Prevent getting to “I’m done !”

In the past couple weeks, on two separate occasions, two different people were sharing what was going on in their life and the challenges they were dealing with. Eventually they boiled over, “I’m done ! I am so done !”

Both of them used the exact same words and the emphasis in their declarations was identical. I could feel their exhaustion and the blanket of overwhelm that weighed on them.

If you’ve been there, you know the feeling and it’s not a fun place.

In the moment—I just listened and empathized, which I think was the right thing to do.

It got me thinking and I realized I haven’t been in that “done” place in a long time. While I’ve come close recently, I can’t remember the last time I said, “I am so done !”?

And I think I know why it’s been so long since I’ve felt that sense of “done”.?

And it’s not because I have a special super-power. My life is riddled with challenges and frustration—people disappoint me, people mistreat my loved ones, I fail to achieve personal and professional goals, people don’t follow through as they promised, people don’t return my messages (often the same people)—and I could go on.?

My life is far from perfect and I have my moments when I feel overwhelmed but I don’t feel “I am so done.” And I think it’s because of one self-care leadership practice—a practice I do every day and have done every day for at least 13 years. And that practice is:

I make a list of what I’m grateful for.

What do you think ? I’m interested in your experience.

#gratefulleadership #habitualritual #vitaminG