If you’ve been reading this newsletter for the past couple of years, you may recall I selected a word of the year that sets my intention of wanting to be with myself and others. In 2022, it was TRUST. In 2023, it was GRACE. And in 2024, it is HUMILITY.
3 Musings on Work + Life…Humble Wisdom Practices.
After traveling to Japan and SE Asia this summer, I became more curious about their wisdom practices to humbly engage our minds, hearts, and bodies.
1. Finding our purpose through ikigai.
Many January newsletters and messages encourage us to set goals for the new year. However, have you taken the time to find your purpose humbly? Why are you here? What is yours to do? How will you serve others?
The concept of ikigai, as described by Positive Psychology, evolved from the essential health and wellness principles of traditional Japanese medicine. This medical tradition holds that physical well-being is affected by one’s mental-emotional health and sense of purpose in life. It’s the overlapping circles of:
What you love
What you are good at
What the world needs
What you can get paid for
If you are curious about this practice, “Every Day Better with Leah Smart” talks to Tim Tamashiro, author of “How to Ikigai.” He shares the tools to find your ikigai, where most people get stuck, and how we tend to go wrong with purpose. I am humbled that I am finally living my ikigai at this stage of my life.
2. Embracing our imperfections with kintsugi.
We make mistakes. We aren’t perfect. A beautiful metaphor for seeing the perfection in our imperfections is the Japanese kintsugi bowl. It means “joining with gold”. This centuries-old art is part of a broader philosophy of embracing the beauty of human flaws.
According to citations in Positive Psychology, humility in our leaders fosters trust, engagement, and creative strategic thinking and generally boosts performance. Two resources I recommend for becoming a humble leader include Brené Brown’s Gifts of Imperfection and Adam Grant’s Give and Take.
As I shared my struggle with perfectionism, my coaching cohort gifted me with this pottery as an encouragement to continue this humble journey of finding perfection in my imperfections.
3. Challenging ourselves with tai chi.
We’ve engaged our mind and heart; now, let’s connect with our body's wisdom. As a person who tends to run and do repetitive movements, I want to humble myself by practicing tai chi. I often recommend a somatic practice to support my clients with their development goals, and I hope this will help me.
Slowing down my movements will keep me humble as I fall and see my imperfections, yet I choose to grow with this ancient Chinese martial art known as “meditation in motion.” I hope it will improve my flexibility and balance both physically and metaphorically.
Tai chi’s roots in Chinese philosophy include the following beliefs:
Qi — an energy force thought to flow through the body; tai chi is said to unblock and encourage the proper flow of qi.
Yin and yang — opposing elements thought to make up the universe that needs to be kept in harmony. Tai chi is said to promote this balance.
If you are curious and want to learn more, here are articles from Harvard Health Publishing and the New York Times.
I hope you enjoyed some ancient wisdom to support us on a more humble path forward.
Gifts
Song: Tim McGraw, Humble and Kind | Practice: Humble Warrior Pose  |
“You are a symbol of strength and surrender. You can simultaneously hold two things to be true, each without contradicting the other. You dance effortlessly with both activation and calming. You maintain the mental and emotional agility of both your power and grace. You are both self-assured and humble. You are both fired up and diffused. You are both an effort and a surrender. You are both without contradiction.”
–Unknown Author
Comentarios