An argument against rushing

Yesterday, I found myself in back-to-back coaching sessions feeling rushed and anxious. If I track back the anxiety, I think it originated from heading into a session with a new client for whom I felt a particular pressure to be helpful or to be enough.

Part of coaching well is grounding one's self first, trusting one's own enoughness, and aiming all attention at care for the client; yesterday I found myself slipping.

As the morning progressed, I could tell I was not doing my best coaching work.

My mind felt rushed. I found myself wanting to move faster to more questions or reflections than I normally would have. I could sense that my presence with the client and our shared effort to create a space of calm inquiry and gentle support were suffering.

This morning I am up early sitting in meditation with my journal. The invitation I find coming forward this morning is to slow down. To let my presence with each client this morning be enough. To end the rush. I wrote the following message to myself in my journal coming out of my meditation session:

You can relax and simply be present in all areas of your life. There is no area where you need to rush or to be more than you already are. Your presence and your calm, careful attention are enough for every moment of today.

Might the same be true for you?

Whatever your role, and whatever the day ahead today holds, might your patient, thoughtful attention be enough?

• For your kids or whomever you are seeing first this morning?
• For any work projects or challenges?
• For your time in meetings, one on ones, or fundraising pitches?

Might it be that rushing, and an effort to do or be more, simply get in the way?

What those we love and those we lead need most from us is our presence with them. What our greatest challenges or efforts need are our creativity and focus.

I invite you to join me today in giving yourself permission to bring just that.

And...if it is sometimes hard...and the frantic self-judgment takes over, I am right there with you. Happens to us all.

-Matt