Coaching Reflection #2: Headwinds

One of the joys that I have the privilege during this pandemic is to take my road bike out for a ride – and with a friend at that…

It was an early afternoon recently that I went cycling with my Learning Partner from the office. It was a round trip with a stopover for lunch. Going there was a breeze, as we had taken this route many times before. What we weren’t expecting on the way back after lunch was the severe headwind that greeted us, something out of the ordinary. It came without warning and slowed us to a crawl. I was puzzled. Even on familiar territory, something as common as this headwind that required us to paddle twice as hard and at half the speed. The breeze had seemed to turn into a gust.

When COVID-19 hit the shores, many countries equated the new virus as a case of a very bad flu. Months later, Jobs and savings were wiped out. it was not merely a case of a rainy day. It became known as ‘a mighty storm’. One for which the modern world didn’t have a playbook to deal with. It was against this backdrop that I took up a Wellcoaches Coaching course. How opportune I thought, seeing how it was that mental well-being had become so precious to individuals and society.?For me, it meant learning about how to deal with a wide range of aspects relating to mental and physical well-being, as well as coming face-to-face with negativity - as I confront the headwinds posed by COVID for self, family, colleagues and the community-at-large.

Working from home posed new challenges for many as many adjustments needed to be made - from physical space, to equipment, network and basically the setting up of a home office. Being in a ‘lock-down’ situation didn’t help. Mental issues were becoming a major challenge; everything looked gloomy and miserable. Uncertainty was the order of the day. Fear created a sense of dread. Doubt cast a pall of hopelessness.

During this pandemic , I experienced first-hand just how ‘sticky’ negative emotions can be. It was a terrible place to be in, as negative emotions reduce the brain’s ability to learn and process information.?It impaired the functions of the prefrontal cortex, blocking access to working memory which is the raw material for creativity. This hampered curiosity, cognitive agility, and creative and strategic thinking.?Because negative emotions are such persistent fellows, it has been said that it would take at least three positive emotions to nullify one negative emotion. ‘Positive emotion is fleeting, while negative emotions hang around’. The nature of negative emotions is constricting and sucks up an inordinate amount of energy just to maintain a sense of balance. It was fortuitous that in coaching, I learnt several ways to help clients process their negative emotions. Those who overcame were strengthened and became more resilient.

My Learning Partner and I did complete the ride back safely and without incident, though it took a whole lot longer than usual. The headwinds added a new dimension to the cycling outing – and became the inspiration for this Blog post; and for that, I am grateful for the gift and opportunity.

Inquiry: How can headwinds be a trigger for greater resilience for you today?

https://think-2-thrive.com/2021/07/19/coaching-reflection-2/

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