In this earlier post Red Cowboy Boots & other strategies for success I revealed my practice of wearing my red cowboy boots in my home office while doing virtual speaking engagements and workshops. These boots are my symbol for “I’m rocking it!”. They make me feel empowered in a situation where I may need extra confidence.
Red is the colour of the Root Chakra. It symbolizes our foundation and the sense of being grounded. When I am doing presentations I want to stay in the present moment and keep my mind on the task at hand. My red boots help me to do this.
In these uncertain times (is this the fourth wave, do we wear masks, is everyone vaccinated, are we going back to the office?) it is easy to feel ungrounded and vulnerable. While there are many aspects of our current situation (or any time in life really) that we can’t control, we can choose how we respond.
We can take the choices we do have and make them fun. For example, when I was going for a series of daily radiation treatments I made a couple of choices that helped me to arrive at my treatment feeling like a million dollars (or at least not the frightened and horrified woman I had the potential to become). I chose to walk and take the ferry to the hospital as long as I was able. This was for all but my last week of treatment, when my sister and a friend drove me. I also stopped for a delicious latte at one of several of my favourite independent coffee shops. Having had a walk in the fresh air and treating myself to a latte I arrived at each appointment feeling upbeat and ready to face my treatment.
Writing prompt
What does showing up look like to you? What could you wear or do that would make you feel empowered? What is your equivalent of Red Cowboy Boots? (write or sketch about this)
How can I help?
Do you need help supporting your team during this post-pandemic transition? At Meryl Cook Engagement by Design I work with teams to raise engagement, relieve anxiety and get out ahead of transitions. Bringing people together to create something lasting and meaningful, while building new skill sets, is at the centre of my process. Connection, purpose and empowerment are concepts that inform my broad spectrum of offerings. Let’s book a short discovery call to discuss how to best support your team.
If you are looking for writing prompts and other resources to connect with your creative self, take a look at my two books. Reach out to me if you’d like some help designing a wallhanging that is a reflection of what you need right now.
