Jerry West is dead. The National Basketball League (NBA) logo is based on him. His daddy was a coal miner from West Virginia. He played in the NBA 14 years and was named an MVP 14 years. “West battled inner demons to the point of suicide…” Washington Post
Sadness is a beginning, not an end.
Sadness is leadership’s dark secret. Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill experienced bouts of darkness. It wouldn’t surprise me if you felt it. I’m not talking about depression. I’m talking about the weight of caring more than others.
10 ways to get a grip on sadness:
Unhappiness precedes transformation, but not for everyone. When you’re sad…
Limit your exposure to blood sucking vampires. Proximity matters. Lunch with an optimist.
Focus on things within your control. Calm is closer when you stop trying to control things you can’t control. You aren’t God. Reject defeat and try on humility.
Choose an outward facing purpose. Meaning doesn’t prevent sadness. It sustains us when it comes.
Notice things that are working. You spend too much time thinking about problems. Bad blinds us to good. Everything isn’t bad.
Mention good when you see it. Words are rudders. Life moves in the direction of your words.
Sadness is part of life. Accept it.
Rest. Sometimes, the message of sadness is stop, or at least slow down.
Take walks.
Find a confidant. Look for a coach or mentor.
Don’t write five things you’re grateful for. That’s too many. Write down one.
Danger:
Keep your vision bright even when you feel heavy. Loss of vision, feeling helpless, and anger come during melancholy.
Anger turns to bitterness, the soul’s poison. But the hardest thing to bare is loneliness.
Happiness affirms, unhappiness often opens us to growth.
What helps you when you feel sad?
What suggestions do you have for facing leadership sadness?
