Life Lessons: 3 key lessons to appreciate your team

Published by Alison Wem on

Life Lessons: 3 key lessons to appreciate your team

Much has been said about Theresa May over the weekend by people more eloquent than myself.  My observation is that she is having to learn some hard life lessons in a very public manner about the value of working as a team.  No matter what your political views may be, Theresa needs our compassion as she learns these lessons.

In the middle of leading a large change programme, I was unexpectedly widowed and survived that period in my life through acts of kindness at work and at home. Over night my whole value base shifted to fully recognise the importance of people.  This was not just for my husband, who sadly I had lost, but also for the value the other people in my life brought. These are the values I believe we need for innovative, creative leadership to be successful. They are ones Theresa May is having to learn very publicly – the value of a team working together, the different individual contributions team members can make and learning to listen to people.

Whenever you are in a challenging period, hopefully not as dramatic as Theresa’s or mine, remember these key life lessons well as they can make a really difference to how the challenge resolves itself;

  • a team working together brings more than the sum of the parts
  • individuals in the team are very different and bring value in different ways. Diversity is good so do not alienate the ideas it brings especially if they are not your stance.
  • learn to really listen to your team. This means not just going through the motions of listening but to hear and think about what has been said.  Seek clarification to ensure you have fully understood before you evaluate what has been said to you.

Challenges are opportunities to learn and practice life lessons.  Honest conversations are key to a team working well together.  In my experience honesty is a good to value but not always easy to deliver, especially if there are some challenging characters in the team.  So saying I have always found life is less complicated if you are honest, but tests your ability to communicate to ensure the correct message is conveyed.  Life is full of challenges!

A mindful leader is someone who embodies leadership presence by cultivating focus, clarity, creativity and compassion to reach common goals that maximise the well-being of all stakeholders.

Alison Pooley-Wem – life coach, author and leadership consultant, MBCS CITP, former Business Transformation Director, IT Director, Programme Director who led major transformation programmes for corporate and multi-national organisations such as Amey PLC, Christies. News UK.

Alison is married with five grown-up children. Many of the techniques in her ‘leading yourself’ coaching and courses are based on her life experiences in her professional and family life. She retains a calmness and clarity enabling her to assess the right things to do.

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Life Lessons

Mindfulness Made Easy: Quick Practices for Busy Women to Stay Grounded and Centred

Let’s face it: life can be a whirlwind. With so much on our plates, finding calm can feel like just another thing on the to-do list. But here’s the good news—mindfulness doesn’t need to take hours of your day. With a few simple practices, you can find little moments of peace, even in the busiest times. Let’s explore a few ways to stay grounded that fit right into a busy schedule.

  1. Start Your Day with a Gentle Intention

Take a few deep breaths when you wake up. Ask yourself, “What do I need most today?” Whether it’s calm, focus, or energy, setting a gentle intention only takes a moment but can really set the tone for your day. Being positive about your day when you wake up and directing what you want to have in it, has a powerful effect. It’s a small but strong way to remind yourself that you matter, too.

  1. Try “Pause Breaths” During Stressful Moments

When you feel the stress creeping in, pause. Close your eyes if you can, take a deep breath in, hold it, and then slowly release. Repeat this at least three times. Even just a minute of mindful breathing can reset your nerves and help you feel more present. These little “pause breaths” are always there for you when you need them.

  1. Single-Task When You Can

With so much going on, it’s easy to fall into multitasking, but try to focus on one thing at a time when possible. Multitasking can be stressful and studies show you can be less effective operating like this as it takes time to switch intellectually from one task to another. Notice the sensations of whatever you’re doing—washing dishes, folding laundry, anything. It brings you into the moment and helps keep your mind from running all over the place. Personally, I get my best spiritual messages when I am doing a big pile of ironing!

  1. Find “Mindful Minutes”

Those tiny pauses in your day—waiting in line, sitting with your morning coffee—are golden opportunities to bring in mindfulness. Feel the warmth of your coffee mug or the air around you. Even just a moment of awareness can bring a sense of calm to your day. You may feel your energy relaxing and your body being more comfortable.

  1. Be Gentle with Yourself

Most importantly, give yourself a bit of grace. Be kind to yourself as you would your best friend. Mindfulness isn’t about getting it right every time; it’s about bringing a little more kindness into your day. When you’re feeling stressed, remind yourself, “I’m doing my best.” Because you are, and that’s more than enough.

 

Remember, mindfulness doesn’t require perfection; it’s just about finding little ways to feel more present and grounded in your life right now.

Try these tips, and remember, you’re doing a wonderful job.

Life Lessons

Justice and Compassion: A Spiritual Guide to Equality

Social justice issues, such as racial equality, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, are critical aspects of modern UK society. Although these issues are more commonly seen through political and legal lenses, they also have strong spiritual underpinnings. Spiritual traditions worldwide emphasise values like justice, compassion, and love, which can guide efforts toward a more equal and just society.

Let’s look at some important social justice and equality aspects and see how they are treated spiritually.

The Spiritual Roots of Justice

At the heart of many spiritual teachings is the belief in the inherent dignity of all individuals. Christianity, for example, advocates for loving one’s neighbour and standing with the marginalised. Islam similarly promotes justice and fairness, emphasising that all people are equal in the eyes of God. These values call for systemic justice, urging believers to act compassionately and fairly toward others.

Buddhism and Hinduism also provide a spiritual framework for social justice. The concept of karma suggests that compassionate actions lead to positive responses from others. These teachings advocate for moral responsibility and fairness, principles that resonate with modern understandings of social justice.

Racial and Gender Equality

The fight for racial equality, exemplified by movements like Black Lives Matter, finds resonance in various spiritual traditions. The Baha’i Faith explicitly condemns racism, promoting the unity of humanity. Similarly, many Christian communities are increasingly embracing diversity and rejecting racial prejudice.

Some spiritual traditions have been progressive when it comes to gender equality, while others are evolving. Sikhism, for example, has long upheld the equal worth of men and women, while Christianity and Islam are witnessing internal movements pushing for greater gender equity.

LGBTQ+ Rights and Spirituality

LGBTQ+ rights are a more contentious issue within many spiritual communities. While traditional views may oppose LGBTQ+ identities, progressive interpretations are emerging. Certain Christian denominations now fully embrace LGBTQ+ individuals, advocating for their rights within spiritual spaces. Similarly, Buddhism’s principle of ahimsa (non-harming) encourages a compassionate, non-judgmental approach to LGBTQ+ individuals.

Compassion, Love, and Justice

Ultimately, spiritual principles like compassion and love offer powerful guidance in the quest for social justice. These teachings call us to see the humanity in everyone and to advocate for systems that protect human dignity. In this sense, spirituality can be a unifying force, reminding us of our shared responsibility to uplift and support one another.

By integrating these spiritual values into social justice movements, we can work towards a society that addresses legal inequalities and fosters deeper compassion and understanding among people of all backgrounds.

Conscious Mind

Discovering Your Soul’s True Path: Purpose, Destiny, and Growth

We live in a time of profound transformation, individually and collectively. You only have to listen to the news to know that humanity’s consciousness is changing at the global level – this is the defining theme of this era. Likewise, you are affected at a personal level.

This shift signifies something much deeper than surface-level adjustments. It marks the awakening of the Soul of Humanity, emerging from a long period of dormancy. As this awakening unfolds, a vital question arises:

How can you assist the Soul of Humanity as it seeks to make its presence more apparent?

Finding answers to this question begins with understanding the nature of your individual soul and its purpose.

For many spiritually inclined people, the search for meaning and destiny has been an enduring quest. Yet, the answer often feels elusive, as if locked away from conscious understanding. To unlock this mystery, you must approach the question from several angles, incorporating both esoteric and practical insights.

The Seven Soul Types and Their Role in Humanity’s Upliftment

One of the most helpful frameworks for exploring the soul’s purpose is understanding the seven soul types. These come from the Michael Teachings, which were channelled in the 1970s.

“The Seven Soul Types” refer to archetypal categories in spiritual teachings that describe different soul roles or missions in the journey of humanity’s evolution. These types are often named as:

  1. Warriors – protectors and leaders.
  2. Sages – communicators and storytellers.
  3. Servers – nurturing and helping others.
  4. Artisans – creators and visionaries.
  5. Priests – spiritual leaders guiding toward higher ideals.
  6. Scholars – seekers of knowledge.
  7. Kings – rulers overseeing the collective good.

They suggest that every person embodies a primary soul type, contributing uniquely to humanity’s upliftment through their inherent traits.

Understanding which soul type resonates with you can offer clues to your purpose and how you are meant to contribute to the world.

Astrological Indicators and the Soul’s Incarnational Intention

Astrology offers another layer of insight into the soul’s purpose, revealing the soul’s incarnational blueprint through key astrological markers. Some important indicators include:

  • The Sun Sign: Represents the core self, showing how the soul expresses itself through the personality.
  • The Moon Sign: Reflects emotional tendencies and past life patterns that may influence the soul’s current journey.
  • The North Node: Points to the soul’s future path and the lessons it is meant to learn in this incarnation.
  • The Ascendant (Rising Sign): Indicates the soul’s expression and how it approaches life’s challenges.

By studying these astrological markers, individuals can gain insight into the soul’s intention for this lifetime and the lessons it is meant to master.

Clues and Skills for Recognizing the Soul’s Purpose

While understanding the soul’s archetype and astrological indicators is helpful, other practical tools exist for recognising your soul’s purpose and destiny. These clues help you to align more closely with your deeper calling:

  1. Inner Point of Tension: By holding a state of focused spiritual aspiration, you create a dynamic space where your soul’s higher purpose becomes clearer.
  2. Right Relationship: Building harmonious relationships with yourself, others, and the world helps reveal where your gifts are needed and where your soul needs growth.
  3. Circumstantial Convergence: Pay attention to synchronicities and seemingly unrelated events that align in meaningful ways – these moments often guide you toward your destiny.
Becoming Allies in Humanity’s Awakening

In this time of global change, unlocking your soul’s purpose is important for personal fulfillment and the greater good of humanity. As you align with your higher calling, you contribute to the awakening of the Soul of Humanity, helping to create a more just, compassionate, and enlightened world.

Finding and embracing your soul’s purpose ultimately leads to personal growth and supports humanity’s collective evolution.

Each of us plays a crucial role in this larger story, and by understanding yourself, whether through soul types, astrology, or paying attention to life’s synchronistic clues, you become an active participant in guiding humanity toward a brighter future.

As you unlock these keys, you step into your full potential, working in harmony with the Soul of Humanity to usher in a time of transformation, healing, and awakening for all.