CULTIVATE.

Hello dear reader - welcome to this week's Wednesday Weekly.

How do we know the thoughts we think are the right ones? The decisions we make the right ones? And the behaviours we carry out effective, efficacious, and useful?

These are questions I have considered many times professionally, prompted often by observing people behave in bizarre ways. I'm not talking about balancing an apple crumble on their head whilst reciting Shakespeare and dressed as Bluey the dog, but unconsidered choices; ill-considered words, and unhelpful behaviours.

The reality is far too many people go through life behaving in a way that suggests they believe this to be a bizarre rehearsal, and that they'll get the chance to do it all again, editing out the parts the didn't like or which didn't work out.

But we won't. 

This is it. 

Right now is all we have. And it's exactly why I'm so passionate about understanding how we can harbour the most effective behaviours to help us become the best versions of ourselves at home, and at work: the best leaders we can be; the best parents, lovers, friends we can be. And for us, wholly for ourselves, the best version of us.

And it all begins with one principal exercise. Just one simple, yet essential, concept:

Cultivating creative reflection.

It's been a core part of my practice, both personally and professionally for the best part of 10 years. In its most basic form, it is encouraging oneself to find time to reflect. For me, it is a daily practice I do while walking my dog, Woody.

Did I show patience and kindness in those situations today? Did I practice compassion and understanding? Was I authentic, or influenced? What could I have done differently? 

You can find your own questions depending on the situation and what it is you would like to cultivate. After all, no one else is going to do it for us.

Happy Wednesday,

Jez