It’s OK to NOT be OK – and there’s an Inc. 5000 acclaimed solution to the rescue!

It’s OK to NOT be OK – and there’s an Inc. 5000 acclaimed solution to the rescue!

by Doni Landefeld, Ph.D., ACPEC

As I sit here pondering thoughts for the kickoff to the last quarter of the year, I cannot help but realize my stress level is a bit higher than it was last month. I’m confident in my self-awareness that it’s because we’re in peak hurricane season here in Southwest Florida, there’s a monster Category 5 storm swirling around in the Atlantic and I and so many in my community are traumatized and have PTSD from Hurricane Ian last year, that wreaked havoc in our paradise. One year later, street signs and business signs are still missing, many traffic signals are also missing, homes have not been renovated or rebuilt, our barrier islands are dramatically changed, and those who flooded like my family, are NERVOUS and a bit ANXIOUS!  

And then the rest of our nation is approaching some frenzy with last quarter revenue goals, the holidays are approaching adding another layer of things to do, and many of the organizations we work with continue to navigate an evolving environment whether they are dipping their toes in the AI pool (stay tuned for an upcoming Executive Leadership Forum on this topic), or striving to settle into normal operations in a hybrid or fully-remote workforce.

How You Show Up for Yourself is How You Show Up for Others

To lead by example, it is critical to show up cheerfully and confidently if you are to inspire. This is one practice from our ‘Lead Yourself First’ system. So, let’s squash the gloom and doom because if and when you are living in the moment, unless that proverbial shark is literally biting you in the butt, it is very difficult to be ‘stressed’. There’s a powerful Asian Proverb I’ve always admired that captures this essence:

Those who live in the past are depressed. Those who live in the future are anxious. Those who live in the present are at peace.

And yet it’s difficult because living in the moment is an art contingent upon a foundation backed by science and built by practice.  

If you’ve been following us for even a few months, you’re probably a little familiar with Positive Intelligence® or PQ for short. PQ is a mental operating system with research grounded in four different fields of science, including neuroscience – with evidence from fMRIs showing the development of new neural pathways when the Mental OS is followed and practiced. I and all of my team are Certified PQ coaches and whenever we begin with a new client, we ‘require’ a foundation in PQ because we know the power it has to clear out the cobwebs, dramatically reduce stress and positively impact performance and relationships. Much of the practice is about disrupting our sabotaging brain bullies that can turn our mind into our worst enemy, crippling performance and productivity, inflicting damage upon our important relationships with others and overall, putting a major dent in happiness and well-being.

But don’t just take my word for it, we are proud to announce that Positive Intelligence® has made the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for 2023, appearing as number 567 on the list. Woohoo! This explosive growth is a testament to the power and transformational potential that PQ affords. Not to say I told you so, though I recall a few months ago how I mentioned PQ is sweeping the globe and will soon be a household and organizational word. To see the full list of other Inc 5000 organizations CLICK HERE.

Using factor analysis to go to the root cause, PQ has radically simplified how we increase our performance and well-being by growing 3 core mental muscles. And to give you an idea of how we grow one of them, the self-command muscle, here’s one of a hundred or so exercises that can help to disrupt the saboteurs that can compromise our strengths and overtake our lives.

5-4-3-2-1 Focus

Name/label:

five things you can see

four things you can hear

three things you can touch

two things you can smell

one thing you can taste

Preparing items for touch, smell and taste in advance can be beneficial to avoid any last-minute scrambling during the meditation. The point is to focus deeply on each physical sensation, disrupt negative mind chatter or triggers, and drop back down into your body so you can then resume activities on a more grounded level and access the sage part of your brain that resides in your pre-frontal cortex (not the survival-based limbic system).  

One variation on this exercise can be to pick a color, like green, which is great if you’re doing this exercise while outdoors, and name all the things in your environment that are the color green. There can be many things to listen to outdoors. Smell might take a little effort so be intentional about that, as well as for taste. And on the mention of intentionality, this, along with some discipline are what create new habits to build skills and live a more peaceful and fulfilling life. So are you curious?

For organizations that have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), we have a white paper to share on how PQ can supplement your current offerings and help employees in a very proactive way. The World Health Organization has revealed that 12 billion work days are lost globally to depression and anxiety, costing 1 trillion dollars per year in lost productivity. Being proactive by building mental fitness can help your employees in a way with less stigma than many mental health remedies while removing stigma and saving your organization substantially in lost revenue.

Interested in the white paper on how PQ can support your EAPs or are you ready to do something about stress for you and your employees? Schedule your complimentary strategy session here: