To Love What You Do

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It took an outfit dilemma and a woman named Cleo to remind me of what passion, presence and playfulness looks like in the workplace.

I wanted to share a feel good story from a few weeks ago, although it feels like months ago. It was when we were still all out and about and doing our thing. Mmmmm…

It was a Friday and I had a big day planned; a couple of business meetings in the morning, on stage at the Queensland Law Society Symposium in the afternoon and then a flight down to Adelaide for another conference.
So I started the day early, did my hair and makeup and put on my black Saba dress; a beautiful number, very fitting to just below the knee.

The business meetings went well. I was sitting down about to eat lunch when I started to question my outfit choice for the day. I just wasn’t feeling the dress. If you’ve seen me present on stage, you know that I like to move; A LOT and the dress I was wearing suddenly felt very restrictive. I needed a new outfit! And fast!

I dashed into David Jones in the city and went up to the Witchery counter. Now, I know the woman behind the counter there. She’s served me a couple of times and I now know her name is Cleo. Well, she saw me coming. Hard to miss me I guess; a woman on a mission!

Cleo comes up to me and asks how she can help. I explain that I need a new outfit for a presentation in an hour. It needs to be black, sexy but still corporate and most importantly I need to be able to move in it. She nods and I can see that glimmer in her eye that she’s just loving this. This is a challenge.

She grabs black leather pants, exactly in my size and then finds a black lace shirt to complete the outfit. Fantastic. I ask her for some other options; what else does she have for me? She looks at me and says “You don’t need any other outfits. This IS the outfit.” I giggle. I love her confidence and enthusiasm. Ok, let’s do this. Off to the change rooms I go.

I put on this outfit and man, she was right. It IS the outfit for me and it fits me perfectly. I feel so good in it. Cleo says “I told you so” with a huge grin on her face.

We make our way back to the counter and she’s greeting other customers. She’s making them smile. She’s talking to the other staff from Country Road and Seed. Wherever she goes, she just makes people smile. She brings joy.

I still remember that day. I remember her. I think about the passion and the love she has for her work. The real presence she has in the workplace, and her sense of playfulness. She makes people’s day.

So as a leader, I have some questions for you my friend:

• Are you passionate about the work that you do?
• Do you love it? Does it turn you on?
• How do you feel on a Monday morning?
• Do you turn up every day with real presence and purpose?
• Are you playful?
• Do you bring joy to the lives of the people who you lead every day and to your clients?
• Do you create memorable delicious moments for those around you?

As I often say, this is not your dress rehearsal, this is your main show. This is it. This is your chance to do work that matters to you and that makes a difference to the lives of others. What is it that you want to do with your time and energy? What do you want to create?

When I think back on that day in David Jones and when I put on that outfit, I can’t help but smile…..…

Thank you Cleo.

 

Midja x

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Simple Yet Sweet

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Your mindset – your choice. You can either choose to feel restricted and confined and feel like you have less. Or you can choose to feel freedom and abundance and feel like you have more.

 

The last few weeks have reminded me of my childhood…..long days that seem to stretch on forever, nowhere to be and time to allow my imagination to run free.

My childhood life centred around my neighbourhood, local school, the friends in my street and my family. Simple yet sweet.

Since that time, it seems as though the world has continually expanded like blowing up a balloon. Our connections, opportunities and choices have just got larger and larger and larger. Until now when the balloon has popped.

Now, our day to day world is small again.

I have beautiful posts and stories of friends meeting neighbours who they’ve never spoken to before, friends walking to their corner shop which they’ve never done before, families pitching a tent in their backyard with their kids for the long weekend and friends working in their gardens and taking photographs of the beautiful flowers blooming. Simple yet sweet.

During this time, you can choose your mindset. You can either choose to feel restricted and confined and feel like you have less. Or you can choose to feel freedom and abundance and feel like you have more.

The interesting thing will be when all of this is over, what will happen? Will we just pick up that balloon and start blowing again; wanting more and more and more. Or will we choose differently and remember simple yet sweet?

Midja x

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Emerging From Your Cocoon

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How are you going to emerge from your cocoon after this time of self isolation?

How are you feeling in your cocoon?

This week, I’ve been imagining all of us nestled into our own little cocoons, surrounded by a protective coating. It’s a place where we all need to be right now to stay safe and well.

Cocoons are magical spaces of transformation and regeneration. This is a time for you to look after yourself and then emerge, feeling strong, confident and ready to do your best work.

So, what do you need to be doing right now in your cocoon in order to be ready?

For me, I’ve come up with my three C’s. The first C is Cut. I’m always complaining that I don’t have enough time to exercise. Well, guess what? Now I do. I want to emerge feeling the strongest I’ve ever felt.

My second C is Content. I want to write and create content every single day. I want enough content for my next 2 books. I want my writing to make a difference in the challenging times ahead.

And my third C is Connection. I want to come out of this time with stronger, deeper relationships with the people in my inner circle.

So, what is it for you? What do you need to focus on?

I’ve seen so many examples of people on my social media feeds, doing what feels right, what brings them joy, what helps them during this unique time.

People are cooking and baking. People are reading books that they’ve never got to read before. People are out in the sunshine gardening. People are helping others in their neighbourhood community. People are playing board games and card games with their kids. People are resting and catching up with sleep.

It doesn’t matter what it is. You know within yourself what you need right now. Go deep and think about what it is you need to do every day to feel connected with your heart, body, mind, and spirit.

Sometime soon, you’ll emerge from your cocoon and you’ll be absolutely ready to take flight!

Midja x

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We Need Your Magic

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In this time of uncertainty and fear, we need your magic as a leader now more than ever before. Be you, be authentic! We all need to play to our strengths to emerge even stronger.

I don’t know about you but this week during this global situation, I’ve been questioning how to “be” in the world. I’ve struggled.

I got some feedback from last week’s vlog where I spoke about leaders flying the plane. People said to me, “Great message, but where was the Midja that we know, where was the energy?”

This feedback got me thinking. I’ve been worried so much about what’s expected of me right now, how I should act, what I should say, that I forgot to just be me. I forgot to be real and authentic and, most importantly, to bring my magic to the world.

I’m an optimist, a motivator, and an energy giver, that’s what I’m here to do.

So, what are you here to do? What is your magic?

As a leader, you might be struggling like me to know exactly what to say and to do right now. You feel the weight of other people’s expectations on you. My advice to you is to quite simply be authentic, be you and use your magic.

Are you a creative leader who can come up with ideas and a vision? We need that!

Are you a leader who is a strategist and can weigh up the pros and cons of a proposal? We need that!

Are you a leader who has deep empathy and understanding, and high level listening skills? We need that!

Whatever your magic is, we need it. In fact, I think you should go ahead and sprinkle some extra fairy dust and really bring that magic of yours to life right now.

I’m loving some of the comedians on my Instagram feed at the moment. Ellen is cracking me up with her phone calls to celebrities. She’s making us laugh because that’s her magic and her gift to the world. We need this more than ever before.

If we all stay true to ourselves and use our magic, our unique strengths and abilities, then collectively we’re going to be able to lead, motivate and influence others. We’re going to be able to make a real difference and come through this time with greater awareness and understanding.

“It is important to remember that we all have magic inside of us.” (JK Rowling)

Midja x

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To Love Who You Are Right Now

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When the advice you would give your younger self is the same advice you give yourself today! Giving up on perfection and loving who you are today.

This week I was asked a question during a panel discussion which got me thinking. It was this, what advice would you give to your younger self?

I immediately visualised myself in my twenties, same long blonde hair but a few more laugh lines, starting my professional career, committing to marriage and starting my family. What advice would I have for that Midja? Plenty!

But the number 1 thing I would tell her is ‘just be you.’ Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Be real and authentic. The people who matter will like you for who you are. Don’t lose yourself to anyone or anything.

And then there would be advice number 2, 3, 4 etc….

The funny thing was that upon reflection, I realised that the advice that I would give to my younger self, is the same advice I give to myself right now at 45 years of age. Yes, maybe the advice is given in a slightly different context, but it’s still the same advice nonetheless.

So, when do you get this stuff right? When do get life right? When does everything, including yourself, become perfect?

Hmmm…you know what I’m going to say, don’t you? NEVER.

And for me there’s a little bit of frustration that comes from knowing that but mostly I experience a feeling of comfort. Comfort that comes from being able to love who I am right now in this moment.

You and I are PERFECTLY IMPERFECT.

We are always learning. Always growing. We are always going to know more tomorrow than we do today. How awesome!

 

Midja x

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3 Keys to Joy on Monday Morning

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The 3 keys to waking up and feeling joy on a Monday morning. How to start your week right.

Last week on the vlog I spoke about finding JOY on a Monday morning, waking up and looking forward to the week ahead. What difference would it make to your life and the lives of those around you, if you woke up and thought to yourself “Thank God It’s Monday”?

So, how do you get to get to experience this kind of joy in your working life? I believe there are 3 important elements that you need:

1. PASSION
2. PRESENCE
3. PLAY

Let’s start firstly with PASSION. In order to experience joy, you need to be passionate about what you do and why you do it. Now, when I think about passion, I envisage two lovers locked in an embrace, unable to tear themselves away from each other…. butterflies, excitement, anticipation, seduction. Have I gone too far? I don’t think so!

Are you having a passionate love affair with your work?
Do you experience these same feelings of desire and excitement?

I believe that passion comes from doing work that connects with your mission; your legacy; what you want to be known for. It also comes from creating a strong alignment between your work and your personal values; those preferences and priorities in your life which are unique to you and which give you meaning and motivation.

It’s also important that your work gives you the opportunity to use what I call, your Tinkerbell Magic. Your Tinkerbell Magic is your unique strength that comes from within; the thing that you do better than anyone else. When you use this magic, you experience deep satisfaction with your work and a great sense of purpose and contribution. You know with certainty that you’re working to your full potential and adding value to your organisation, team and clients. You know that you’re doing the work that you’re absolutely meant to be doing.

Passion must be ignited from within. It can take time and patience to explore what it is that will start the flame. Then you need to create the opportunity and display the courage to pursue it.

Passion is about being all in – no holding back, no playing it safe, no hesitation. It’s a strong emotion of desire. A passionate person was described in the 2004 movie National Treasure as “someone who is one step short of crazy.” I love this. When you’re passionate about something there is an element of obsession about it; kind of devotion that is hard to describe. It’s the ballet dancer who endues bleeding feet, it’s the writer who doesn’t give up despite her manuscript being rejected over and over again, it’s the lawyer who works through the night for a week for an upcoming trial.

“It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion to a person who has never experienced it than we can explain light to the blind.” (T.S Elliot)

Sometimes others may not ‘get it’ but guess what? If it’s your passion, you don’t care. You can’t swtich it off. It’s just like the love affair I spoke about earlier, it’s hard to let go of. Your passion is always in your heart and in your mind. It drives your motivation, enthusiasm and ambition.

Let’s move onto the second element, PRESENCE. Presence is about being able to be in the moment. To give yourself over 100%. Life is busy and it can be difficult to concentrate on just one thing. There are so many balls you have to keep up in the air at work and then add to this the busyness of your home life – housework, errands, children, partner, pets – and it’s no wonder that it can be difficult to be fully present.
You can be so busy “doing” that you stop “being”. Presence will give you the ability to truly focus on what you want to achieve at work. It will bring determination and drive.

It’s about having the systems and processes in place in your life so that you can turn up on Monday morning being fully present, not stressed, not worried, not trying to micromanage everything but being in the moment and being able to truly focus. You need to stop the multitasking and adding to the never-ending to-do list and focus on what is truly important right now.

There are times when you can get so caught up in the past or future, that you neglect what is going on right in front of you. There is nothing you can do about the past, it has already happened. Similiarly, worrying excessively about the future, simply takes away today’s peace.

“I have known a great many troubles, but most of them have never happened.” (Mark Twain)

It’s important if you want to be there for others and influence them, that you’re fully present and lead in the moment. Your people and your clients need and deserve your full attention. When I ask joyful people what they love about their work, nearly every one of them mentions the people they work with. Being present, allows you to build strong meaningful relationships with those around you. It allows you to be there for others and to truly listen and understand them.

If you’re distracted, you’ll miss the opportunity to connect with your people and your work. You’ll make mistakes, things will take longer to complete. You won’t gain the trust and commitment from your people that you need to succeed.

It’s all about slowing down, foucssing and saviouring the moment. Embracing the present with gratefulness.

Then, the final element PLAY. It’s so important that you put some play and humour back into your busy days in the office. Life’s way too short not to have fun. You probably spend the majority of your time at work each week, why not have a great time while you’re there?

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing” (Dale Carnegie)

Play is so good for you for many reasons. It stimulates your mind and your imagination, increasing creativity. You can be inventive with your solutions. It promotes problem-solving and the ability to adapt to situations. You can try new things and experiment which is critical in this time of disruption and change. If you can’t adapt, you won’t succeed.

Play is also a great stress reliever and boosts your happiness. You’re more engaged and more motivated which in turn increases your productivity. It boosts comradery and builds corporate empathy. It makes you approachable and engaging as a leader and co-worker.

When you can be playful with your work, it allows you to keep things light. Sometimes, work can seem so heavy and you can start to feel overwhelmed. Lightness comes from putting everything into perspective and getting real about what can you achieve and what you can influence. You can accept what you can and can’t control.

Playfulness gives you permission to breath, to relax and to be yourself. You can let people and opportunities come into and out of your life without holding onto them with white knuckles. Things change; tide comes in and tide goes out. Change is the one certainty in life. If you can keep things light and playful, you will build resilence and a reputation for being able to thrive in times of change.

What happens when you don’t have all 3 elements – Passion, Presence and Play?

There can be times when you have great passion for your work and you know that this is the work you’re meant to do but you’re missing presence and play. This may be because you don’t have the processes and systems in place to be able to fully turn up on Monday morning and to give yourself over to your passion. You may be preoccupied with worries and fears; the past or the future. You may lack the daily and weekly habits to allow you to be 100% present at work. You want to ‘show up’ fully but there is something getting in the way.

On the flip side, I’ve known many people that have a strong sense of presence with drive, focus and determination but they lack real passion for what they do. They are sometimes ruled by the expectations of others. They pursue their goals and climb the ladder of success, only to discover that the ladder is up against the wrong wall. (Dr Stephen Covey). They suddenly realise that the work they’re doing is not aligned with their purpose, values and legacy.

Then there are the players. Now, for those of you who know me well, you know that I love to play but play without passion and presence at work is ineffective and unproductive. You might be having a great time but are you making any meaningful contribution? Do you have a sense of achievement at the end of the day? Play needs the other two elements to bring it into balance.

So, I’d love you to ask yourself, on a scale from 1-10:

• What’s your level of passion at work?
• How present are you when you show up every day?
• Do you get to play?

I’m on a mission to bring JOY to Monday mornings. What steps could you take right now to make you wake up and say ‘Thank God It’s Monday’?

Midja x

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