You can not hurry trusted relationships at work and in life.

Trust takes repeated trustworthy behaviours over time.
Trust can be broken in .07 of a second.

Value your people.
With intention and attention.
Do the work of 'better together'.
No shortcuts of manipulation, coercion or dotted-line contracts to trust-based leadership. It's authentic or nothing.

Lead yourself well in authentic trust with those whom you do business with, those you live with, and with those whom you value a relationship.

Manage your nervous system - it's one of the most important things you can do.

When your attention and focus reminds you of what is 'not' in your control, invite your grit to create more space between stimuli and response to weaken the quick synapse of toxic stress and fear-based reactions within your mind-body-brain connection.

Your default attention will take the path most familiar, which may not be helpful to your leadership and wellness (for self and others). Notice that?

An intentional values-based pause is helpful in managing the nervous system, so that you can access and apply executive thinking to the challenges around you.

Lead yourself well.

You are human, yes?
Then you need a safe, trusted place of belonging.
Safety.
Trust.
Belonging.

These are a few of the universal needs of all humans. No one is exempt.

This place may evolve and shift and change over time.
Different places offer different spaces of belonging.
Be diligent, be intentional and lead yourself well in both creating these spaces and being part of these spaces.

Lead yourself well.

Maybe you are all set for a perfect Hallmark Christmas (is that even a thing?).
Maybe work, life, finances and joy are all a perfect match right now.

But if not (and if you are like me) and ALSO are experiencing the dissonance of complexity, grief, partially-realized aspirations blended with awkward and really tough challenges - then use whatever strength and agency you can access, and check in with someone from your support team over this Christmas season.

(The tinsel and the turkey can wait for the gift of your presence.)

Your body, brain and mind will appreciate a non-judgemental, safe place of refuge to process peace and wisdom.

If your support group is not available to you right now, what else might give you a felt sense of support in leading yourself?

Notice.
Name.
Choose.
With grace.

You have my best.