What's In YOUR Possible Bag For Leadership Excellence In 2019?

Top thoughts for the New Year

You may want to think again before stepping into your leadership role in 2019 without intentionally packing and carrying your Possible Bag.

Why? This bag carries everything you need to survive and thrive as a facilitator of human potential.
 

Originally, the Possible Bags or pouches were used by both Native American men and women to carry essential items for home and travel. Often used as medicine bags they carried power objects for healing. Native Americans traditionally decorated these bags with beads or fur. Mountain men carried everything they needed to survive for a day.

What power objects do you need to put in your Possible Bag in 2019 to help you survive the surprise attacks you may encounter today? A life pop-up has the power to spin you out of the possible when it blindsides you from your God-given ability to overcome a perceived threat.

I am writing this article from my personal experience with the possible. As a second-degree black belt, recent recipient of a medal at the Colorado State Championships from the World Tae Kwon Do Federation and leader in the field of human resources development and stress management, I felt that all things were possible for me professionally speaking until I was knocked out of my game. Funny thing was, during the competition I was actually knocked out by an illegal hook kick to my head. Fast forwarding a few years I was knocked out again…this time emotionally and physically.

A personal life pop-up that knocked me out of the possible came when I was diagnosed with advanced cancer one week prior to my final divorce court date. I lost my connection with the possible when I was told by the "white coats" that they would try to get me 5 years. At 38 years old, with three young children, 8, 10 and 12 that was not good enough for me.

I knew I had to "re-pack" my Possible Bag with a bunch of power objects for healing if I was going to overcome the odds.

As I was repacking my bag I noticed a few items had slipped into unseen pockets creating clutter and confusion: fear, self-doubt, and worry.

Fear had trinkets with it: I'm not OK, I can't handle it and I might die, as a leader in this world it may be a death to ego (my need to own, control, possess). I found a lot of fear hidden behind a bunch of smoke and mirrors. All of it had to go to make room for my power objects for healing.

Self-doubt carried with it the dust of forgetfulness. You see, I had forgotten for a moment that the strength of God within me was bigger than the circumstance outside of me.

The crumbs of worry seemed to be everywhere and impossible to pick out one by one so I dumped my entire bag upside down, brushed out all of the worry and negative thinking and flipped my Possible Bag right side up, I was amazed at how much lighter it all seemed. When life flips you upside down expect to be lighter and more focused on the most important thing at the moment when you’re right side up. 

The start of the New Year is an awesome time to clean out what is not working in your favor to make more room for what is working in your favor. To reflect on what’s working, why it’s working and figure out effective ways to do more of that.

I noticed that the more fear I cleaned out of my bag the more confident I became in my ability to carry it. As I dumped out all self-doubt and worry the beautiful colors contained in the Possible Bag became more brilliant along with hidden power objects (character, choice points, faith, strength, courage) that I forgot I had. As a leader, I cannot give out to those entrusted to my care what I have not mastered within.

Every bead that I intentionally sowed on my Possible Bag represented a victory won. The brilliant colors represented the rainbows I encountered in the midst of the storm, those people who stepped into my path and placed a power object for healing in my bag, my mentors. Who has placed a power object in your Possible Bag that has made you a more effective mentor and leader?

Below are the essential power objects and items I carried in and through the storm of cancer and divorce AND continue to carry in my Possible Bag to help me not only survive but to thrive as a leader and facilitator of impactful human development, personally and professionally.

Explore and write down one or two statements that you feel will make you a better leader in 2019. Use these statements as theme thoughts as the New Year rolls in:
 

 

Back in 2006 in less than two years the power objects for healing contained in my Possible Bag carried me through the following journey and back to complete healing and restoration: a divorce, 16 chemotherapy treatments (chemo), 6 weeks of daily radiation, 1 year of additional chemo, 14 surgeries due to third degree burns on my chest, they had to graft my back onto my front, and a MRSA staph infection.

My children are now 19, 22 and 24 and gratefully thriving. I have been happily remarried for 8 years and use the lessons learned on the journey to empower others to pack intentionally those power objects for Leadership Excellence in their Possible Bag.

Lauren E. Miller, has a Masters in Adult Education with a Certification in Human Resource Development. She has personally conquered two of life's top stressors at the same time, advanced cancer and divorce. Now Google's #1 Stress Relief Expert, Award Winning Author, Speaker and Certified Executive and Life Coach, Lauren provides process-driven programs with structure, guidance, support and accountability designed to create positive change in behavior resulting in positive impact on business (IOB) and life purpose.   Visit http://LaurenEMiller.com Connect Lauren E.Miller