Check Your Alignment

When your car is out of alignment, it’s hard to drive.   You get pulled away from where you were headed and it can take brute strength to keep you on the road.  The same is true for your life.  If you’re out of alignment, you veer away from where you want to go.  If this sounds familiar, crawl underneath and figure out what’s going on.

You’re bored.

You know that feeling when your brain has gone to sleep, and you’re sinking into a bottomless pit of…blah.

Check your alignment with your strengths.  Are you doing things that play to your strengths most of the time?  Nothing will engage your mind like the feeling that you’re firing on all cylinders.  When you’re doing things that come naturally you learn and grow.  Many people think that in order to grow they need to improve in areas of weakness.  Not true!  You have the most potential to grow in areas where you already have ability. 

If you’re slogging through the days in a bored state, you’re underplaying – not pushing yourself.  StrengthsFinder is a great tool for becoming aware of your natural talents and strengths. (Take Gallup’s online assessment with the code in the back of StrengthsFinder 2.0 )  You can then begin to restructure your job and other activities to create opportunities to work in your strength zone.   Impossible, you say?  Give it a try.  Take the assessment, and if you need help with the restructuring part, give me a call.

You’re frustrated.

You may not know why, but you keep encountering situations that tick you off and bring out your inner ogre. 

Check your alignment with your core values.  Living out of integrity with your values can lead to feelings of frustration and anger.  You might even find that you’re lashing out at others because it’s easier than taking responsibility for yourself. 

For example, if one of your core values is adventure but you’re tied to your desk 11 hours a day and then running around doing chores and taking care of others the rest of the time, you’re not honoring a key part of yourself.  Does this mean you need to leave your job and family and take off for a 6-month trek to some remote part of the world?  No.  Get creative and find other ways to make sure you get regular tastes of the adventure you need.  The key is to honor this part of yourself.  If you aren’t aware of your core values, get started.

You’re burned out.

When you’re burned out you feel stuck and are probably depressed.  You dread facing the day, but you’re also convinced there aren’t any options.  You feel trapped, and you hate it. 

If this sounds like you, you’ve probably lost touch with your passion.  That flame of love, joy and meaning has died down to a tiny ember due to neglect.  It needs tending - to be fed some kindling.  Start small.  What makes you happy?  Don’t worry about making a big splash.  Just begin to introduce little things into your day that make you happy.  Do you love flowers?  Then have some, even one, on your desk. Do you love tigers?  I saw an ad on tv yesterday that you can adopt one through the World Wildlife Fund.  WWF Adopt a Tiger  Wouldn’t that feel great?  The key is to take action towards something that has meaning for you.

To get back into alignment you might need to make changes internally.  Start by knowing and honoring your strengths, your values, and what you're passionate about.  

If you feel you’re at a dead end with no room to learn and grow, you might need to change your circumstances.  Start with the inner work, but know that sometimes you need a new environment.  This is especially true if you’re working for a manager or a company that you don’t feel has integrity or you’re in a situation where you aren’t valued as a person.

Struggling to figure out what changes to make can keep you stuck.  Try to look past the surface layer of I’m bored, I’m pissed, or I’m fried.  Need help?  Contact Me