Life’s Ups and Downs

Safety, security, and a sense of calm. We all want these things.

When our sense of order is turned upside down, it’s not easy, and yet we cannot control all life events.

My family experienced our own unforeseen event last week when my 88-year-old mother took a very bad fall and broke her hip. Of course, I feel the gamut of emotions over this event: sorrow, fear, and compassion.

This situation has made me think about coaching and my efforts to help people thrive. Are people still thriving during the down times of life?

When I speak of thriving, I am not always referring to life when it is calm and positive. Instead, thriving is about maintaining a forward-looking and action-oriented attitude towards a situation. The question to ask yourself is, what will be the most helpful way for me to handle any predicament?

Along these lines, one of the most important things to realize is how our thoughts and attitudes affect our actions.

One tool I use in my coaching to help you tackle the ups and downs of life is the Energy Leadership Index Assessment (ELI Assessment, founded by Bruce D Schneider of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching). The purpose of the assessment is to allow you to see a snapshot of how you are using your energy during normal life situations, as well as during stressful times. If we cannot control all of life’s events, raising our awareness of how we are approaching situations is the next best thing.