saying.

You wouldn't say 'Happy Birthday' after the event, and the same goes for Christmas and New Year.

But it isn’t just “Happy New Year” that is a little empty; emails that include: “I hope you’re well” are also empty. We write this because, once again, we feel we SHOULD. It’s simply what people do - often without sincerity, meaning or real thought.

Emails certainly feel like one of the most challenging places for empty words - so perhaps this year we can all think a little more about what we write.

ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or positive energy; a stand-out word / s

RESPONSIBILITY

From Latin RESPONSABILIS which is formed from two Latin words: RESPONS meaning "respond, answer to, promise in return" + SPONDERE meaning "to pledge". The ITY part of RESPONSIBILITY means "condition or quality of being”.

In other words, responsibility means to be responsive to a pledge. In order to understand what we are responding to, we must firstly understand what the ‘pledge’ part it is - what we are committing to and why? What exactly is our responsibility and what is not? What must we respond to and what do we need to leave alone?

ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference

Pick One Big Focus

In line with the new GLAS Living Deliberately calendar and logbook, we are encouraging clients to pick one big focus each week. This becomes the main priority for the week - it could be a word, an action or an instruction.

Write this down somewhere you’ll be able to see it throughout the week.

PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)

“When have you got in your own way?”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began we’ve had thousands of people take the GLAS Understanding Assessment. There are three things that always stand out:

1. How people feel significantly more impacted when imbalanced

2. How common it is for people to have a lack of purpose and direction

3. How often people get in their own way or hold themselves back

This week’s question calls for you to consider when you have got in your own way - perhaps your inner doubt stopped you progressing or stubbornness caused you to miss out somehow. To answer this question calls for some real honesty - to take self-responsibility.

SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.

People Committed to Improvement

It doesn’t matter what type of improvement, but I am so inspired by anyone that decides to take responsibility to make something in their life better. This could be fitness, food, skills, education, their job or relationships etc - big or small, I’m always in awe of this.

It’s never easy, but it’s always impressive. It doesn’t always work out, but that’s not really the point. In fact, the people that it doesn’t work out for initially, but go again are true heroes to me.

Shout out to everyone that’s trying to do something to improve themselves and their lives because in doing so, you’ll be helping others - for example, if you’re healthier, those around you will probably improve their health a little too.

BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me

This week I’m recommending a memoir from Hollywood actor, musician and producer Will Smith. Originally I’d bought this book for my husband and he suggested it would make an interesting visual - and I think he was right. It was a fantastic book for over the Christmas break. It is a fascinating look at his journey to self-discovery and is really quite inspiring. The book is written with bestselling author, Mark Manson.

Click the button below to access a free download for the visual synopsis. The downloadable version is free of watermark and designed for personal use only. If you wish to use it publicly or for any other purpose, please drop me a line for permission.

In case you missed it last week, I’ve also shared again the “My Visual Year” download for you - see below:

*** Now Available to Order ***

Order Your Deliberate Year Calendar & Logbook Set

LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis. 

I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:

• L: what have you learned?

• E: what’s your energy / feeling word

• A: what’s one thing you need to do?

• P: what are you thinking / processing?

• S: who or what can you shout out?