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

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.

Life Lessons

How Relationships Shape Your Health: A Holistic Approach to Well-Being

In today’s fast-paced world, where technology and individualism often dominate, the importance of relationships in our lives can sometimes be overlooked. Yet, from a holistic perspective, relationships are not just a social necessity, they are a vital part of your overall health and well-being.

The connections you forge with others can have profound effects on your physical, emotional, and mental health, making it essential to understand and nurture them.

Are you giving enough attention to your relationships?

 The Interconnectedness of Body, Mind, and Spirit

Holistic health emphasises the connected nature of your body, mind, and spirit. It suggests that true well-being cannot be achieved by focusing on just one aspect of our health in isolation. Relationships, whether they are with family, friends, or romantic partners, play a crucial role in maintaining this balance.

Positive relationships provide emotional support, reduce stress, and even contribute to physical health,

Negative or toxic relationships can have the opposite effect.

Emotional Well-Being and Relationships

At the core of your emotional health lies the quality of your relationships. When you feel connected to others, you experience a sense of belonging and security that can significantly reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

Studies have shown that individuals with strong social ties are less likely to suffer from mental health issues. The reason for this is simple: having someone to talk to, share experiences with, and lean on during tough times acts as a buffer against the stresses of life.

On the flip side, poor relationships, characterised by conflict, lack of communication, or emotional abuse, can lead to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Chronic stress from unhealthy relationships can trigger the body’s stress response, leading to a host of physical health problems over time.

Give thanks for your good relationships

For the challenging relationships, review just one.  Step back from the hassle of that relationship and examine what life lesson it may be trying to teach you. Once you understand what it is, you will step out of victim mode and more easily take action to remedy the situation. Once you can demonstrate to the Universe you have learnt that lesson, the relationship will improve.

Physical Health Benefits of Healthy Relationships

The impact of relationships extends beyond emotional health to our physical well-being. A strong support network can encourage healthier behaviours, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adherence to medical advice.

For instance, people who are married or in committed relationships often experience better health outcomes, including lower rates of heart disease, improved immune function, and longer life expectancy. This is partly because partners often motivate each other to adopt healthier lifestyles and provide care during illness. However,

You can motivate yourself to take actions towards better health.

Moreover, positive interactions with others can reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol which can lead to high blood pressure, weakened immunity, and other health issues.

You are in control of your relationship with yourself and looking after your body

The Spiritual Dimension of Relationships

From a holistic standpoint, the spiritual aspect of relationships is equally important. Many spiritual traditions emphasise the concept of interconnectedness, that we are all part of a larger whole. Building and nurturing relationships is a way to connect with this larger whole, fostering a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Spiritually fulfilling relationships can encourage personal growth and self-awareness. They challenge you to become better versions of yourselves, teaching you about love, compassion, forgiveness, and empathy. These qualities are not just beneficial on a spiritual level; they also contribute to a more harmonious and healthy life.

The Role of Community

Being part of a community also significantly impacts your health. Communities provide a sense of belonging and purpose, which are essential for mental and emotional well-being. Whether it’s a religious group, a social club, or a local neighbourhood, being involved in a community helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can be as harmful to health as smoking or obesity.

Nurturing Healthy Relationships

Given the profound impact of relationships on your health, it’s crucial to invest time and energy into building and maintaining them. This includes open communication, setting healthy boundaries, and showing appreciation and love for those around us. It’s also important to recognize when a relationship is harmful and take steps to address the issues, whether that means seeking counselling, having difficult conversations, or, in some cases, ending the relationship.

In a holistic approach to health, relationships are as important as diet, exercise, and sleep. The connections we maintain with others nourish not just our emotional and mental well-being but also our physical health and spiritual growth.

You can make conscious choices to nurture and cherish your relationships, leading to a healthier, happier, and more fulfiling life.