Is Your Mood Running Your Business?

Is Your Mood Running Your Business?

Have you ever noticed that the decision you make from a more neutral mind, one with more perspective, is often different than a decision you make when you're reactive? Have you ever let a low mood, or self-doubt, stop you from moving forward with a new idea? Have you ever felt righteous and offended and tried to make your case to a colleague or loved one while still reeling inside?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you know that what's happening inside ourselves is shaping our responses. The strategies created from an insecure thought such as “I'm behind” or “I'm not doing enough.” versus the ones made from a clearer mind are almost always different. What occurs to us to say or do from a reactive internal state versus a more neutral one will be different. 

I spent some time with one of my longer-term clients and their leadership team. They have grown rapidly in the last few years and decided to take some time out as a team and recalibrate. They have seen how invaluable it is to slow down, create space, and reflect. Not only have some of their best ideas come from these retreats, but they have noted how they leave feeling more connected to themselves, their teammates, and their mission.

During this 2-day workout session, we had an interesting conversation about moods and decision-making. Making decisions based on your mood doesn't sound smart, yet when we're honest, we can all see times when that is exactly what we do. 

We often build a case, assign intent, and draw conclusions about people from our moods. 

When we don't see our mood or that we are in a reactive internal state, we take our thinking as truth. We take it at face value and don't appreciate that we are in a constricted mind. We believe our thoughts about others. 

When we're in a reactive, insecure, or upset mood, we may create short-sighted strategies. We are more impulsive and intense, our minds accelerate, and our communication deteriorates.  

When we don't see our moods or take our moods seriously, we start to make less ideal decisions. We have conversations that don't go as well. 

In business, we're making decisions daily that impact the organization and its people. We're also having conversations all day long. Conversations that drive the tone, the culture, and the direction of people and teams.

Getting good at spotting your moods, your reactivity or lack of neutrality results in more power and wisdom in decision making and any conversation.

We naturally get insightful thinking when our minds are clear, free, and less distorted. The more ease and neutrality we have, the more mental bandwidth we have, and as a result, we see more options and get better ideas. Agitation and reactivity use bandwidth that would otherwise be used to help resolve an issue. 

An agitated mind is what we do to our mind when we overthink or bear down on something, particularly in an anxious way or intense way.

The feeling of a clear mind is one of ease, well-being, neutrality, and lack of tension. 

How do we go from agitated, intense, confused, or reactive to a clear mind? We stop leaning into our reactivity and take our foot off the gas pedal of our thinking – even if we think we're right. 

We respect a clear mind more. We let our minds settle.

We can have a neutral, unstressed mind in any situation if we can ignore our agitated thinking. Even when the situation is complex or started in a place of tension, it is possible to experience more neutrality. 

We have more clarity from a less encumbered mind; we are more neutral. Neutral takes us beyond our mood or reactivity and allows us to see and perceive ‘what is.' From this place, we can address the situation or individual with more wisdom.

It doesn't mean we don't have the tough conversation or tell the truth; it means we do it with more insight and wisdom. 

It doesn't mean we don't make a decision or set strategies; it means we do it with more access to our creativity and higher-level thinking.

When we get clear that our state of mind is impaired, we can do what makes sense and is most helpful in the moment.

When we respect a clear, neutral mind more than a reactive one, we recalibrate naturally and see people and situations with more insight.

From here, we access our higher intelligence and bring our best thinking and problem solving to the table. 

“Neutral takes us beyond our mood or reactivity and gives us the ability to see and perceive ‘what is’ and address a situation with more wisdom.”

“Don’t let moods make your decisions. Instead allow the power and wisdom of a more neutral mind come forward and experience more efficient and effective strategies.

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Barbara Patterson is the owner of a global coaching and consulting company helping solopreneurs, entrepreneurs & leaders access more clarity, creativity, have greater impact and higher levels of fulfillment in work and life. She is the founder of Beyond Limits in Business, a global platform and community designed to point people to the source of human potential. That potential resides within and is experienced via our minds. Barb is also the host of the Real Business Real Lives podcast. You can follow Barb on Linkedin and Instagram. You can also subscribe to her weekly blog on her website at barbarapatterson.com 

 

 

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