''The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships''
- Tony Robbins.
Whether Personal or Professional, the quality of our life really is the quality of our relationships.
The regrets of the dying show this. Top 5 regrets of the dying
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
You know what it's like. It's all to easy to bring our work home with us, perhaps not always physically but emotionally. Either way, our loved ones don't always get us at our best - Loving and present.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I'm guilty of this one.
Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. Time seems to speed up the older I get!
I don't see my friends nearly as often as I would like.
With all of this in mind, I was over the moon when I recently discovered a tool which I'd honestly describe as life changing. (It sounds like a big promise I know, bear with me).
This tool can dramatically improve the quality of both our personal and professional relationships, and as a result, our lives.
I discovered the tool buried in a brilliant book I'm currently devouring.
The book? High Performance Habits written by Brendon Burchard
The tool is titled ''Release tension. Set Intention''.
This is a great one to use throughout the day during a 'transition', anytime you go from one situation or activity to the next. For example, travelling to work to actually being at work. Being in bed to getting out of bed. Being on a business phone call to spending time with our loved ones. As you can imagine, we go through dozens of transitions each day.
And as Brendon points out, we carry stress, tension and bad moods from one situation to another. We don't let go and we don't consciously decide how we wish to 'show up' in the next situation. I think of this like being on auto-pilot. Going through the motions.
Imagine the difference it will make to pause briefly throughout the day and switch from auto-pilot to manual?
Brendon suggests listing some of your common daily transitions to become aware of exactly when you can begin to use this tool.
So here it is. As you move from one major activity to another, try this:
- Close your eyes for a minute or two (or 10 seconds if that's all you have).
- Repeat the word release in your mind over and over. As you do, command your body to release all the tension in your shoulders, in your neck, face and jaw. Release the tension in your back and legs. Release the tension in your mind and spirit. If this is hard, just focus on each part of your body, breathe deeply, and repeat the word release in your mind.
- When you feel you've released some tension - it doesn't have to be all the tension in your life - move to the next part of the tool. Set INTENTION. This means think about what you want to feel or achieve in the next activity you're about to take on when you open your eyes. You could ask yourself some questions like: What energy do you want to bring to this next activity? How can I do this next activity with excellence? How can I enjoy this? Or any other question that will prompt your mind to be present in the next activity.
It's been two weeks since I discovered this tool and importantly... putting it into practice.
After all, tools/tips/tricks are useless unless applied in real life.
As a lover of mindfulness and communication, this tool has certainly improved both areas.
I'm more conscious as I go about my day. Sometimes I'll only have a few seconds during a transition but it still helps in these brief moments to close my eyes, release tension and consider what my intentions are for what is to come next. My communication with clients, family, and friends is smoother as I find myself asking questions such as:
- How do I want to show up?
- How do I want to leave this person feeling?
- What would my best self do? What would LOVE do?
You'll find questions will come up for you in the moment. Listen to your intuition and ask what you need to ask. The answers will flow afterwards, then it's about living into the intentions.
It's been a pleasure to share this tool with you. I'm grateful to Brendon for sharing his wisdom in his book and grateful to you for reading this article.
You can let me know your thoughts by leaving me a comment. If you want more wisdom, buy the book.
If you enjoyed this and want more inspiration & tools to think better, feel better, and live better - then here is what you can do right now...
1. Visit the shop & download an E book version of my book, Becoming Unstuck: your simple step by step guide to taking charge of your life, by clicking here
(Hint: Use Coupon code BLOG to save 50% off my book and all other products).
2. Take my Free 5-Day Combat Limited Thoughts Challenge by clicking here
3. Learn more about my services or book a Free Strategy call by clicking here
P.S
Want to be the first to know when a new blog piece is published?
Then enter your Email address below to receive an email notification as soon as a new blog piece goes live on the website!
